Second Chances
by sangoshippokirara
Summary: AU: After his death, Anakin is given another chance to fix things...in our world, where he quickly meets familiar faces, most of whom don't know who he is. Meanwhile, he struggles to come to terms with what he's done, hoping that he can win Padme's heart again and remaster the Force before it's too late.
1. A Slim Chance

"You already have, Luke. You were right." Force, his son….his son was beautiful. He hadn't thought that word in so many years, but there was no other way to describe Padme's son. His son. "You were right about me. Tell your sister…" Vader….no, Anakin wished with a painful lurch in his chest that he had been able to see his daughter. Just once. But he could feel his life slipping away, and he knew that wasn't possible. "You were right."

He looked at his son and really saw him for the first time—Luke looked so much like his younger self, with honey golden hair, soulful clear blue eyes, strong jawline... Anakin's chest swelled with pride, pride that only a parent could feel for their child.

It didn't last long. Soon his vision began to fail, his eyes closing. For once though, he didn't feel darkness—not the sort of darkness that came from the Dark Side at least. "Father?" His son called to him. He wanted to open his mouth, to assure Luke that it would be alright, but he didn't have the strength. "I won't leave you…"

But Anakin was gone, his spirit surrounded by the light.

He stood alone, no longer wearing his suit, but instead the traditional robes of a Jedi Master. His throat tightened—he had turned to the light at the end, but could he really view himself as a Jedi? He didn't feel worthy. Not after everything he'd done as Vader….

 _You are no longer Vader._

Anakin's head whipped around, trying to pinpoint the source of the voice. He appeared to be alone. Where was he anyway? Everything was white, blindingly white. It wasn't a place that had anything to do with the Dark Side, he could sense that much… but it also didn't feel completely controlled by the Light Side either. It felt like it was more in-between.

Could the Force not decide what to do with his soul?

Suddenly images began to form… his son surrounded by a celebration, their eyes meeting, a wistful smile spreading on his sons lips…. Princess Leia approaching Luke from behind, wrapping her arms around him…

Wait, was _Leia_ his daughter?

Before he could process that possibility fully, Luke was turning to go with her, and the scene was changing…

Images from his past. First as Darth Vader—the killings. The oppression. Anakin wanted to turn away, but he couldn't. He had to face what he'd done. Perhaps this was Judgment. Bitterness and guilt slammed into him, almost knocking the air out of his lungs.

Who better to be judged than he? He deserved whatever punishment was in store for him.

He saw Obi-Wan, saw him as an old man, saw him as they fought on the Death Star. He saw him that horrible night on Mustafar as they fought, lightsabers blazing in the dark. _"I have failed you Anakin,"_ Now as an experienced man, Anakin could hear the genuine sorrow and pain in his former Master's voice, " _I have failed you."_

Then the scene switched.

Then he saw Padme…the betrayal on her face as he choked her the last time he saw her, the pleading in her eyes as she begged him to run away with her, the words he had always wanted her to say leaving her lips, but he hadn't believed her. And he had hurt her. He knew now that she hadn't died by his hand…not directly, at least. She had survived long enough to give birth to their children.

Unless that had been a lie too?

 _No,_ That voice came again, _She died of a broken heart. She lived long enough to name your children._

The scene changed—this one was not his memory, but it ripped him apart from the inside just as much as his own memories. Padme lay on a cold, steel table in white, her skin pale, her bouncy curls limply framing her face. Obi-Wan stood at her side, where Anakin should have been, begging her to fight. " _There is good in him,"_ She whispered, and with a painful lurch Anakin recognized her hope and determination in Luke, " _I know there is…still…"_

The scene disappeared, and Anakin was left standing in the whiteness, shaking violently.

How had he gone so wrong? He knew the answer, but he still wished with every fiber of his being that he could go back and change it. He should have trusted the Force. He should have listened to Padme. He should have…

But he hadn't. And it had killed his wife's spirit. It had made his children orphans. It had severed his relationship with his best friend and mentor. It had destroyed the freedom of an entire galaxy. It had taken countless lives, and ruined countless more.

He wished he could destroy his own spirit. He wished he could make himself vanish from existence. What good had it been to be the Chosen One? Even if he had fulfilled his destiny in the end by destroying the Emperor, it hadn't saved the ones he'd loved. He didn't deserve to wear the robes of a Jedi. He was no Jedi.

 _You can do it all over again._

Anakin froze. "What?"

 _You can choose to start over, in a new world, in a new galaxy, far, far away…you can become the man you could have been._

Anakin opened his mouth and then closed it, unable to speak. What was this voice? Was that even possible? It shouldn't have been possible…

But what if it was?

It could also be a trap. A trap to let him believe he was starting over, and right when he was happiest, he would be ripped back into his misery. It would have been a fitting punishment.

But what if it wasn't? Could he really give that chance, however slim and impossible, up?

 _Would you like to start over, Anakin Skywalker?_

He still wasn't sure he believed it was real. He was still pretty certain this was a trap. But at this point, he had nothing to lose. He was already dead.

Slowly, he nodded, and as quickly as it had come, the whiteness faded to black.

* * *

"What do you think of these colors?" Padme Amidala held up a stack of blue sample paint cards for her best friend Mindy to see. Mindy dropped the box she'd been carrying on the kitchen table and glanced at them for a split second before she picked up the box cutter and began slicing through the tape on the box.

"We are not turning this house into a beach house." She said as she began pulling out dishware.

"Why not?" Padme frowned, turning the cards over to look at the colors herself. She had spent almost an hour at Home Depot playing with the virtual color sampler to find these colors.

"Just because we live next to the beach doesn't mean that we actually have to turn our house into a stereotypical beachfront home. Can't we just, I don't know, decorate it completely opposite of a beach? Like maybe we could have a cool Mad Max theme going on."

"Absolutely not," Padme frowned. "Besides, beaches are calming. And I promise I won't make it look cheesy."

"I vote painting the house bright yellow. Or pink."

"Gross!"

"Well you asked for my opinion, and I gave it!" Mindy smirked. Padme knew the shorter woman was teasing her, but it didn't stop Padme from scowling. She wished she would give her a straight answer sometimes.

"Well it's my house, so either way I'm going to do whatever I want with it." When Mindy stuck her tongue out at her, Padme couldn't help but crack a smile. "Seriously though. What colors?"

Mindy rolled her eyes but she still smiled as she pointed out a few color combinations. "Happy?"

"Very."

"Great. Now can you help me with these boxes? This house isn't going to get moved into by itself, you know?" Padme laughed, placing the cards on the granite countertops before helping unpack the kitchen.

Truth be told, Padme didn't care how they decorated her house, so long as it was hers. Her parents were politicians, loaded with money. Although Padme had never been spoiled as a young girl, when she received her Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice at just 22 years old, her parents had purchased a house between Stanford, her school, and the beach as a graduation present. It had been a complete surprise to her—she had saved her own money for her first car, and then for her second car—but she was excited.

The house was three bedrooms, two baths—much too big for just herself. So naturally she invited Mindy to room with her. Mindy was more than happy to move out of cramped, over-priced apartments around campus where wild parties were a nightly occurrence.

Still, Padme wasn't sure what she was going to do with the third room. Work space, perhaps? She was just starting her graduate program at Stanford to become a criminal defense lawyer. There were sure to be plenty of all-night study sessions in the coming years. A quiet study could come in handy. Or she could rent out the room—she was taking a break from her part time job as a receptionist at her dad's office this semester. She could use the extra money.

"Hello, earth to Padme?" Padme snapped back to reality, looking at her best friend. Mindy had been her best friend since freshman year of college after Padme had rescued her from a very awkward encounter with a desperate boy—Mindy had since then 'adopted' Padme as her best friend, and they had been inseparable ever since. With cropped short dark brown hair and dark, sultry eyes that could stop a guy with one look, Mindy was a beauty queen, and she enjoyed going out to flaunt it. Padme herself enjoyed nights in where she could be as casual as she liked, much to Mindy's dismay. "You're thinking about the house again, aren't you?"

"No," Padme blushed, "Okay, yeah, but there's so much to do! We only have a few days before the semester starts, and…"

"No. Not another word." Mindy stopped her, placing her hands on her hips. She had that determined look in her eye that told Padme she was up to something. "Look, we're going to do another few hours of unpacking, but then we're going to get ready and go out to a party."

Padme groaned. "No, not tonight, we've got so much to do…"

"Yes, but it can wait. No arguments. You can't spend your entire college experience working. You haven't even had a boyfriend!"

"I've gone on plenty of dates…"

"Dates that led nowhere. I'm not saying you have to get a boyfriend—although seriously you should have at least one while in college—but you have to get out and have fun once in a while." Mindy pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing. "We're going. Or I paint badly drawn half naked Greek Gods on the living room wall."

"Wait, what?"

"I'm serious. Maybe I'll paint them worshiping a badly drawn depiction of myself…"

"Okay fine!" Padme laughed—where her friend got these ideas, she had no idea. But she also knew not to ignore a creative threat like that. "But then tomorrow we get right back to packing."

Satisfied that she'd won, Mindy grinned. "Par-tay!" She raised her hands up in victory. She turned back to the box she'd been working on, but paused. "If we're going to a party tonight, we should probably make sure our rooms are unpacked."

"Good idea. Wouldn't want to sleep on the floor."

They moved into their respective rooms to begin unpacking. As Padme entered her bedroom—the master room of course—she couldn't help but wonder why she was bothering to go to this party. She was nice enough to strangers, but by this point she was confident in her circle of friends. She wasn't looking to meet anyone new. Contrary to what Mindy thought, Padme didn't need or want a boyfriend. She had too much to do.

She was going to become a lawyer. She was going to climb her way to the top, and become just as successful as her parents. She would not fail.

She wouldn't let anyone get in her way, especially a man.

* * *

 **I haven't written fanfic in a long time, and I've never written a Star Wars fanfic before. But this story idea won't stop playing in my head, so what do you do when you get a story stuck in your head? You write it of course! So let me know what you think! Did you like it? What do you think is going to happen? More importantly, do you have any suggestions? They're in OUR world, so there's tons of possibilities...**

 **Review!**

 **~Sarah**


	2. An Unfamiliar Place

Padme ducked into the dimly lit club, pushing her way through the throng of sweaty bodies, already wishing that she could turn around and book it back out the front door. She didn't have a problem with the crowd, necessarily, she just…didn't like the way people looked at her as she passed.

She had practically turned her room into a tornado of clothes looking for an outfit that was appropriate for a night out. She had finally settled on a low-back white dress with black pumps. She had pulled her curls up into a casual bun at the nape of her neck with a few strands falling around her face. It wasn't anything special, and most certainly not her best outfit, but as men eyed her hungrily, women shot her glares.

Why didn't I grab a ride with Mindy? She thought as she fought to keep a grimace from her face. She was just here to hang out with her friend. Not make new friends. Not make enemies.

The music pulsed louder as she made her way to the dance floor where she knew Mindy would already be. Mindy was always social—the only time Padme was sure that she wasn't was when she was sleeping, and even then Padme suspected she socialized in her dreams. As much as Padme groaned about the escapades Mindy dragged her on, she secretly recognized that without Mindy, she wouldn't have gotten out of her comfort zone as much as she had.

Padme scanned the crowd and spotted her friend dancing in the midst of some of their other friends from school. Smiling, Padme moved to join them.

A pair of hands grabbed her waist. "Hey baby, wanna dance?" a male voice slurred in her ear, obviously drunk.

Padme easily slid out of his grasp. "Not tonight." She said firmly, her voice leaving no room for argument. Still, his hands grasped for her.

"Aw come on, don't be like that baby," Padme bit back a growl. The man, though handsome, was not her type—and not just because he was drunk. With his pants sagging so that she could clearly see his checkered boxers and a cap twisted sideways on his head, and a gold chain dangling from his neck, he screamed trying-too-hard.

"I said not tonight!" Padme slapped at his hands, and before he could move towards her again, she slipped past a pair of dancers and lost herself in the crowd.

"What was that about?" Mindy shouted over the music when Padme reached her. The adrenaline from the encounter was already wearing off, and Padme smiled wearily.

"Nothing I couldn't handle. Come on, let's dance!" She grabbed her friend's hands and led her further onto the dance floor until they were completely surrounded by writhing, sweaty bodies. Throwing their hands in the air, the two began to dance their way into the night.

* * *

Anakin slammed onto wet pavement, struggling to gasp for breath as he tried to lift himself from the ground. Spots of darkness danced before his eyes, making it difficult to tell where he was, and he managed to roll over onto his back to face the sky, cold rain drops falling onto his skin. He drew in deep breaths, feeling oxygen fill his lungs freely. Despite the pain in his ribs from the fall, it felt good to draw breath without the help of a cursed suit…

Wait. He was Darth Vader. Where was his suit?

As his vision cleared, he lifted his hands in front of his face to find…not metal limbs, but his own, tanned hands, free of scars and wrinkles.

Confusion clouded his mind and he panicked, sitting up so fast that his ribs protested. He barely noticed. His head was scrambling to remember what had happened.

He had been Darth Vader. But then…he'd killed Sidious….and he'd turned to the Light and died in his son's arms….then he'd agreed to a second chance…

Was this his second chance?

He reached up with shaking hands and touched his smooth face. No scars. No wrinkles. No molted skin. He ran his fingers up his face into a full head of tangled curls. He stared forward, and he could see—feel—his legs. Real, fleshy, legs. He wasn't part machine. He didn't have a mirror, but he suspected that when he looked into one, he would see the face of the man he had discarded twenty four years ago.

It couldn't be real. It had to be a dream. Traveling back in time—it just wasn't possible. Wasn't it? Besides, he was dead.

But the dead couldn't feel pain. The bruised ribs protesting with each of his movements were telling him otherwise. And the cool air kissing his skin…his lungs filling with air….

He wasn't Darth Vader. He was Anakin Skywalker, and somehow, he was alive and young again.

Shaking, he stood, pressing himself against a brick wall, trying to get his bearings. He was in an alley of some sort. Trash littered the pavement, and the alley opened out into a dimly lit street. Where was he? He wondered groggily: was he in Coruscant? He looked up into the darkened sky, squinting against the rain drops. He briefly wondered at how cold and yet wonderful the rain felt against his bare skin, a sensation he thought he would never feel again.

There weren't any speeders in the sky. Or other ships entering the atmosphere. In fact, though he could hear plenty of city noises, he couldn't hear the zooms of any ships. Perhaps he was on another planet then. But which one?

He looked down at himself again. By now he was soaked to the bone, but when he took another look at what he was wearing, that didn't matter to him.

 _What am I wearing?_

He wore some sort of….tight black under garment, but there was no tunic covering it. And his legs…they weren't covered by the breeches he was used to wearing, but rather a coarse dark blue material he hadn't seen before. Instead of boots, he wore…well he wasn't sure how to describe the flimsy material he wore on his feet.

Anakin looked back up at the street at the far end of the alley, his breathing picking up as he panicked more and more. Where in the galaxy had the Force taken him to?!

He reached inside of himself, calling on the Force, trying to use it to help him gauge just what he had been thrown into….

Nothing happened.

He tried again. He felt the Force within him, but when he tried to use it, it was as though the Force was blocked by some invisible barrier, and try as hard as he might, nothing could push it through into reality.

 _Oh Force,_ Anakin thought as he entered full-on panic mode (something that he was NOT at all used to anymore): where HAD the Force thrown him?! Was this some sort of Force-immune world? Just his luck. Maybe his 'second chance' was a life without those he loved in a world where the Force didn't exist. He hadn't believed that was possible, but if this was actually his punishment like he was increasingly suspecting it was, he supposed anything was possible.

No. Squaring his shoulders, he turned and strode towards the street. He had spent twenty four years as the most feared man in the galaxy. He may have decided to turn towards the Light Side, but he wasn't going to turn into a whimpering boy and lose his cool. He would figure this out. He always did. He was Darth….Anakin Skywalker.

He stopped at the mouth of the alley, looking around. Again, he couldn't tell where he was. There were no giant skyscrapers stretching high into the sky. He stood in a rundown street with lamps flickering on top of metal poles. Vehicles of some sort were parked on the curbs of the sidewalks, empty. Lights poured from draped windows in the crumbling brick buildings around him. He appeared to be alone.

First things first, he thought as he began to walk—find someone, find answers, then form a plan.

He would master his fear. Even if this had been a trick of the Force to punish him, he would master it. He was in charge of his own destiny this time. He would make sure of that.

* * *

Padme felt drops of sweat dripping down the back of her dress. She was sure her makeup was smearing, and her hair had begun to fall out of its bun. She breathed deep as she danced, feeling the exhilaration of the pulsing music thrumming through her veins down into her bones. If only she could spend every night like this… it felt good to let her guard down, to let loose and really be herself.

But as the song came to a close and she took a moment to pull out her phone and glance at the time, she realized that her night of fun was coming to an end. She had a house to pack before the craziness of school hit her. She couldn't be out all night.

She gripped Mindy's arm. "I need to get home!" she shouted over the next song as it began to play, "Did you have anything to drink tonight?" She didn't recall seeing her friend with any alcohol, but then again Mindy had come to the club before she had.

"No mother!" Mindy rolled her eyes. "Come on, stay out longer!"

Padme was already shaking her head, more hair falling out of the bun. "I really have to go. I'll see you at home—if you decide to drink, call a cab. Your car can wait in the parking garage."

Mindy waved her off, already ready to get back to the party. Padme hesitated, but eventually she pulled away from her friend and began to make her way out of the club, already making mental plans of what she was going to do when she got home.

* * *

Finding out where he had been taken to was much harder than he anticipated. After turning down twisting, empty residential streets, he had finally come across a busier street with people walking down the sidewalks and those….flightless vehicles whooshing past him. One of them had splattered a muddy puddle all over him, making him growl in frustration and anger. They wouldn't have dared do that to him if he'd still been Darth Vader.

But he wasn't. So he quickly forced himself to swallow his anger.

Trying to engage people in conversation didn't go in his favor either. Most people he approached quickly hurried the opposite direction, as though they could still sense the Dark Side in him—perhaps they could. He wasn't sure what the rules of this world were.

But it was the people he managed to briefly talk to that really caused anger to simmer in his blood. "What star system are we in?" He asked the first man he'd come across.

"Screw you." Came the gruff reply as the man shoved past him. Anakin resisted the urge to follow after him and attempt to Force-choke the answer out of him and moved on. Surely there were more helpful people on this planet.

"What planet is this?" He asked another couple as they walked down the street.

They laughed at the question. "A little too much to drink buddy?" The man asked. Anakin frowned, but shook his head. "Riiiiight." They walked by without another word, laughing as though Anakin had made some joke.

"Are there any Jedi on this planet?" He asked one elderly woman as she hobbled out of her vehicle.

She threw him a nasty glare and held up some odd cross and thrust it in his face. "Begone, Satan worshiper!" He wasn't sure what that was, but he was pretty sure she regarded Satan worshipers the same way that Jedi regarded Sith.

On and on he approached people, trying to figure out where he was, but everyone he approached assumed that he was crazy or drunk. It was as though they had never heard of space travel, or Jedi, or the Force, or anything that was familiar to him. More and more he grew frustrated, until finally he raised his hand to Force choke a hooded man. Of course nothing happened no matter how hard he concentrated, and the man scoffed. "Go home man. You're drunk." And stalked off.

Finally he gave up trying to talk to people, and instead wandered the streets aimlessly, looking for something that might give him some clue as to where he had ended up. So far, he continued to find rundown buildings and closed stores—although there were a bunch of signs hanging in windows that said "Go Lakers!" But that didn't help him much.

He turned yet another corner, wondering just how big this city was, when he finally saw an open store, light streaming out into an empty parking lot. Maybe there was someone….or rather, something that would help him figure out where he was.

He stepped out into the street, eyes on his prize, anticipating whatever he would discover there, when suddenly out of nowhere beams of light filled his vision. There was a screech of tires, and the next thing he knew one of those metal vehicles was barreling towards him faster than his reflexes could take, and although it screeched to an almost halt by the time it got to him, the bumper still slammed into him, sending him sprawling towards the black pavement.

For the second time that night Anakin hit the ground, this time smacking his head against the blacktop, and the next thing he knew he was fading into darkness, a female voice crying out in alarm in the distance…

* * *

 **So I'm going to admit, the old lady shoving the cross into Anakin's face and calling him a Satan worshiper made me laugh for much longer than it should have... I can just imagine his face... HAHA!**

 **Well, what did you think? I'm updating pretty fast, but if you're reading, write a quick review! I'd love to have some support!**

 **Either way, I've missed writing fanfiction... so I'll keep updating. Idk how often though...**

 **~Sarah**


	3. Angel

Showered and dried, Padme changed into her black sweats and maroon Stanford t-shirt before maneuvering herself out to her living room where she had pulled out her laptop. Settling into the corner of the couch (the only cushion not stacked with boxes), she began to open up her email to check for emails from her professors, listening to the rain pound against the window, when the front door opened. "Hey," she called absent-mindedly, not looking up from her computer.

"Um. Hi." Padme's fingers stilled on the keyboard. She didn't like the tone of Mindy's voice—distant, cautious, worried. If Mindy sounded like that….Padme almost didn't want to know. "Could you, uh, give me a hand here?"

"With wha— _who_ is that?" Padme had finally looked up to find her friend struggling under the weight of an unconscious man, both of them soaking wet from the rain pattering outside. "Don't tell me you're already bringing guys over. Couldn't you have waited for us to finish unpacking?" She tried to laugh, but it came out nervous. From the uncharacteristic serious look on Mindy's face, something told Padme that this was no ordinary guy.

"I wasn't. It's not like that. Just move the boxes." Padme quickly placed the laptop on the coffee table and began moving boxes. Briefly she shuddered at the thought of Mindy placing a soaking stranger on her brand new couch, but she quickly pushed that thought away. It wasn't like she spent that much on it.

Mindy dragged the man over to the couch and dropped him onto the cushions with a grunt. The man almost slid off, but both Padme and Mindy caught him and pushed him back up, rolling him onto his back so they could get a better look at him.

Padme's breath caught in her throat. The man was young, maybe about her age. He had curly hair that barely reached his shoulders, and a thin scar on his left eye, and tan skin that suggested he'd spent long hours out under the sun. His black t-shirt, wet, clung to his skin, doing nothing to hide the rock hard abs underneath.

He was _handsome._

"Who is he?" Padme breathed, slowly straightening as her heart raced.

"I, uh, don't know." Mindy said hesitantly.

Padme forced herself to look away from the handsome unconscious man on her couch, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean, you don't know? You brought home some random unconscious stranger?"

"Kind of," Mindy blushed, looking down at her now ruined outfit. "I, um, hit him."

Padme blinked. "Like, you punched him?"

"No." Mindy cleared her throat, not daring to look at Padme. "With my car."

"You did WHAT?!" Padme shouted, instantly worried for the man on her couch and angry with her friend at the same time. "Did you take him to the hospital?!"

"Uh, no…"

"WHY?!" This couldn't be happening. Mindy had pulled some dumb stunts before, but this? Padme resisted the urge to grab her shoulders and shake sense into her. "Please don't tell me you were drinking…"Mindy remained silent, answering Padme's question. "I told you to take a cab home!"

"It was only two martinis!" Mindy protested, "I'm not even dizzy. It was raining though, and dark, and he just came out of nowhere. I mean he's not exactly dressed to stand out at night."

"It doesn't matter, you HIT HIM WITH YOUR CAR." Padme looked back at the unconscious man, looking for any injuries. She kneeled down beside him, lifting his shirt to check his torso. There were a few bruises, but nothing looked serious. That didn't mean anything though. He could have been bleeding internally, or he could have broken ribs. She was almost afraid to touch him now. "And instead of doing the right thing and taking him to a hospital, regardless of your consequences, you KIDNAPPED him and might have made his injuries worse by moving him! If he wakes up and decides to sue you or press charges, he totally could! I don't need to be a future lawyer to predict that!"

"I didn't hit him that hard," Mindy protested, but it was half-hearted. "I mostly stopped before I hit him. It was really just a bump, but he fell and hit his head…"

"Oh great, so he just has a concussion probably." Padme sarcastically snapped, glaring back up at her. "We need to take him to a hospital. Now."

"But they're going to want to know what happened, and then they'll want to do a breathalyzer test and I'm totally going to fail that!" Mindy groaned. "I'll be lucky if they just suspend my license…"

"Maybe next time you should listen to me…" Padme trailed off as the man began to stir, groaning. She stood back up, wanting to give him space, but her hands itched to do something productive. Still, he was a stranger, and she didn't think he'd take too kindly to waking up to find his kidnapper's friend touching him all over.

"See? He's waking up. He's fine."

"Shut up, Mindy." Growled Padme as she watched the man's eyes flutter open to reveal crystal clear blue eyes that made her heart stop.

* * *

Anakin was first aware of the splitting headache pounding through his head. He hadn't had his body back for more than a few hours, and already he was injuring himself. It was his own fault. He should have paid more attention to his surroundings. But he had always been impulsive—Darth Vader had not changed that about him.

The next thing he was aware of was voices. Female. Talking about him. One of them was defensive but miserable, while the other one was filled with anger and worry. The worried voice pricked something in his memory—it sounded so familiar, but with the splitting headache, it was impossible for him to place.

He furrowed his brows against the pain, groaning as he struggled to open his eyes against the light in the room he was in. "See? He's waking up. He's fine."

"Shut up, Mindy." Finally Anakin opened his eyes, taking in his surroundings. He was on a white couch in a room filled with labeled boxes. He instinctively tried to use the Force to gauge just what exactly he was facing, but again the Force was blocked and he was unable to use it.

Frustrated, Anakin turned his head himself, identifying the owners of the voices. The first woman he saw was his age. She was soaked like he was, with dark, short hair dripping onto the carpet below her, wearing white pants and a black top that barely covered her body. Anakin quickly looked away from her, his eyes meeting with…

He froze. The world stopped, and he couldn't breathe. Twenty four years. He had imagined seeing her again for twenty four years. Every time he had fallen asleep, he had dreamed about her. Over and over again, he had replayed the awful night on Mustafar in his mind. Their last conversation. How she had begged him to run away with her, to raise their child, to turn away from the Dark Side. He had lashed out at her, _hurt her,_ put his unborn children in danger…

And here she stood. Alive.

His Padme. His _angel…_

"Um. Sir?" The other girl was saying, but he barely heard her. He just stared at Padme, unable to function. For the first time, he was speechless. He didn't know what to do with himself. He wanted to reach out and touch her, pull her to him and kiss her passionately like he had longed to do for twenty four, long, horrible years. But guilt stopped him, guilt at how he had hurt her.

And from the look on her face, she didn't know him. Not in this world. She looked worried for him, but it was the worry one would have for a stranger.

He was a stranger to her. Twenty four years of wanting to make things right again, and she didn't even know him. How could he put things right if she didn't know who he was?

His head pounded even harder from the confusion, the guilt, the longing….

"Are you alright sir? Do you remember what happened?" The other girl was asking. Anakin opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again. What could he say to her? What _should_ he say? He sought answers from the Force, but yet again it was frustratingly silent.

So he said the first thing that popped into his head. "Are you an angel?"

Bewilderment flashed across Padme's face, just as it had the first time. "What?" Her response to him was the same. He wondered if he explained the exact same way he had the first time, if she would smile and tell him he was a funny…well, man now. Still, he had only blurted it out this time not just because she was even more beautiful than she had been in his memories, but because he still wasn't sure what sort of world this was.

"He thinks he's dead," the other girl whispered.

Padme frowned. "No, you're not dead. Do you feel like you're going to die?"

Anakin couldn't help but snort at that. He had already died. He felt like crap, but this wasn't anywhere close to dying. "No."

She seemed to relax a little. "Good. My friend here hit you with her car. She should have taken you to a hospital, but she brought you here to our house instead. I can take you to a hospital if you want…in fact, I highly suggest it."

Anakin was already forcing himself upright so that he was sitting up, his eyes never leaving her face. Force, she was beautiful… he didn't deserve her. Just being in her presence, he kept replaying the image of the betrayal in her eyes as he had choked her. How would she look at him if he told her what he'd done after she had died?

But even though he knew that he didn't deserve her, knew that he should get up and leave and never see her again, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Even though he was wracked with guilt, her presence was still soothing, and more importantly…

He still loved her, with every fiber of his being.

"What's your name?" She asked him when he said nothing for a long time.

"Da….Anakin Skywalker." He needed to get used to his old name. He would never again be Darth Vader, especially in her presence. If he was going to stay, and he still wasn't sure if he would, he would make sure that he did not screw this up. He would not hurt her again.

"Do you want to go to a hospital?" Again, that open concern. Force, even in this world she was always looking out for others. She may not remember him, but she was still the pure soul he had fallen in love with.

"No," Anakin had always hated doctors, and the last time he had been seen by doctors…well, it was not an experience he ever wanted to relive.

Padme hesitated though, obviously debating on pressing the subject. "Okay, well where do you live? Is there someone we can call to help you?"

Anakin paused. Yet again, he had no idea where he was. He wasn't sure how to respond, remembering the rather hostile behavior of the people he had questioned earlier that night. He didn't know what would be an appropriate response though, so he decided to go with a half-truth. "I don't know."

Padme looked puzzled. "What do you mean, you don't know?"

Anakin raced to figure out a response, but yet again he came up with nothing. It didn't help that he was still distracted by her. If she would let him, he would have been content to stare at her forever. Not creepy at all, he thought sarcastically.

"I mean," he said slowly, debating each word carefully, "I don't know where I live in this world. I'm not even sure what planet I'm on."

Padme's worry melted into full on panic, and she whirled on the other girl in the room. "He has AMNESIA! I TOLD you he needed a hospital!" The other girl looked pretty panicked too, and instantly Anakin regretted his words. Obviously he had just made their fears a reality. "You need to go to the hospital. Now!"

"No," Anakin quickly said, holding up his hands in an effort to somehow show that he was…well, okay enough not to go to a hospital. "I was, um, having issues before I was hit." That didn't seem to alleviate Padme's panic, but the other girl seemed to calm a little more. Force, he wished he could use the Force to guide him through this conversation…

"So you should have gone to a doctor before this then." Padme continued, "How long have you been wandering around out there?"

"A few hours, maybe? I haven't been out long. Look, I'm fine. I'll be fine. I just need some answers and I'll figure out a plan." Anakin winced—he didn't sound convincing, even to himself. But Padme, although clearly skeptical, relented a little.

"Okay fine. What do you want to know?" She seemed apprehensive, as though she felt she would regret that question later.

 _How are you alive? Could you ever forgive me? Would you ever love me again?_ Those were just the tip of the planet of questions he wanted to ask her, but he knew he couldn't. Even if she did remember, he knew those questions still would have been a struggle for him to ask.

"What planet are we on?" Is what he settled for. Simple. To the point. And from the look on her face, probably not the first question she expected him to ask.

"Well, we're on the planet Earth," Earth? He'd never heard of it before. So developing a plan based on prior knowledge was out of the question. "Specifically, we live in the United States of America, one of the largest countries on the planet. And even more specifically, we live in California, which is one of America's states. Is any of this ringing a bell?"

Anakin hesitated, wanting to lie to calm her, but he couldn't. No more lies. "No."

Her face fell. "Oh. Okay, what else?"

"What star system is this planet in?" Again, not a question she expected. She looked at her friend in concern.

Her friend shrugged. "Maybe he's one of those Star Trek nerds and he was here for a convention or something and now that he can't remember much he's relying on that?"

"I don't know what Star Trek is." Anakin grumbled, increasingly becoming more frustrated. Maybe it was a good thing he didn't have the use of the Force right now, because for the past twenty four years whenever he was frustrated or angry he tended to lash out. He did not want to risk that happening right now, as much as he sort of wanted to.

You are no longer Darth Vader, he repeated to himself. Anakin. Anakin Skywalker. It was the only thing he had to cling to in this craziness.

"Don't worry about that," Padme said, but she looked like she was considering her friend's words seriously. "I'm not sure what you mean by 'star system,' but our star is the Sun if that helps." Anakin shook his head. "Okay, well we live in the Milky Way Galaxy."

Milky Way Galaxy? He hadn't even heard of it. One thing was for certain though…

He wasn't even in the same galaxy.

 _What had he gotten himself into?_

"Look, I really think you should at least see a doctor at the very least. My family has a good doctor that we can go to tomorrow morning. He's trustworthy, I promise. And if you're concerned about money, don't worry about it. My friend hit you with a car," She shot a glare at her friend who blushed. "It's the least that I can do."

Anakin hesitated, still wary of doctors, but it was obvious that Padme wasn't going to let it go. "Will it put you at ease if we go to this doctor?"

"Yes." Her response was firm, and he saw the pleading in her beautiful, dark eyes. His eyes traveled to her lips, and again he had the urge to close the distance between them and kiss her and never let go.

But he didn't. Instead he sighed, running a hand over his face. "Fine," He said, looking back up at her. "But only to calm you down."

She let out a sigh, her shoulders slumping, and for the first time it occurred to Anakin just how late it was. She was probably exhausted. More guilt hit him—he always seemed to cause her worry and stress, even when she didn't remember who he was to her. "Good." She said. "By the way. My name is Padme."

"And I'm Mindy," said the other girl, "And, uh, sorry for hitting you with my car."

"I should have been looking where I was going," Anakin mumbled, and he saw Mindy shoot Padme an "I-told-you-so" look. "It's nice to meet both of you. Thank you for your help. I'm sorry that I've placed this burden on your shoulders…" The apology felt funny in his mouth—he was certainly sorry for the stress he was obviously causing, but he hadn't uttered an apology in years. Still, he couldn't help but feel a little lighter after saying it.

"Don't worry about that, worry about yourself right now." Padme chided, "Now, let's see about finding you something dry to wear, shall we?"

* * *

 **Okay so I really enjoyed writing that chapter. Anakin obviously has some inner demons that he still has to deal with, but that's expected for a former Sith Lord. And poor Padme is just going out of her mind with stress, but she's never been one to turn away someone in need, so we'll explore that some as well. And don't worry, Anakin will start to be able to use the Force again, but like he said in this chapter, if he had it right now, he probably would have done something regrettable by now.**

 **I'm so happy because I got some followers and favorites for this story! Those notification emails always make my day. Reviews make me squeal inwardly, but follows and favorites make me happy too. I love all of you and the support you give. You are all awesome, and if anyone tells you differently, they're wrong.**

 **Review! 3**

 **~Sarah**


	4. Identification

Anakin stepped out of the shower, quickly changing into the clothes Mindy had found for him that were too small. Apparently they were 'left over' from her last boyfriend, and Anakin honestly found it more uncomfortable to be in a strangers clothes than the actual tightness of them around his body. Mindy informed him however that the other man wasn't even living in the country anymore, and that Anakin looked "way more crazy hot" in them than her boyfriend had.

Still, he planned on acquiring better fitting clothes as soon as he was done meeting with the doctor.

Finished changing, Anakin wiped away the moisture on the mirror and for the first time took a really long, good look at himself. It was odd to look in the mirror and actually see himself—even odder that it was his younger self. He'd tried so hard to forget his younger years while he was Darth Vader, that the man standing before him almost looked to be a stranger. He remembered the scar across his eye—he'd received it courtesy of Ventress—but he had both of his hands, something which he did not have originally at this age. Why was that? He wondered. He doubted he'd receive an answer to that question anytime soon.

He stared at himself, memorizing every detail. Was his skin tanner than before? It looked slightly darker, but he couldn't be sure. It had been so long… and had his hair been this long before he became Darth Vader? And his eyes—they were clear blue, but even he could see the guilt and loss that they held. It was almost painful to look at. His mask had always hidden his eyes, but now that he was actually looking into them, it was like seeing into his soul. That was not something he wanted to see.

 _Luke may look like me,_ Anakin thought bitterly, _but I hope that he never has this look in his eyes._

The thought of his son, lost to Anakin in his old world, brought a fresh stab of pain in his chest, and he quickly put a stop to it.

Besides, he had bigger problems right now.

It had been almost impossible to sleep soundly knowing that Padme was in the same house as he. He kept imagining all of the times he would slip into her apartment back on Coruscant and spend time with her. He could remember the feeling of her wrapped in his arms, but the memory was distant and fleeting. It drove him crazy to think that he was so close to making that memory reality again, but he couldn't. She didn't remember him, and he doubted she would grow any fonder of him if he randomly climbed into her bed and held her.

He had been exhausted though, so mercifully he had fallen into a light sleep, a sleep that was mercifully free of dreams. A few times in the night he had awoken to Padme's soft footfalls as she crept into the great room where he slept to check on him.

Sweet, kind, beautiful Padme. She hadn't changed that much. He wondered just how much sleep she lost looking out for him however—he suspected it was much more than he would have liked.

She would keep worrying until she was sure he was alright. That was the only reason why he was going to the doctor. He didn't expect anything useful to come from the visit, but if it made his Angel happy, he would do anything.

 _I will do anything you ask._ He had once said that to Padme, and he'd meant it. But when she'd asked to run away together, he had broken that promise.

He never intended to break that promise to her again.

* * *

"No, you are _not_ going to drive to the doctor's office," Padme growled as she downed her second cup of coffee. She hadn't gotten any sleep last night knowing that an injured man with very few memories was sleeping on her couch. She kept imagining that he had internal injuries that would worsen in the night, and that she would wake up to find him dead. The thought terrified her, so she found herself sneaking into the living room to check on him multiple times throughout the night.

"Then why am I going with you to this appointment?" Mindy asked as she applied her make up while looking into her compact mirror. They sat at the cluttered kitchen table waiting for Anakin to emerge from the bathroom, and although Mindy looked ready to face the day, Padme couldn't erase the exhaustion from her face, though she tried to with makeup. If Mindy hadn't hit a man with a car the night before, Padme might have considered letting Mindy drive them to the appointment.

"Because you got us into this mess, you're going to see it through until the end." Padme replied, debating another cup of coffee.

Mindy shrugged, apparently already over the fact that she had come close to committing vehicular homicide the night before. "Okay fine, but it's obvious that he has a thing for you, so why don't you two go and have a moment together?"

" _Huh?"_ Now Padme was awake. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Mindy rolled her eyes. "Please, didn't you see the way that he looked at you last night? It was like he had found the other half of his soul. I've never even seen my parents look at each other that way."

"Your parents are divorced."

Mindy waved it off, slapping her compact shut. "Details. The point is, he's totally got a thing for you. And if I had to guess, I'd say you have a thing for him too."

"Are you sure you're not hungover?" Padme asked, raising an eyebrow.

"A little bit. The point is, _you_ stared at him with such worry and concern it was like you were fussing over your mortally injured lover. I mean you're a caring person, Padme, but you never look at people like that."

Padme had to admit, she had noticed that she was more worked up about Anakin than she usually was with those she helped. She often worked with charities during the summer, and she had met plenty of misfortunate people and never felt the need to personally invest herself into their well-being. But seeing Anakin on that couch, looking tormented as he explained that he didn't know himself anymore, she had felt an overwhelming desire to help him get back on his feet. Maybe that was why she hadn't been able to sleep the night before.

And even Padme wasn't ready to admit to herself just how much her heart raced every time she looked at him.

She was not going to admit that to Mindy, however. It would only fuel her romantic fantasies, and she wasn't about to have that get out of control. Mindy's fantasies were frightening. "I'm fussing over him because you almost got him killed with your negligence. Honestly, it should be you that's freaking out over his wellbeing."

"Oh I'm concerned, don't get me wrong, but I don't have a crush on him, even if he is crazy hot."

"Well I don't have a crush on him." Padme insisted.

Mindy grinned, crossing her arms smugly. "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

Padme began to feel a blush creep up on her. "I am not!"

"Anakin and Padme, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G…"

 _"_ Stop that!" Padme began, when the sound of a throat being cleared made both of the girls freeze and look to the entryway of the kitchen where Anakin stood, wearing the too-small shirt (though he had changed back into his now-dry jeans), his wet hair dangling freely around his shoulders.

"I'm ready whenever you are," He said quietly, looking directly at Padme.

Padme didn't need a mirror to know that she was now bright red. Just how much of Mindy's foolishness had he heard? She quickly stood up. "Great!" She said a little too brightly, "Then let's head out, shall we?" She didn't wait to see if they followed her out to the garage, but she did hear Mindy start to giggle behind her.

"What's going on?" She heard Anakin ask Mindy.

"Oh, just girl stuff." Just girl stuff indeed…

* * *

Anakin sat on the uncomfortable plastic bed, trying to ignore the slow headache that was forming from the overbearing sterile smell of the room they waited in. Every movement he made, no matter how small, made the paper beneath him crinkle loudly, so he did his best to sit as still as possible to keep from adding to his headache. Mindy and Padme sat in chairs across from the bed: Mindy had her attention focused on what looked to him to be a very tiny datapad, while Padme sat glancing between him and the door anxiously.

The ride over had been awkward, and not just because Anakin had walked in on Mindy teasing Padme about kissing him. Padme had attempted to make small talk with Anakin, who had sat in the front seat with her in her 'car,' but when Anakin had asked her about whether or not her car could fly or hover, she had gone silent, obviously reminded of his 'condition.' He wished she wouldn't worry about him so much, but he couldn't very well tell her the full truth. She wouldn't believe him if he did.

So instead she had turned on what she called "NPR," and they had listened to what Anakin supposed was the news broadcasts of this world. He watched Padme as she listened intently, her expression concentrated—he had seen that look on her face so many times throughout their marriage. She always looked that way when she processed information and thought about how she would apply it to her work in the Senate. He had always found politics boring (he still did), but he wasn't about to complain. He would never take anything she did for granted ever again.

Anakin observed her in silence now. He could see bags under her eyes, confirming his suspicions that she hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before. "Padme," He finally said, and she jumped a little at the sudden sound of his voice in the silent office. "Did you sleep at all last night?"

Padme blushed a little. "Of course." She said, but her expression said otherwise.

Mindy snorted. "Right. Tell that to the two cups of coffee you had this morning."

Padme opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, the door finally opened and in walked a very familiar face, a face that made Anakin stiffen, his hand doing to where his lightsaber would have been.

"Doctor Organa," Padme said, smiling. "It's nice to see you again."

The man that had fathered the rebellion, who had once been Anakin's friend, smiled at Padme warmly. Anakin struggled to control the old fury that arose upon seeing him—they were no longer enemies. This Bail didn't even remember who Anakin was to him. He lowered his hand away from his empty belt, forcing himself to breathe evenly. "Good morning Padme. It's good to see you as well. Are your parents well?" Bail asked Padme.

"They're doing well, thank you."

"Good." He turned to Anakin now with a smile. _If you remembered what I'd done,_ Anakin thought bitterly, _you wouldn't be smiling at me like that._ "Good morning Anakin. I'm Doctor Organa. I understand that you were hit by a car last night?"

"It was more of a bump, really." Anakin grumbled, struggling to keep his face neutral. He's not my enemy anymore, he kept reminding himself, or my friend. Just cooperate, get through this, and show Padme that you're okay and that there's nothing to worry about.

"He hit his head when he fell." Padme chimed in, "And he's having a hard time remembering his past."

A look of serious concern passed over Bail's face, and Anakin wished he had made up some stuff about his past to Padme. Now this visit wasn't going to take a few minutes like he hoped. Bail approached him and pulled out a light, flashing it in both of Anakin's eyes, making him wince. Still, he stayed still as Bail began to examine him.

As Bail began to check Anakin's ribs by carefully running his fingers over them and applying light pressure where there were bruises and asking Anakin questions about what exactly he was feeling, Anakin couldn't help but wonder at how strange it was that one of the greatest senators of his time was a doctor in this world. Just who else exactly was in this world? Was he going to have to face everyone he had betrayed? A sick feeling came over him, and he hoped that wouldn't be the case.

Finally Bail stepped back, a frown on his face. "Well I don't feel any broken ribs, but we should really get a CAT Scan done just to be sure. While we're doing that, we can get a scan of your head to make sure there isn't any permanent damage."

"I was having memory issues before the car accident. I'm sure it's just temporary," Anakin said, hoping that Bail would drop it. But of course Bail just looked more concerned and began to question Anakin further on the 'memory' loss.

"So what exactly do you remember?"

Anakin hesitated, not sure what to reveal and what to keep quiet about. "Just my name," He finally lied, deciding to keep it simple.

"You don't remember your parents then?" Anakin ignored the stab of pain at the thought of his dead mother and shook his head. "You don't remember where you live, or what exactly happened to you that could have caused the memory loss?" Again, Anakin shook his head. Bail's frown deepened. "I would like to do a CAT Scan. It could be temporary, but it's always concerning whenever a patient loses so much of their memory." Anakin sighed and nodded, resigning himself to the inevitable test. "In the meantime, have you checked your pockets to see if you have any sort of ID on you? A wallet, or a cell phone?"

"Oh!" Padme gasped, "Why didn't I think of that? Anakin, check your pockets!"

Anakin frowned, knowing that there wouldn't be anything in there since he didn't exactly come from this world, but he reached into the pockets of his pants anyway. Surprisingly, they were deeper than he thought, and as he reached down into their depths, his fingers in both pockets brushed two objects: one metallic, and one leather. Confused, since he hadn't noticed anything in there before, he pulled the objects out and held them out.

The leather object was a folded up wallet, and the metallic object looked like the same mini datapad that Mindy had in her hands. "Fantastic!" Padme said, smiling for the first time since he'd seen her again. His heart practically stopped in his chest as he watched her smile—it was even more beautiful than he remembered. "Why don't Mindy and I use those to look for information while you get the CAT Scan done?"

"That sounds like a great idea," Bail smiled, "Would that be okay with you, Anakin?"

Just what information would they find? Anakin wondered: was it possible that he'd had a version of himself living on this planet? Or had the Force fabricated these possessions to help him adjust to this life? And if he did exist previously on this planet, just what kind of person had he been? Had he been more like Anakin Skywalker, or more like Darth Vader?

He almost didn't want to know the answer to that question, but when he met Padme's eyes, he saw hope, hope that she could help him, and he knew that he couldn't say no. Hesitantly, Anakin held them out to her. "Okay," he said, and her smile brightened, making it difficult for him to breathe.

"Fantastic," Bail said as Padme took the objects from him, her fingertips brushing his skin, causing his heart to race. "Let us know what you find ladies. Right this way Anakin."

* * *

A little while later, Bail led Anakin back to the room where Padme and Mindy were. Anakin had to admit, although many of the procedures of this world were similar to the procedures of doctors back home, everything was still different. There weren't any medical or protocol droids anywhere, and the CAT Scan machine, although it hadn't hurt Anakin, was strange enough that Anakin had initially resisted going inside of it. Images of his operation to lock him into that awful suit kept replaying in his mind, and it had taken Bail a while to assure Anakin that the machine wouldn't harm him.

Bail opened the door, letting Anakin back into the room. "I'm going to review the results of the CAT Scan. I'll be right back. Have you girls found anything?"

Padme was smiling still. "We found lots of info. We found your license with your birthdate on it, we found a Facebook page, we found some credit cards that should help you get access to your bank account, and although your phone doesn't work anymore—sorry about that—we did manage to pull the SD card and Mindy was able to find your contacts using her phone."

"That's fantastic news," Bail smiled, "Why don't you show him while I go look at the results, okay?" Giving Anakin what he probably thought to be a reassuring pat on the shoulder, but made Anakin stiffen up, Bail turned and left the room, leaving Anakin alone with the girls.

"You are Facebook friends with lots of hotties," Mindy remarked, breaking the silence.

"I don't even know what Facebook is," Anakin sighed—he had a lot to learn about this world.

"Well I can totally show you…"

"But first," Padme interrupted her, "I think we should call someone from his favorites list on his phone. I think that's more important than Facebook right now."

Mindy frowned but she picked up the mini datapad—or what Anakin supposed was the 'phone'—and pulled up a screen. "Okay. I'm going to read the names on your favorites list, and you tell me if any of them ring a bell."

"Okay," Anakin said skeptically.

"Ben," Mindy started.

"Nope."

"Beru."

Anakin hesitated. So he'd known Beru in this world? He'd only met her once in his own universe, but she had been kind. "She sounds familiar,"

"Awesome!" Padme beamed. Anakin half-hoped he recognized other names if it made her that happy.

"Cool. Cleigg."

Anakin winced. "Yeah, that's familiar," He grumbled. He didn't want any reminders of his lost mother. Even hearing his step father's name was painful for him.

"Okay, well you don't look too happy about him, so we're just going to assume he's not the guy we should call about your condition." Mindy said, scrolling down with her thumb. "How about your mom?"

"What about her?" Anakin snapped, his voice hard. Both girls looked at him in surprise, and Anakin forced himself to calm. He had to be careful to control his anger. "Sorry."

"Well," Mindy slowly said, unsure of how to proceed. "I mean she's on your favorite contact's list, so I thought…"

"Wait, what?" Anakin interrupted, feeling hope flare to life within him before he tried to ignore it. His mother was dead. She had died in his arms. He'd been too late to save her. _I'm so proud of you Ani…so proud…I missed you so much. Now I am complete._ He could still hear her weak voice, still see her tortured body… he shut his eyes, trying to clear the image from his mind.

"Her phone number is here." Mindy said, showing him the screen. Sure enough, he had a contact labeled 'Mom' and a number underneath it. "Do you want to try calling it?"

Anakin was frozen. Was it possible that his mother was still alive in this world? And if she was…he didn't let himself finish that thought. He couldn't get his hopes up, but he could try to call the number. Anakin nodded to Mindy, and she quickly showed him how to make a call on a phone before she dialed the number and held it out to him. "It's ringing."

Numbly, Anakin took the phone from her and stared at it, waiting for an image to appear. "You have to hold it to your ear. Unless you put it on speaker," Padme said gently, and Anakin slowly put it to his ear, right as someone picked up on the other end.

"Hello?"

It was _her_ voice. His mother.

Anakin was frozen. His mind was blank. "Ani?" His heart wrenched at the nickname she'd given him as a child, and he felt an unfamiliar pressure behind his eyes. "Ani, is that you?"

He opened his mouth, trying for words. He wanted to say so many things to her, but now that he had the chance, he couldn't find the words. Finally, he croaked, "Mom?"

"Oh Ani," He heard the relief in her voice. "I tried calling you last night, but your phone went straight to voicemail. Did you get to California safely? Have you found somewhere to live yet?"

So there _had_ been an Anakin Skywalker in this world. Obviously, that Anakin had been in the process of moving to California before the Force had placed him in the other Anakin's body. It was very strange to think about, so Anakin decided to think about it later. "Mom," He started, his voice tight, and finally, for the first time since that night on Mustafar twenty four years ago, Anakin began to cry.

Anakin cried for his lost mother returned to him. He had imagined seeing her whole and happy for so long, longer than even his dreams about Padme. She had been the first woman who he had ever loved with his whole being, the first woman who had loved him more than life itself.

Anakin cried for Padme, for what he'd done to her, for what he'd lost with her. In that moment, it finally hit him just how much he was no longer worthy of her love, and he wasn't sure if even this second chance given to him by the Force would be enough to earn her love again.

Anakin cried for his lost friendships. He cried for the twenty four years he had been a monster, one of the evilest villains in the galaxy—perhaps of _any_ galaxy. He cried for deciding so late to turn from the Dark Side.

He cried for the children he had never really known, children he had left to be taken care of by people other than their rightful parents.

He didn't realize just how much he needed to cry—he had lost the ability to cry after the lava had burned him, so even after the death of his beloved Padme, he could do nothing but rage and kill. But now he could cry, and although he was vaguely aware of Padme and Mindy looking at each other in panic while he cried, he didn't care.

"Anakin," his mother's voice reached him, filled with concern. "What's wrong?"

"Mom," he tried again between sobs, "Mom I want you to know just how much I love you. I've missed you so, so much." He didn't care if he didn't make sense to her. He needed her to know. "I've…I'm not okay mom. I need you."

"Okay Ani," She soothed, "I'm going to let Cleigg know and I'll be there by tomorrow morning." She paused, "What happened? You seemed fine the last time I saw you…"

"When was that?" Anakin asked, hoping that his other self hadn't taken her for granted.

"Just a few days ago, when you left to go to school in California…" she sounded even more concerned now. "What's going on Ani?"

Anakin hesitated, tears still flowing freely down his face. He had to keep up the story now, even if he didn't want to concern his mother any more than she already was. "Something happened. I don't remember what. I…I lost most of my memory."

"WHAT?" The fear in his mother's voice was painful, but he knew that if he told her the truth, knew that even if she did by some miracle believe him, the pain in her voice would be much deeper. She wouldn't be proud of him if she knew what he'd become. "Anakin, I will be there as soon as I possibly can. Where are you staying? Have you seen a doctor?"

"I'm at a doctor's office right now," He said, "I…I have some friends helping me."

"Well," She sounded a little relieved now, but he could still hear the fear in her voice, "I'm glad. I will be there soon, Ani. Don't you worry. Can you text me an address to go to?"

Anakin laughed bitterly. "As soon as I figure out how to do that, sure."

"Oh Ani," she sighed, "I know it's scary right now, but we'll make it through this. Have your friends help you." She paused. "I love you."

Anakin closed his eyes, more tears falling down his cheeks as he took a shuddering breath. "I love you too."

"I'll see you soon."

The line went dead and slowly Anakin pulled the phone away from his face, looking down at it. For a while there was silence in the room. "I can text your mom our address," Mindy said quietly, breaking the silence. Anakin handed her the phone before he began to wipe at his eyes.

"Thanks," he said, his voice rough from the crying.

Padme stood from the chair and crossed over to him, hesitantly laying a hand on his shoulder. He tensed at first, her touch sending shivers down his spine, before he relaxed. "It's going to be okay Anakin," she said, her voice serious. He looked up and met her dark eyes. She smiled a little bit, reassuringly. "I've been thinking. Your last Facebook status said you were moving out here for school. You're apparently going to the same school as Mindy and I." Her smile widened a little. "Good choice. Anyhow, if you don't have anywhere to stay yet, you're welcome to rent out the extra room in my house. I'll even throw the first month in free to try to make up for the car hitting you."

Anakin smiled a little. Living with Padme, even if it wasn't in the same room, was a dream come true for him. There was no question that he would take her up on her offer, but there was still so much that he had to sort through, not just with her, but with, well, everything. "I'm probably not the most stable roommate right now," He said honestly.

"I know." Padme squeezed his shoulder comfortingly, "But I want to help you. At least think about it, okay?"

Anakin nodded, and that beautiful smile lit up her face again. He smiled back, his smile feeling weak and feeble, but it was a start.

Perhaps, a very small, hopeful part of him thought, perhaps this really could be the start of a new beginning.

* * *

 **So you're starting to meet more original Star Wars characters! Woohoo! I plan on putting more in soon. I want to put in Yoda, but I haven't figured out yet how I'm going to do that since small green people are not exactly common in our world, so we'll see.**

 **Anyhow, I should note that the reason I chose Stanford as the college they're going to is primarily because they have one of the best law programs in the U.S...that and one of my favorite TV characters went there. XD So sorry if you don't exactly like Stanford. It wasn't because I absolutely love them or anything like that. :)**

 **I just loved reading your reviews and seeing follow notifications in my email! They really make my day. I love that so many of you are enjoying Mindy's character. She is a TON of fun to write! We will see plenty more craziness from her, while Anakin is really going to begin facing his past as we start to meet new Star Wars characters that had a close relationship with him. I already hinted at one in this chapter... *hint hint, nudge nudge!* I'm excited to write that scene!**

 **Anyway, thank you for your support! You all mean the world to me.**

 **Review!**

 **~Sarah**


	5. A New Look

"I cannot believe that you don't remember hamburgers," Mindy said as she plopped down a tray of food in front of him. "Hamburgers are the food of the gods. I'm like 100% sure of that."

Anakin shrugged, putting down his new phone to inspect the burger. It looked edible enough—it was made of something Mindy had called a 'cow.' Anakin wasn't sure if he'd ever had the food under a different name, but looking at the burger in front of him, he wasn't seeing an similarities except for the veggies on top. He gingerly picked it up and bit into it, immediately savoring the juices and spices that flooded his mouth.

Mindy was right: this was _divine._

"And that isn't even the best burger out there," She went on, before she launched into an explanation of her favorite burgers. Anakin began to tune her out— _Force,_ the woman could talk! He didn't even understand half of what she was saying, and he kind of didn't want to figure it out. For the thousandth time since they'd dropped Padme off back at the house, he wished Padme had come with them. After the doctor's appointment had ended, the exhaustion on Padme's face was so obvious that both Mindy and Anakin insisted that she get rest back at home, but now Anakin was stuck with a chattering Mindy as she dragged him to multiple stores to 'attempt' to put his life back together. Now Anakin was ready for a rest.

"You're thinking about her, aren't you?" Anakin snapped back to reality, meeting Mindy's dark eyes. She smiled in amusement, but he could see the seriousness in her face.

"I'm sorry, who?" Anakin asked after swallowing another bite of his burger.

"Padme." Her amused smile turned into a knowing grin. "You totally were. I can tell. You've got a major thing for her."

Anakin opened his mouth to deny it, but he quickly shut it. He couldn't deny his love for Padme any more than he could deny that the Force existed. He had hidden their love for his whole life, but he could never openly deny his feelings. They were part of who he was. So instead he chose to remain silent, hoping that Mindy would drop the subject, but knowing that she wouldn't.

Mindy's grin faded. "Look, you're hot, she's hot, I totally ship you two, but you gotta know some stuff before you continue pining after her."

Anakin frowned. "What does 'I totally ship you two' mean?"

"It means I totally want you to become an item." When Anakin still looked confused, she rolled her eyes. "It means I think you would be a good couple. You take everything so literally."

"Oh."

"Right. Anyhow, you should know that Padme is super stubborn," Anakin held back a snort. She had no idea how much he already knew that. "And she is also super focused on her studies…like, annoyingly so. I mean it's great for her, she's always at the top of her class, but it also means that she barely has a life outside of school. It's hard enough for me to get her to do stuff on the weekends. That's why she's never had a boyfriend. Like, ever."

Anakin was totally okay with her not having any other boyfriends. It was selfish he knew, especially since he really didn't deserve her, but he couldn't help but still view her as his wife. Even if this Padme had never married him, he couldn't fathom her being with someone else. The thought made jealousy flash through him, boiling his blood. He didn't say any of that though. Instead he said, "Well that actually doesn't surprise me. She's always…I mean, she seems like the type to put her responsibilities before herself."

"Ridiculously so." Mindy rolled her eyes and sipped at her drink. "Anyway. Just be aware that she might take forever to even say yes to a date with you."

Anakin remembered Padme's resistance to being with him back when he was protecting her. He had been open about his feelings from the start, but she had insisted that they put duty above their relationship. It had taken a near death experience for her to finally agree to be with him, and even then it was mostly at her insistence that they keep their relationship secret. More and more Anakin was realizing that this Padme was still very much the same as his Padme.

He sighed and ran a hand over his face. "Thanks for the warning, but I don't think I'll be pursuing her."

At this Mindy looked surprised. "Why not?"

"Because," He hesitated. He hated how much he was hesitating lately, how unsure of himself he was. Darth Vader was never unsure of himself, but Anakin certainly was. "Because I'm not…I'm not whole." He finished, deciding that technically that was the truth. He had lost a fundamental part of himself when he had turned to the Dark Side, when he had lost everything he truly loved. Darth Vader had given him power and control, but he had also taken away his ability to love freely, to treat others with respect and kindness. He had down awful, unspeakable things. But Darth Vader and his power had filled the void in his heart. Now that Darth Vader was gone and Anakin had come back to himself, he felt that void in him like a raw gaping wound that would never fully heal.

But of course Mindy assumed he meant that he was not whole without his memory. She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. "I'm not going to pretend that I understand what you're going through, but here's the deal: you can't put your life on hold and keep throwing yourself a pity party. When life knocks you down, you get back up. If it knocks you down again, you get back up again and punch it in the face." She stabbed her pointer finger at him. "Don't waste time worrying about what Padme will think of your issues. Worry about dealing with your issues and building a life for yourself. Man up."

Now it was Anakin's turn to blink in surprise. No one had spoken to him so bluntly in years. Darth Vader had been one of the most terrifying men in the universe. People were afraid to tell him anything straight up. Even his master had been smart enough to tread carefully around Vader when he was in a mood. Only Luke had been blunt with his intentions with Vader, telling him that he didn't believe that he was completely bad, and that he wasn't going to give up on him.

And now here was this girl, who barely knew him, telling him to 'man up.' Vader would have choked her. Anakin was impressed. Slowly he began to smile. "Alright," He said, "I'll think about it."

Mindy grunted, going back to her food. "Good. And if you do ask Padme out, just so you know…" She pointed her fork at him. "If you hurt her, no one will find your body."

Anakin's grin widened. "Got it."

Mindy nodded. "Now, let's talk about that hair…"

* * *

"We're home!" Mindy called as they entered the house, carrying bags and bags of clothes. It was evening, and the sun was setting, casting the inside of the house into shadow. Anakin was exhausted—he had no idea that clothes shopping could be so tiring. He didn't understand why women seemed to enjoy it so much. He himself had wanted to quit hours ago, but Mindy didn't like any of the plain clothes he picked for himself. "You gotta show your stuff if you want to get the girl," She'd insisted as she tossed out his selections. He had to admit, being Darth Vader was easy in terms of clothes choices.

They didn't hear a response as they squeezed through the hallway and out into a kitchen that was no longer filled with boxes but instead meticulously cleaned and organized. Mindy stopped, her eyes narrowing as she set the bags she carried on the floor. "Typical," she grumbled, "She never listens."

Anakin also set his bags down, suspicion growing inside of him. "Padme?" he called, heading into the living room that was also now clear of boxes and completely set up. Padme sat behind a large screen, fiddling with cables, cursing under her breath as she compared what she was doing to a diagram on the table next to her.

"Hi," she grumbled, not looking at him.

"What are you doing?" He asked, curious despite the fact that he could tell even from this angle by the way her shoulders slumped that she hadn't gotten the rest they'd told her to get.

"I'm trying to hook this stupid cable to the TV." She said, sighing in resignation. "I can get everything else working on it, except that." She finally looked at him, and when she did her jaw dropped open. " _Whoa."_

Anakin shifted nervously, feeling out of place. "What do you think?" He asked timidly. He wore a black button up shirt slightly opened at the collar, with what Mindy had called "blue jeans." But perhaps the biggest change was his hair. He had noticed that men in this world tended to wear shorter hair, so when Mindy told him that his old hair "was so 2003," he couldn't help but agree that a change needed to be made if he wanted to transition. That, and he wasn't used to having so much hair anymore.

So he cut it. It wasn't as short as he had it back in his Padawan days, but it was still shorter than before. He liked the way it was now, but it still surprised him to look at his reflection whenever he passed something reflective.

Padme's face began to turn red. "Well…wow. Just, wow. You're g…" she straightened and cleared her throat. "What I mean to say is, you look great." Anakin couldn't help but smile at her flustering. He'd never heard her so tongue-tied before. It was really cute.

"Thanks," He said before turning to the diagram on the table. "Mind if I try?" He had figured the phone out pretty quickly. Surely he could figure out the TV.

Reminded of the offending contraption, Padme scowled. "It's all yours." She said, sitting down on the couch. Anakin picked up the diagram and began to study it and the back of the TV while Mindy entered the room.

"I thought you were supposed to rest," She said, throwing Padme an accusatory look.

Padme shrugged. "I tried, but I kept thinking about how the house wasn't close to ready and orientation is in two days. I'm not going to have time to completely finish this house if I didn't get a head start on packing. So I worked on that instead."

"Well don't come crying to me when you pass out from exhaustion," Mindy grumbled as Anakin began to work on the TV. "And now you're making the amnesia guy work on our TV. Fantastic."

"He asked to try. The worst that could happen is that he can't get it to work and I have to call the cable guy to come out here tomorrow."

"Well whatever. Anyway, doesn't he look like a super model now?" She paused, looking at Anakin. "Super models are people who are so hot they make a living off of having their picture taken in magazines and fashion shows."

"People waste their money on that?" Anakin asked, trying to picture what that sort of life was like. He hadn't liked feeling like his life was on display for people when the Republic had used his fame as the "Hero With No Fear" to boost their support in the Clone Wars, and he'd hated how the Emperor had used Darth Vader and his suit to install fear in the galaxy any chance he got. He couldn't imagine putting his life on display for money.

"Of course they do, and I'm glad they do. Otherwise, I wouldn't get to fantasize being with them." She grinned.

"Well I think he looks really great," Padme said, answering the original question, pulling out what Mindy had described as a 'tablet computer.'

"Stop being modest, he's H-O-T."

"I think I got it," Anakin interrupted, moving out from behind the TV. "Give it a try."

Padme picked up a remote and pointed it at the TV. A split second later it turned on, filling the room with noise and light as moving, colored pictures appeared on the screen. Anakin stared in amazement at the device, technical questions immediately filling his head. "Holy crap, you're a tech genius!" Padme exclaimed before he could voice any of those questions.

"It's just hooking up the cable," Mindy pointed out, "It's not like he built a space ship."

"You didn't know how to hook up the cable either," Padme retorted, "And besides, he didn't even know how to send a text message this morning. Now he effortlessly hooks up the cable within minutes. I wonder what else you can do."

Anakin shrugged, but he smiled wide. He couldn't help but show off his technology skills—it came as easily as breathing to him. That wasn't going to change no matter what world he lived in.

"We can figure that out later," Mindy said, "Let's watch a movie."

"A movie?" Anakin questioned.

"It's like a play, but it's on the TV." Padme explained. Anakin nodded: he had been to a few plays in his lifetime, but he'd never been particularly interested in them. There was never enough action.

"We should totally watch Star Trek!" Mindy said, going to the cabinet underneath the TV. "If you were a Star Trek nerd, maybe this will help jog your memory if you watch it."

"That's actually a pretty good idea Mindy," Padme did something with the remote, changing the TV so that it went blue. A few seconds later, a symbol showed up on the screen and another machine underneath the TV began to whir. A few seconds later, Mindy placed a disc inside of that same machine. Anakin watched in fascination, sitting down on the couch next to Padme. She laughed. "Yeah, you're obviously a tech nerd. You can play around with it later if you want."

Anakin nodded, his attention completely absorbed in the screen as the movie began to start.

It was like nothing he had ever experienced. He'd seen plays, he'd seen holograms, he'd used various com systems, piloted space ships, but this…this was _amazing!_ As the movie played, more and more technical questions popped into his head, and he voiced them aloud. How did they do that scene? Are you sure this isn't real? How did they make the ship look so real? Are you sure those aren't real aliens?

Mindy answered the questions as best she could, but for most of his questions she didn't have any answers. Anakin barely noticed when Padme finally fell asleep beside him. It wasn't until he climax of the movie when her head fell against his shoulder did he notice. As it always did, her closeness caused him to become hyper aware of her presence, and he held absolutely still as she slept, suddenly worried that if he moved a muscle, she would wake up. He was so concentrated on keeping her comfortable enough to sleep, that the rest of the movie passed by in a blur, and by the time the credits rolled, his arm was numb where her head rested.

"Man, she's totally out." Mindy whispered, turning the TV off. "I don't think you're going to be sleeping on the couch tonight."

Anakin glanced down at her sleeping form, his heart stilling. How many times had he watched her sleep in his arms? Countless times. It had always been a sight that calmed him, reminding him that despite the tough exterior Padme sometimes used, she was still innocent, and it was that innocence, that purity, that he had wanted to protect.

It was no different now. Still, her head was positioned at an awkward angle, and he knew that if he didn't move her, she would be sore in the morning. "I'm going to take her to her room." He whispered.

"Okay," Mindy whispered, "I'm going to check to see if we have an air mattress for you to use in the meantime." She got up and left, leaving Anakin to carefully and quietly scoop Padme up into his arms and head to her room.

Holding her for the first time in twenty four years…it took his breath away. Again he had to stifle the urge to hold her forever like that, safe and protected in his arms. He had missed feeling her soft curves, missed smelling her scent lingering on him long after she had pulled away, missed leaning down to kiss her…

He stopped his train of thought. _Stop it Anakin,_ he chided himself as he reached her room, quietly pushing the door fully open with his foot, _waking her up with a kiss, especially when she doesn't remember you, is an extremely bad idea._

He silently crept into the darkened room, wishing that his eyes would adjust just enough so that he could see the details of it, before he set her carefully down on top of a king sized bed, tucking the white sheets around her. She shifted, murmuring something, but she didn't wake up. He stood there, watching her for a moment, fighting the desire to climb into bed and continue holding her.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered, his voice tight. "I never deserved you, but especially now…" He sighed, about to turn away, but stopped himself. He couldn't help it. He quickly leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead, his lips barely brushing her skin. "I love you Padme." He whispered, "I always will, no matter what."

Before he could give in to more temptation, he turned and left the room.

* * *

" _Are you an Angel?" Padme turned towards the voice to find a young boy, perhaps about nine or ten, sitting on top of a counter._

 _Padme smiled cautiously, not sure that she heard the boy correctly. "What?"_

" _An Angel. I've heard the deep space pilots talk about them. They live on the moons of Iego, I think."_

 _She approached him, her smile widening. It was nice to see, that even surrounded by the corruption on the remote desert planet of Tatooine, there was still innocence and goodness in people. "You're a funny little boy."_

 _The scene blurred, and she was aware that she was still speaking with the boy, and he with her. When the scene before her cleared, she was looking around at the cluttered store. "I'm sorry," she said, apologizing for…for what, she didn't remember. "I don't fully understand. This is a strange world to me."_

 _She looked back at the boy, who studied her intently, his blue eyes squinting. "You are a strange girl to me."_

 _The scene blurred again, and a man entered the room, wearing a worn poncho, passing a fumbling…thing with floppy ears. "We're leaving," he said brusquely, heading out the door to the shop. Padme began to follow, but she turned, her eyes on the boy as she walked backwards out._

" _I'm glad to have met you, Anakin." She turned around, barely catching him calling, "I'm glad I met you too."_

* * *

Padme jolted awake, staring up at the ceiling of her room, breathing hard. It was still dark in her room, and when she glanced at her alarm clock, bright red letters blinked 4:36 AM at her. She frowned, trying to remember when she ended up in her room. The last thing she remembered was Kirk sneaking onto the Enterprise, and Mindy periodically commenting on the various attractiveness of the actors before drifting to sleep on the couch. Had she woken up and stumbled into her room without remembering? Or had Anakin picked her up and tucked her in? The thought made her blush as she sat up and stumbled towards her bathroom.

After taking care of business, she took her time washing her hands, her mind replaying the strange dream over in her head. What on earth had that been about? She wondered, trying to make sense to the dream. It was probably silly to try to make sense of a dream—dreams rarely made sense anyway. But still…the boy had been so clear to her, with his blonde hair, clear blue eyes that matched Anakin's…and they shared the same name…

"Stop it," Padme chided herself in a whisper, "It's just a dream." She turned off the water and climbed back into bed, closing her eyes. Just a very odd dream.

* * *

Anakin rolled off the uncomfortable air bed and onto his feet. It hadn't been his best night sleep, but he supposed it was better than sleeping on the hard ground. However, he was pleased that he had another night free of nightmares. He'd had nightmares since the awful nightmare that had led to his downfall almost twenty five years ago. It was a blessed relief to be finally free of them.

Could Padme have something to do with it? He wondered as he headed out to the kitchen to find the said presence already preparing breakfast. "Good morning," He said, leaning against the door to watch her.

Padme cast a glance over her shoulder and smiled. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes thank you. You look like you did as well."

Padme frowned distractedly, her thoughts elsewhere. "Yes, I did." She hesitated, "Did you take me to my room last night?"

Anakin tensed, immediately wondering if she was upset that he'd done so. "I did. I didn't want you to be sore in the morning."

"Oh," Padme relaxed, "Well thank you for that." A silence passed between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Instead, it was comfortable, just as it had usually been between them back in their old world. Anakin recalled times similar to this, when he would wake up to the smell of breakfast cooking, and Padme would greet him with a kiss before handing him a plate. Sometimes they talked about various things, big or small, but sometimes they just sat in comfortable silence. Padme would read reports, and Anakin would be looking at a debriefing or something. At some point, Anakin would find Padme's free hand under the table and he would hold it, tracing light circles on her skin with his thumb.

It was crazy how much he remembered those details, even all these years later.

"Say," Padme started, "Didn't you say your mom…"

As if on cue, the doorbell rang.

"Well what do you know?" Padme smiled, taking the pan off of the stove before heading to the door.

Anakin stood frozen to the spot. Somehow, with everything that had gone on the day before, he had lost track of time.

His mother was here.

He heard the sound of the front door opening. "Well hello!" He heard Padme say, "I'm Padme, Anakin's friend. It's so nice to meet you."

"It's wonderful to meet you too," the sound of her voice snapped Anakin out of his frozen state and he began to follow after Padme on unsteady legs, his heart thumping wildly in his chest. "Thank you for helping my son," She continued on as Anakin rounded the corner. She broke off when she saw him, her hands flying to cover her mouth. "Oh Anakin," She started to say.

Anakin was running now. Padme jumped out of his way, surprised, but for once he hardly noticed. All he could see was his mother. Her graying dark brown hair pulled into a bun. Her sun-kissed skin. The laugh lines around her face. Her dark brown eyes filled with so much love and kindness that Anakin could just melt looking into them.

He took all of this in within the seconds before he reached her, scooping her up into his arms, holding her close and tightly. "Mom," he croaked, squeezing his eyes shut tight. "I missed you so much."

He could feel her wrap her arms around him, her hands stroking his hair. "My boy," she said, whispering. "I'm so sorry this happened to you."

He tightened his grip on her just a little, wishing suddenly that he could tell her what really happened, but knowing that even if he could, ultimately he wouldn't for fear of rejection. He already feared Padme's rejection—he didn't know what he would do if his own mother rejected him.

Eventually he lowered her back to the ground, reluctantly pulling away from her to look down at her. She had seemed so big and strong when he was a child, but now he towered over her. He already knew that she wasn't as strong and unbreakable as he'd thought.

The moment however, was soon ruined.

"Anakin," A new, very familiar voice called, making every muscle in his body tense up. He sucked in a breath, his stomach suddenly rolling so hard that he thought he would throw up. His body began to tremble, and quickly he dropped his hold on his mother as he looked up to meet the warm blue eyes of none other than his former master.

"Obi-Wan," he breathed.

* * *

 **DUN DUN DUN! Another major character has been introduced! How will this confrontation go?! You'll just have to see :)**

 **Wow! I am so grateful and humbled by all of the reviews I got from the last chapter! Seriously, I woke up, rolled over in bed, checked my phone this morning and BAM! Tons of notifications. I love reading your reviews! I keep saying that, but they're seriously the best.**

 **Speaking of which, I got a very interesting, very good question: Does the Star Wars movies exist in this universe? The answer is sadly, no. I mean I guess if Anakin needs some extra cash, he could totally sell the script and make it a thing, but as of right now, most of the people living in this world has any knowledge of the Force existing or that there's a whole other galaxy where space travel is an actual thing.**

 **Also, the particular Star Trek movie they watched in this chapter is the first remake J.J. Abrams did. Now I know that a lot of people in both fandoms have an issue with the other fandom (like, some people have serious issues with the other), but I happen to enjoy both. My parents are huge nerds, so growing up for me was full of both of these franchises. I really liked what J.J. did with the Star Trek reboot, and I'm super excited to see what he does with Star Wars. That being said, I sat at my keyboard for a really long time trying to think of how Anakin would react to what some would view as the Star Wars franchises mortal enemy franchise, and I decided that Anakin would probably care way more about how they made the movie rather than the actual movie itself. He may change his mind once the novelty of TV and movies has worn off on him, but right now he just wants to know HOW they did it. Haha!**

 **I loved the suggestions on Yoda! I now have an idea :D Thank you guys so much!**

 **Anyhow, I know this was a long authors note, but I like to address things as they come up in the story or in reviews. If you ever have non-spoiler questions, I will always answer them.**

 **Thanks for all your support! I couldn't do this without you!**

 **Review!**

 **~Sarah**


	6. Running

"Obi-Wan?" His mother questioned, frowning. Obi-Wan had been approaching from a blue truck with a covered truck bed in the driveway, but as soon as his mother repeated what Anakin had whispered, he froze, his eyes widening. "Where would you get a name like that? That's Ben, sweetheart."

Anakin couldn't pull his eyes away from his former master, his former enemy. What was Obi-Wan to him now? He didn't know yet. "Ben?" He echoed. He vaguely remembered Mindy listing the name Ben from his favorite contact list on his phone.

"Yes, Ben." She continued, looking back at the still frozen Obi-Wan. "You both have been friends for years. You practically grew up together."

Her words seemed to snap Obi-Wan out of his frozen state and he crossed his arms, attempting a relaxed smile. Anakin could tell that he was anything but relaxed. In fact, Anakin could see the suspicion and caution in his eyes, in the way that he raised his eyebrows. He looked different to the Obi-Wan Anakin had known: his dirty blonde hair was shorter and well groomed, his beard replaced by just a bit of stubble around his jaw, and he had more laugh lines around his eyes, indicating to Anakin that this Obi-Wan had not seen as much horror as he had in Anakin's galaxy.

"That's right," Obi-Wan said, "We've been friends since you were young." His blue eyes narrowed at Anakin, and instantly Anakin felt as though he were a Padawan again, getting caught in the act of pulling off a reckless stunt. It was a look that Obi-Wan had given him so many times, that Anakin used to wonder if maybe the expression had accidentally gotten stuck on his face. "Where did you hear that name?"

There was such grave seriousness in Obi-Wan's voice that a terrifying thought entered Anakin's mind: _does he remember like I do?_

Anakin's breathing picked up. "TV," He lied, and Obi-Wan lost the fake smile, straightening up as if preparing for a confrontation.

 _Oh Force,_ Anakin thought, starting to hyperventilate, _I think he knows!_

He couldn't face him. The thought of talking to him about what had passed between them, of what Anakin had done, of the betrayals that both of them had committed against each other…

He couldn't do it.

He didn't make the decision consciously. The next thing he knew, he was running, pushing past his mother, pushing away from Obi-Wan when he tried to stop him, and running as fast as his long legs could carry him down the empty street. He didn't care that he was still wearing sweats and a t-shirt. He didn't care that he was barefoot. He didn't even care that he could hear both Padme and his mother calling after him.

He had to get out of there.

* * *

"I don't know what came over him," Shmi was saying as Padme led them inside, "Has he been taking his memory loss hard?"

"Other than when he cried talking to you, he seems to be adjusting pretty quickly," Padme answered, but she couldn't help but worry for the man. She had seen the way he tensed up like a string ready to snap after seeing who he'd called Obi-Wan. "I'm sorry, you said your name was Ben?" Padme asked, turning to look at the man behind Shmi.

The man looked troubled, and perhaps—was there apprehension in his expression? Fear? "Yes, my name is Ben," He said, "Ben Kenobi." His voice was distant, and Padme wondered just how much he was paying attention to her. Clearly his thoughts were on his friend.

"Why do you think Anakin seemed to think you were someone else?" She asked. She couldn't help but view the man before her with a little suspicion: Anakin hadn't reacted that negatively to anyone he'd met. If he and Ben were friends, why did Anakin react that way?

"Did something happen between you two?" Shmi asked, sounding worried for her son.

"Not that I know," Ben slowly said, and Padme could tell he was choosing his words carefully. He was hiding something. Padme had interned with a criminal justice lawyer her last semester before getting her BA. She had sat through multiple conversations with clients and had heard them choose to admit half-truths so often, it had become easier for her to hear a half-truth when it was given. Ben, or Obi-Wan, or whoever he was, was a very poor liar.

Still, Shmi seemed to accept the answer. "Maybe he's confused from the memory loss." As Padme led them into the living room, Shmi sat down on the couch, staring at her hands, her eyebrows furrowed in worry. "We should go after him," She finally said.

"I think Anakin wants some space," Ben said, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. "You know Anakin. When he wants space, he'll make sure he disappears until he's ready to come back."

"Of course I know that," Shmi said, "And you know that. But does Anakin know that anymore? Will he decide to come back this time? And what if he gets lost?"

"We could try calling him," Padme suggested. "We just got him a new phone yesterday."

Shmi nodded, still looking worried. Padme doubted she would relax until Anakin was back. She went to get her cell phone from where she'd left it on the kitchen counter. When she entered the kitchen, she encountered Mindy, still in her PJs. "What's going on?" Mindy said, yawning.

"Anakin's mom and his friend are here." She summarized the situation, and Mindy rubbed at her eyes.

"Such drama in the early morning," she mumbled, "I'm enjoying living with this guy already. I'm going to go say hi." She walked out of the kitchen and Padme returned to her objective. Just as her fingers grasped her phone, she heard Mindy shout, "OH MY HEAVENS HE'S HOT WHY DIDN'T YOU WARN ME PADME?!"

Padme rolled her eyes, returning to the living room. "Why should it matter?"

Mindy gave her an exasperated look. "It matters! I wouldn't have come out here looking like this if I'd known Anakin brought more hotties to the house!" She jabbed her thumb at a blushing Ben before looking at a surprised Shmi. "Are all of your son's friends super hot? Because if they are, I'm going to need to be glamorous even when I'm sleeping."

For a moment Shmi stared at her, obviously not expecting the blunt honesty that Mindy tended to have, but soon she broke out into a smile, the first Padme had seen. She was beautiful when she smiled—it was the same smile Anakin had. "I don't know about that, but Ben is the friend Anakin usually hangs out with. He's the one you've got to keep your eye out for." She winked and Mindy grinned.

"See?" Mindy said, looking at Padme. "Anakin's mom has my back. Get with the picture, best friend."

"I'll see what I can do," Padme smiled.

"Did you say that Anakin has decided to live here?" Ben suddenly spoke up, as though some girl hadn't just yelled about his extreme attractiveness.

"We offered him our extra room. He hasn't made any concrete decisions yet though." Padme responded, watching as a troubled look crossed Ben's face. Oh yeah, he was definitely hiding something.

"That's very kind of you," Shmi said with a smile, "Anakin came out here a few days ago to find somewhere to live. He was supposed to call Ben and have Ben bring his stuff, but he didn't call when he said he would. Thankfully, you found him."

Padme glanced at Mindy, who suddenly found looking out the window to be much more interesting. "Found. Yeah. Right." She said, not about to inform Anakin's already worried mother that Mindy had hit her son with a car. Some details were better left unsaid.

Suddenly Shmi grasped Padme's hand, her grip tight. Padme met her eyes and found Shmi to be tearing up. "No, really. It means so much to me to know that my son has friends like you. He's my world. If anything happened to him…"

Padme squeezed back, trying to smile reassuringly. "Anakin is welcome with us anytime. He's a sweetheart," she said, remembering that he'd carried her to bed just to make sure she had a restful sleep. "And he's handy with technology. He set up our cable for us."

Ben snorted. "Yeah. That's Anakin. I'm pretty sure technology is in his DNA."

Padme drew away from Shmi. "Well, I'm going to go look for Anakin, just to make sure that he doesn't get lost. There is breakfast on the kitchen counter if any of you would like some."

"Maybe I should go," Shmi started, getting up.

Padme shook her head. "No, you should rest. Besides, I'm sure I'll find him."

Shmi hesitated, but she soon nodded. "Alright. Bring my son back to me."

"I will." Padme grabbed her car keys from the coffee table and began to head towards the garage. As she left the living room, she became aware that Ben was following her. She stopped, turning towards him, instantly suspicious. "Can I help you?" She asked.

Ben stopped in front of her, concern written on his face. "I just wanted to warn you."

"Warn me?" Padme asked, surprised.

"Anakin isn't himself right now," Ben continued on, surprising Padme further. "He should be getting help, not living with two girls he just barely met."

"He can do both." Padme replied defensively. "Besides, Anakin is a grown man. He can make his own decisions, just like I can decide who can and can't live in _my_ house. So thank you for your concern, _Ben,_ if that's really your name, and don't bring this up again, okay?" She didn't wait for his reply before she turned and stormed out into the garage.

She was starting to see why Anakin had run off.

* * *

He ran until his feet were sore, bloody and blistered. He ran until he couldn't breathe anymore. He ran until he was so lost, his head swam just thinking about trying to find his way back. He thought about calling for directions, but he quickly realized that he'd left his phone in his room. He was going to need to get into the habit of carrying that around.

Eventually, he was forced into a walk. He limped more than he walked, but he hardly noticed. He had spent so much of his energy, he was numb. He still wasn't ready to try to find his way back yet, but at least he was blessedly numb.

He wandered the wide, twisting streets, the sun rising higher, beating down on his back. With his hair no longer covering the back of his neck, he could feel the sun beginning to leave a burn back there. He didn't care though. His mind kept thinking the same question over and over again.

What was he going to do if Obi-Wan knew who the real Anakin was?

He found himself wandering into a park. In the distance, children played on the playground, their screams of joy clear even from where Anakin stood. He found a bench and sat, wincing as he finally began to feel the soreness in his legs, before he stared off, lost in his thoughts.

" _You were the chosen one!"_ Obi-Wan's voice echoed in Anakin's head, drowning everything in sorrow and pain, " _It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them. You were to bring balance to the force, not leave it in darkness!"_

The betrayal, the hurt, was so evident, even in Anakin's memories. At the time, Vader had only viewed it as Jedi lies, as a ploy to get him to betray his new master and then kill Vader. How had he missed the genuine pain he had caused?

" _You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you."_

Anakin lowered his face into his hands, his heart raging with emotion. If Anakin had died and been given this second chance right after that moment, it would have still been almost impossible to face Obi-Wan again. But he had lived, and literally killed millions of people. What Darth Vader had done after that awful night made Anakin's killings of the Younglings in the Jedi Temple look like nothing. Obi-Wan had witnessed the awful crimes for years on the sidelines, unable to stop him, until finally they had faced off on the Death Star.

He remembered fighting with him. Obi-Wan didn't even acknowledge that Darth Vader was his former Padawan, as though Anakin had never existed. His moves were slower, the moves of a tired old man who belonged in retirement, not battling for his life on the Death Star. Usually when Vader remembered the fight, he thought only of his lightsaber slicing through Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan mysteriously disappearing. But this time, he remembered what had initially distracted his former master.

" _Ben?"_

Luke. Luke had called to Obi-Wan, causing his former master to glance over at the fleeing rag-tag group. At the time, Luke had just been a minor inconvenience, a nameless boy that Vader planned on killing after killing Obi-Wan. Vader hadn't known Luke had the Force at that time, and he'd certainly never suspected that the boy was his son. As Vader's lightsaber sliced through Obi-Wan, Luke screamed, " _No!"_

Vader hadn't cared. He was triumphant, confused by Obi-Wan's disappearance, but mostly triumphant that he had finally gotten rid of Obi-Wan. He heard Luke engage in battle with the Storm Troopers, heard Leia yelling at Luke to get in the ship, but Luke didn't listen.

It was as Vader was turning to help his troops that he saw Luke, his son, for the first time, just for a split second before the automatic doors were forced shut by blaster fire.

 _If Obi-Wan hadn't sacrificed himself,_ Anakin wondered, _would I have engaged in combat with Luke and killed him?_

Anakin didn't need the Force to confirm the truth of that thought. Still, Obi-Wan had hidden his children from him. Anakin still didn't know for sure who his daughter was, but at this point it almost shouldn't have mattered. He had lost them before he ever got the chance to know them.

Because of Obi-Wan.

Before Anakin could explore that thought further, a purple ball bounced onto the bench next to him. Anakin blinked in surprise, picking it up to examine it. "Um, scuse me?" A little voice said.

In front of him stood a little girl, her hair pulled into pig tails. She wore a pink dress with stripped leggings, and she kicked at the ground in her socked feet nervously. "Is this yours?" Anakin asked when she looked too nervous to say anything else, holding up the ball. She nodded, looking up at him with her big, innocent hazel eyes. "Here you go." He handed the ball to her, trying to pull on a friendly smile.

She inched closer, reaching up to take the ball from him, when her eyes caught sight of his dirty and bloody feet. She gasped. "Oh no! Owies!"

Anakin glanced down at his feet and winced: they looked worse than they felt. "I'm okay." He said, trying to assure her.

She frowned. "Mommy says owies need band aids and kisses to get better." Her frown deepened. "But who kisses feet?"

Anakin couldn't help but laugh. "You're right. I guess I'll just have to use band aids then." Whatever those were.

Satisfied, she smiled. "Okay! Get better!" She said before she turned around and ran back towards her friends.

"You're good with kids." Startled, Anakin turned to see Padme approaching, a soft smile on her face. Anakin could feel his face flushing and he quickly turned back around.

"Not really." He mumbled, feeling her sit down next to him. If she knew what he'd done to her son, she would _not_ be saying that.

They sat there for a while in silence, both of them watching the children play on the playground. He spied some parents nearby, watching their kids play. He wondered what sort of father he would have been had he been there to raise his kids. Would he have been a good father? Or would the Dark Side prevent him from truly loving his children?

"Your mother is worried about you." Padme finally said. Anakin closed his eyes, instantly feeling guilty. He had begged his mother to come to him, and he'd run off as soon as she got there. It wasn't exactly the reunion he had imagined. "Did something…happen between you and Ben?"

 _You have no idea,_ Anakin thought bitterly. He hadn't even sorted out everything that had happened between them. But he didn't say that. He said, "I don't remember."

Padme sighed. "I thought as much." She looked at him. "I don't know what happened between you two, but your mother is worried sick about you. You don't have to confront Ben if you don't want to, but you need to go back to your mother. She thinks you're having a meltdown because of your situation. Are you?"

Anakin shrugged. "Maybe I am," he whispered.

A silence passed between them again. Finally he felt her hand on his shoulder, comforting him. "You're not alone, Anakin." She said, her voice serious. "Let me help you." She had said that before. He had been so worried, he wouldn't open up to her. He thought that by shutting her out, he could protect her. Instead, he had hurt her.

Things had to be different.

"I'm afraid," He finally said, "I'm afraid that I've done things. Bad things. Things that people won't forgive me for. I'm afraid that if I use this opportunity to change, people will still see me the way I was, not the way I want to be."

"You're afraid that Ben will see only the old you?" She asked.

"Especially Ben."

She frowned in concentration. Finally she shook her head. "I may not know the old you, Anakin, but I am starting to get to know this you. And this you…you're a good person. If Ben can't see that, he's a fool, and he doesn't deserve you as a friend." Anakin's throat tightened and he fought the urge to cry. How did she always see the good in him? Couldn't she tell that he was a monster? Couldn't she see the darkness he fought?

Of course not, he thought: he hadn't let her see it.

Would he let her see it?

She suddenly stood. "Come on. I'll take you home." She held out a hand to help him up, a soft smile on her lips.

He stared at her for a second, debating. Finally he took her hand, deciding that even if by some chance Obi-Wan remembered him, he couldn't hide forever.

He was Anakin Skywalker. And he would not hide.

* * *

They stopped at a store called Walgreen's (though there were no green walls in the store, so he thought that was sort of a stupid name) and got medical supplies to clean up his feet and flip flops to prevent further damage before they headed home. Anakin felt bad that Padme was spending so much money on him, and he told her so, but she waved it off like it was no big deal. "I've saved a lot of money over the years. Tomorrow we'll take you to your bank to get you access to your money if you really insist." Anakin did insist, and he relaxed when she agreed.

Once they had reached the house and Padme had parked the car, once again Anakin felt fear creeping up on him. He stared at the door to the house for a while, debating on what he was going to say to Obi-Wan when they got in there. Padme took his hand suddenly and squeezed it, pulling him out of his thoughts. "It's going to be okay," she reminded him, "You're not alone. Besides, if Ben tries anything weird, I'll kick him out." She grinned confidently, and Anakin couldn't help but smile back, nodding. He had no doubt that she could get Obi-Wan to leave if she really wanted to.

Anakin got out and followed Padme into the house, every muscle in his body tight with apprehension. "We're home!" Padme called, and before Padme had even set the keys down, his mother rounded the corner, her eyes on Anakin as she strode purposefully over to him, a tight frown on her face.

 _Uh oh,_ he thought. He'd seen that look many times on her face, and it was never good.

"Anakin Skywalker," She snapped as she reached him, placing her hands on her hips. "You scared me to death! You are in no condition to be running around out there by yourself! What if you'd gotten yourself injured?! We wouldn't have known about it!"

Anakin hung his head, thoroughly berated. It had been so long since he'd received a scolding by anyone other than Sidious, Anakin had to keep himself from flinching back in fear of physical punishment in the form of lightning. "I'm sorry mother," He whispered, daring to look her in the eye. Whatever she saw in his eyes caused her anger to melt away, and the next thing he knew she was wrapping her arms around him.

"Stop scaring me like that son," she said, "I don't want to lose you."

Anakin immediately wrapped his arms around her, his body calming completely as he was enveloped by his mother's love. "You've never lost me," he said, "And you never will."

After a moment, she pulled away, smiling up at him now. "Come now. I want to spend time with you." She took his hand and he allowed her to pull him back to the living room where Obi-Wan and Mindy sat. Mindy was currently talking Ben's ear off over something, but Obi-Wan didn't seem to mind. He listened intently…at least until Anakin walked in the room.

Both men tensed as they caught each other's eyes. Anakin tried to read whether or not Obi-Wan remembered by scrutinizing his expression, but he had thrown up a hard wall to protect whatever it was he was thinking or feeling.

 _This is so stupid,_ Anakin thought: everyone Anakin had met that he'd known before were completely unaware of their past together. Obi-Wan should have been no different.

Deciding to believe Obi-Wan didn't know, Anakin forced a smile. "Sorry about earlier," he said, and Obi-Wan's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "I haven't completely been myself lately."

"I understand," was all Obi-Wan said.

"Oh Anakin," his mother interrupted, going to the coffee table where a rather large book sat, "I was just about to show Mindy pictures of you growing up. I thought maybe if you looked at them, you would remember something." Anakin opened his mouth to decline the offer, but he closed it when he saw the hopeful look on his mother's face. He couldn't deny her anything.

Besides, perhaps by looking at pictures of this world's Anakin, he could start to get a feel for what others expected of him when he met people he was supposed to know.

"Oh man," Padme laughed, "I totally want to see these."

Wait. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea…

Too late, Padme was sitting down next to his mother who was already opening up the book. Hesitantly, knowing he was going to regret this later, Anakin sat down on the other side of his mother, his back rigid.

The album started off with baby pictures, naturally. "Aw, Anakin you're so cute!" Padme gushed, a huge smile on her face.

Anakin flushed red: he didn't regret her smile, but he was already regretting everything else.

But still he watched quietly as his mother showed everyone the various pictures she'd taken of him over the years: his first Halloween as a lion (whatever Halloween was), his first Christmas (whatever that was), his first day of school, him at his mother's wedding to Cleigg….his mother had taken so many pictures, they all began to look the same to him.

Still, it was obvious his mother adored him just as she had in their old world, but this time she had been free to be the mother she wanted to be. If anything, that fact alone made him happy.

He really started to pay attention though when Obi-Wan started to show up in the pictures. He showed up right around when Anakin was nine, and he looked the same age that he had been when he first met Anakin in his old Galaxy. As his mother flipped through pictures of Anakin and Obi-Wan doing practically everything together—fixing farm machinery, going to sports games, hanging out during holidays—Anakin really began to suspect that Obi-Wan didn't know anything about Anakin's past.

"Ben," Anakin finally said, daring a glance at Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan met his gaze straight on, waiting patiently, betraying no emotion. Force, Anakin always hated it when he looked at him that way. "How exactly did we meet in…in the past?" He'd almost said 'in this world.' He needed to be more careful.

Ben seemed to relax a little bit. "I started working for your step father on the farm. You were usually at school when I was around, so we didn't see much of each other. One day my car broke down on the road outside of your farm. While I was trying to get it to start, your bus dropped you off. You took one look at my car and said, 'I can fix that.' The next thing I knew, you had dragged out your step father's tools and you fixed my car." He smiled a little. "We've been friends ever since."

This world's Anakin sounded a lot like him…but this Obi-Wan didn't sound like his master. His master had rejected the idea of letting Anakin tag along until he had taken Anakin on as his Padawan.

Perhaps he really didn't remember.

"So do you remember anything?" His mother asked, her voice hopeful.

Instantly Anakin felt guilty for lying to her. He smiled a little, hoping it was convincing. "Just some impressions. Nothing concrete yet. I'm sure it will come." His mother relaxed, and even though he felt bad for lying to her, he was pleased to see her at ease.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan said, drawing his attention back to him. "You told me before you lost your memory that you were staying at a hotel. Have you retrieved your motorcycle from there yet?"

"No," Anakin responded, "I don't even know what a motorcycle is."

"Trust me, if you remembered, you would have rushed back to get it." Obi-Wan smiled. "You customized that bike yourself. That thing is like your baby."

 _No you kept me from my babies,_ Anakin couldn't help but think bitterly. "Well I guess I should get it then….although I don't know where I left it."

"You texted me the address of the hotel before…before your accident." Obi-Wan held up his phone, "I can take you there if you want." Anakin heard the exaggerated innocence in his voice, telling him that Obi-Wan wanted to do more than just take him to get a motorcycle.

"He's right, you would want to get that." His mother agreed, backing him further into a corner.

Only Padme seemed worried about it. "Maybe I could go with you," She started to say, but Obi-Wan shook his head.

"We packed Anakin's stuff into the back seat. There's only room for two people until Anakin decides where he's officially going to stay." Convenient, Anakin thought dryly.

Padme looked at Anakin hesitantly, wanting to protect him from whatever Obi-Wan had in store for him.

I am Anakin Skywalker, he thought, taking a deep breath. I will not run again.

"I think you're right," He said, forcing a smile. "We should go get that."

Obi-Wan seemed to relax. "Great," he said, standing up. "Let's go."

Anakin stood and made to follow him, but he felt a hand on the crook of his arm. He turned to find Padme standing there, looking up at him with worried eyes. "Are you sure you'll be okay?" she whispered.

Touched that she cared so much for his well-being, he could only nod. She searched his face with her eyes, deciding. Whatever she saw there seemed to convince her, since she pulled away. "Okay. Come back safely."

"I will." With that, he turned and followed Obi-Wan out.

* * *

They drove in absolute silence for a very long time. So long, in fact, that Anakin began to relax. He was wrong. Obi-Wan really was just trying to help. Maybe he didn't know Obi-Wan as well as he used to.

"How long until we get there?" He finally asked, staring out the window at the unfamiliar world around them.

"Not long." Obi-Wan responded, and sure enough he exited the freeway and pulled up…

Next to an empty park.

Instantly Anakin was on high alert. Maybe he'd been wrong—he honestly wasn't sure what to think anymore. Obi-Wan was acting like he could possibly remember, but even if he did, why hadn't he said something before? And why had he made friends with this world's Anakin instead of treating Anakin like the enemy he was?

No. The Obi-Wan he knew would always treat a Sith like a Sith: as an enemy.

Obi-Wan killed the engine, plunging the truck into silence. Anakin didn't say anything, but rather held his breath, waiting.

Finally Obi-Wan sighed and turned to him. "We need to talk."

* * *

 **Phew! Another cliffhanger, sorry guys. But man, that was a long chapter! And I will admit, Anakin's relationship with Obi-Wan is going to be the hardest for me to write. They have such a complicated relationship, and they have so much to sort out... it's fun to write, but it's also exhausting. It also doesn't help that some of my students have gotten me sick. Again. Hopefully it doesn't get too bad this time (I was sick two weeks ago and completely out), because I become this super lazy, TV-watching wuss whenever I'm sick. So here's to hoping it doesn't get any worse!**

 **GUYS DID YOU SEE THE TRAILER?! I'm not even kidding, I CRIED with excitement. I am so friggin excited...the next two months REALLY need to go by quickly. Thankfully I have this story to keep me occupied, but every time I go into one of the increasingly many stores selling Star Wars stuff I am reminded that we still have two months to wait.**

 **Urg. Deep breaths. It's going to be okay.**

 **Well anyhow, review! You guys are amazing! 3**

 **~Sarah**


	7. The Talk

For a long time they walked around the park in silence. Anakin's feet were starting to hurt, but when Obi-Wan asked if he wanted to sit down at a table, Anakin was too restless to sit down. Obi-Wan hadn't said much other than "Let's go for a walk" and "Do you want to sit down?" and the anticipation was killing him.

Finally Anakin couldn't take it anymore. If he waited any longer, he was going to burst. "What did you want to talk about?" He asked, not daring to look at Obi-Wan.

Again Obi-Wan was silent. Anakin wondered if Obi-Wan had lost the nerve to approach whatever subject he'd planned on talking about, but finally Obi-Wan stopped, forcing Anakin to stop as well. "You're not this world's Anakin."

Anakin closed his eyes, his stomach lurching. He'd been right. Obi-Wan knew. For the first time in a very long time, Anakin wished he hadn't been right. "No, I'm not." He replied, still not daring to look at Obi-Wan.

"But you're not Darth Vader, either." It wasn't a question. How much did Obi-Wan know? Did he know that Anakin had brought balance to the force in the end by throwing Sidious down the reactor shaft of the Death Star? Did he know that technically Anakin had returned to the Light Side?

"No, I'm not." Was all Anakin said though.

"Then who are you? What are your intentions?"

Obi-Wan was still afraid that Anakin had dark plans. At first, Anakin felt defensive, irritated, ready to defend himself, but then he stopped. Getting mad would only make things worse. His anger was what had gotten him into this situation in the first place. "I'm Anakin Skywalker." He said. He almost choked on his next admission, but he knew that if he really wanted to start over, he needed to change his habits, including shutting people out. "I'm just not sure what that person stands for anymore."

There. He'd said it. Maybe that was the root of his hesitation: he knew he was Anakin again, but he didn't know what Anakin was anymore. He wasn't a Sith, but he wasn't a Jedi either. His whole life had been black and white. Jedi or Sith. But now, especially with his ability to use the Force blocked from him, he was in-between, and he didn't know how to handle that.

"What is the last thing you remember before you showed up here?" Obi-Wan asked, his voice not betraying any emotions.

Anakin bit back a sarcastic reply. Anakin had questions too, questions that he needed answers to. But again, he wasn't going to revert back to the selfish boy he had been his whole life. His questions would get answered, in time. "After I threw Sidious down the reactor shaft, I died. Then I was given the choice to do things over again, and I took it. I woke up here on this world." He finally gathered the courage to look at Obi-Wan, but he wasn't looking at Anakin either. Instead he stared off into the distance, mulling over Anakin's words. "How long have you been here? I mean, Obi-Wan, not Ben."

"Since you were nine," Obi-Wan responded, making Anakin relax a little. Apparently Obi-Wan did plan on sharing with him too. "I remember you bringing balance to the Force, and then visiting Luke with you one last time." So his vision of Luke wasn't just a vision then. He really had seen his son and… "Then I woke up here. I didn't know what had happened. I saw Cleigg's ad in the paper looking for help on his farm, and since he was at least familiar, I went to work for him. What I didn't expect was to meet your other self here."

 _Why didn't you kill the other me?_ Anakin wanted to ask, but he couldn't form the words. He almost didn't want to know the answer to that question. Once he asked it, they would no longer be talking just about what was currently happening to them, but what had already happened between them.

They lapsed into an awkward silence again, Anakin's mind searching for a way to break it. Obi-Wan seemed at a loss too, and Anakin suspected that he wasn't exactly what Obi-Wan had initially suspected he would be like. Finally, Anakin couldn't take it anymore. He had to know. "Why did you keep my children away from me?"

Obi-Wan blinked in surprise, obviously not expecting the conversation to go that way. "For their safety, of course. You would have handed them to Darth Sidious otherwise."

Anakin wanted to deny it, but he couldn't. He had handed Luke over to Sidious, after all. Still… "That wasn't your decision to make. They were _my_ children, not yours."

Obi-Wan's jaw clenched. "I hoped that the Anakin I knew would have wanted me to protect his children from the Dark Side to the best of my ability. I knew for certain that Padme would have wanted that, and it was me she entrusted their care to."

"And did you raise them both, Obi-Wan? Did you raise them to hate their father?" Anakin asked bitterly.

Obi-Wan hesitated. "I'm not a father, Anakin. I couldn't take care of them by myself. I gave them to trusted people who loved and cared for both of them like they were their own."

"But they weren't their own!" Anakin snapped, finally whirling on Obi-Wan, his hands clenched at his sides. "They were mine!" Obi-Wan was unmoved, obviously believing he made the right choice. If Anakin was really honest with himself, he did agree with Obi-Wan. No child deserved to be raised underneath the watchful eye of the Emperor. Relenting, Anakin sighed. "Who were they given to?"

Again, Obi-Wan hesitated. "I gave your son to Owen and Beru. Your daughter was raised by…"

" _You SEPERATED them?!"_ Okay, this he did NOT agree with, at all. He had been separated from his mother at a young age, and Anakin knew that it had a major impact on the way his life had turned out.

"They both had strong Force signatures." Obi-Wan replied defensively, "They would have been found by the Emperor quickly had we kept them together."

"You know, I'll agree that Padme and I would have wanted them to be raised away from the Dark Side," Anakin growled, on a roll now. It didn't matter that he'd hardly known Luke, but he was still his _son._ Instinctively, he felt protective of him. It was that protectiveness that had finally brought Anakin back from the Dark Side. "But I guarantee neither of us would have wanted them to be separated! You could have raised them on a remote moon or somewhere else where the Empire didn't have a strong hold!"

"Well you weren't around to decide that!" Obi-Wan finally snapped, throwing his hands in the air. " _YOU_ turned to the Dark Side! _YOU_ became a Sith! _YOU_ abandoned them the moment you turned on Padme and attacked her!"

The words were a slap to the face, and instantly Anakin felt the sting of guilt, regret, and hatred for…for himself. He had always assumed that the hatred he felt was for Obi-Wan, and although Obi-Wan had left Anakin to burn on that Force-forsaken planet of Mustafar, it had been Anakin's decisions that had led them to that moment. That hatred had never really been for Obi-Wan, Anakin realized then, but for himself.

And he still hated himself for what he had done.

Anakin ran a hand down his face, his mind whirling as he struggled to contain his emotions. "My daughter. Who is she?"

Obi-Wan was silent, and Anakin wondered if he would tell him now. "Leia Organa."

 _Leia._

Again, he wished he'd been wrong about his suspicions. The sick feeling in his stomach intensified, and Anakin felt himself walking again, walking quickly away from Obi-Wan while he processed this.

Leia. The girl he had captured and tortured for information. Leia, the girl he had literally forced to watch her home planet, and her adoptive parents, destroyed in front of her eyes. Leia, the girl he had hunted across the galaxy. Leia, the girl whose lover he had frozen in carbonite in front of her eyes after he'd tortured him.

 _Leia._

Anakin shook so badly, he collapsed to his knees, heaving up the contents of his stomach onto the ground. He didn't care that Obi-Wan was near, witnessing him at this vulnerable moment. All he cared about was the fact that he had hurt his daughter far worse than he had hurt his son.

How had he not seen that she was Padme's daughter? She looked so similar to her—the same hair, the same eyes, the same soft curve of her face… and she had his fiery personality with the political resolve of her mother. He'd been so self-absorbed that he couldn't see the truth in front of him, and he would have killed her without a second thought had she not had the cunning and the friends to help her escape.

He was a monster.

When he was finished throwing up, he sat back, breathing hard, his body still shaking. He couldn't stop replaying every moment he'd had with her, with Luke, over and over in his mind. He had done so many awful things to so many people, but for some reason it was what he'd done to his children that made him break. Padme would hate him forever if she knew.

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked hesitantly.

He still didn't know what Obi-Wan really felt about him. He wasn't sure how he felt about Obi-Wan. He wasn't even sure he could trust him anymore. But he found himself saying, "Oh Force, Obi-Wan, _what have I done?"_

He didn't need the Force to know that Obi-Wan was shocked, to say the least. Anakin had never opened up so much to his former Master. Anytime he started to express fear or doubt, Obi-Wan had always interrupted to remind him to trust the Force. But Obi-Wan didn't do that now. He felt Obi-Wan kneel down beside him. "What happened to lead us to this, Anakin? I have an idea, but I really don't know. Help me understand."

So Anakin told him. He told him of loving Padme from the moment he saw her. He told him how Shmi's death had hardened his resolve to never let anyone he cared about die if he could stop it. He told him of marrying Padme, of keeping it secret for three years, and that after she revealed to him that she was pregnant, he was plagued by nightmares of her dying in childbirth. He told him of how he had tried to turn to Yoda for counsel, but Yoda had not given him the answers he sought for. Palpatine, however, had, so even though he had turned Palpatine in for being a Sith, in the end he couldn't let Master Windu kill the only connection he had to saving his family's life. To save the woman he loved, to save the children that were yet to be born, Anakin had turned to the Dark Side.

"You know everything else after that," Anakin finished, his voice hoarse.

Obi-Wan was stunned, and he looked to be fumbling for the right words. "I had no idea," He finally said, "Was I really that untrustworthy that you couldn't come to me for help?" The hurt was still in his voice, even now, after all these years, after everything Anakin had done.

"No, Obi-Wan, you're just…so _loyal._ Blindingly so. I was afraid that you would betray me to satisfy the Jedi Order. I was afraid of losing you…but by being afraid, I lost you anyhow." Anakin said, the misery thick in his voice. Why had he taken that second chance? This was so much more painful than he thought it would be. "And so, so much more."

Obi-Wan frowned. "Anakin, I know it doesn't mean much now, but…for what it's worth, I'm sorry."

Anakin laughed bitterly. "You? Sorry? You don't have much to be sorry for."

"But I do," Obi-Wan shook his head, "Padme insisted to her dying breath that there was still good in you. Even Luke, when I finally told him your story, insisted that there was good in you and that he couldn't kill you. But when I found out about your transformation into Darth Vader, it didn't take much for me to give up and fight you. You were my brother, Anakin, and I lost faith in you. What if I hadn't? Even if you hadn't listened, at least I would have tried. But instead I left you for dead. And for that, sorry can't even begin to cover what happened."

He was right. As horrible as Anakin's decisions had been, Obi-Wan was not blameless in this. Though Obi-Wan's admission and his apology had barely begun to heal Anakin's trust in him, Anakin still felt just a bit of the warmth of healing begin to crumble his walls. "Sorry doesn't even cover everything I've done," Anakin started, knowing it would never be enough, but it was a start, "But I'm sorry."

Obi-Wan sighed. "We're a mess." Anakin snorted bitterly: that was an understatement. "But maybe this is a mess that we can try to clean up." He looked at Anakin then, his eyes scrutinizing. "Do you still have the Force?"

Anakin hesitated. His initial reaction was to insist that everything was fine, that he could use the Force still, but again he reminded himself that he needed to start to let his guard down. "I feel it, but I can't use it." He admitted. "I figured this world doesn't allow the use of the Force."

"The Force is universal," Obi-Wan responded, frowning. "It's curious that you no longer have the use of it."

"What, you still have the Force?" Anakin asked.

Obi-Wan nodded. "Yes. I've had it since day one here."

Instantly Anakin felt the sting of jealousy. Why was Obi-Wan able to use the Force and he wasn't? If he was supposed to change things, shouldn't he be equipped properly? He still didn't know all of the dangers of this world. Just as quick as his jealousy had come, he pushed it away. Already there had been many times where he would have lashed out at someone if he still had use of it. He wouldn't have done so intentionally, but it still would have done enough damage to ruin his second chance. "Maybe its best that I don't have access to it," Anakin said, hating that he believed there to be truth in those words. The Force had been with him since birth. The Force had created him. It felt like losing half of his soul to just give it up.

Obi-Wan pondered the situation for a while. "No, I don't think that's the answer."

"What?" Anakin looked at him in surprise.

Obi-Wan met his gaze, his ice blue eyes piercing Anakin's soul. "You said that you no longer know what Anakin Skywalker stands for. You're right: you're never going to be the same Anakin that you used to be. But maybe, just maybe, you're here to learn what it really means to become a Jedi. Maybe you were meant to bring balance to the Force not only in our old galaxy, but this one as well." He took a deep breath, "I think you need to relearn how to use the Force."

Anakin was already shaking his head. "I can't be the Jedi you wanted me to be. Even now, I can't become detached. I can't forsake the love I have for my mother, or Padme." Even if he didn't deserve her love… "It's not a matter of me not trying hard enough. _I can't let them go."_

Obi-Wan sighed, turning away. "I know. This time, I'm not asking you to."

Now it was Anakin's turn to be shocked. Did he really just hear what he thought he just heard? "What are you saying?"

"What I'm saying," Obi-Wan started, "Is that I've seen way more than any one man should. I've seen a democracy fall and an empire rise, only for that empire to fall to make room for democracy yet again. I have guided two great men, and failed one of them immensely. I have seen myself brought back to life in this body to guide a young boy I had already guided once before. If there is one thing that I have learned in all of that time, it is that attachments, when untouched by selfishness and pride and guided completely by love, are a pathway to the Light. Luke showed me that." He looked back at him, "Your younger self on this world showed me that. If you do this," he continued, choosing his words carefully, "You won't be the Jedi you were. You'll be something else entirely."

Anakin couldn't believe his ears. He never thought he'd hear Obi-Wan question the Old Ways, especially not out loud. Still, the idea of becoming a Jedi again and still being able to choose his relationships was appealing. In fact, he felt the Force surround his heart, whispering for the first time since he'd arrived in this world that what Obi-Wan was offering was the correct path. "And if I do this," He slowly said, "Who will train me?"

Obi-Wan bit his lip nervously. "To be honest," He said, "I don't know anyone else who has the Force in this world. Unless we meet someone else, I would have to teach you again."

Slowly, Anakin stood on shaky legs, his mind whirling. Apologizing to each other and attempting to repair their friendship was one thing. But to give himself as a Padawan to Obi-Wan again before they'd fully forgiven each other? That was a whole different issue all together. The relationship between a Master and their Padawan was intimate, and neither of the men were ready for that sort of trust in their relationship.

But Anakin could feel the Force growing stronger within him, urging him to accept. He wanted his Second Chance to just be about him healing his relationship with Padme. However, with each new person he met from his past, he was increasingly realizing that this Second Chance was about more than that. There was so much for him to fix, including himself. And if the Force wanted him to retrain to become a new Jedi, then that's what Anakin had to do.

So taking a deep breath, Anakin looked at his Master. "When do we start?"

* * *

 **So I am totally sick. I'm happy with how this chapter turned out, but if there are inconsistencies, I am slightly loopy right now. In reference to chamomile tea, which is supposed to help you sleep, I told my friend, "I'll drink the crap out of that sleepy leaf water." If Mindy had been in this chapter, I can only imagine what I would have made her do. But I really wanted to continue the frequent updates! A lot of you have expressed that you love that, so I wanted to make sure you weren't disappointed.**

 **Anyhow! What did you think? I know this is certainly an angsty chapter, but I promise things are going to get better. Besides, I'm about to throw in some more character romance development for Anakin and Padme! :D I have so many plans for them...**

 **Thanks to BlueSeventh for pointing out the bit about Obi-Wan hiding Anakin's children from him! I mean yeah I've thought about it before, but when I initially started to plot out how this confrontation would go, I didn't really think about how Anakin would react to that. When I thought about it, the result was, well, this.**

 **Anyhow, love the reviews and follows guys! You are the best! 3**

 **~Sarah**


	8. An Old Friend

Padme's dreams were full of strange images, images of a woman in ridiculously elaborate dresses and make up, images of a giant room full of strange floating platforms with shouting people in it, images of two men in simple brown robes guarding her, their faces hidden from her view. She dreamt of strange creatures walking among crowds of people and aliens discussing what they called a Clone War. As she dreamt of a planet filled with lava, the blaring of her alarm awoke her.

She lay there for a moment, curled up in twisted blankets, listening to the alarm go off as her mind tried to process that the images she'd seen throughout the night were only dreams, not reality. Once she fully came to her senses, she groaned and turned off the alarm before slowly rolling out of bed.

She looked around at the mercifully normal bedroom, rubbing at her tired eyes. This was the second night in a row where she'd dreamed strange things, things that were so abnormal, she wasn't sure where her subconscious would have gotten them from. She hoped that the dreams would stop soon: she had to start focusing on school, starting today. She shrugged into her robe and left her bedroom, her thoughts turning to the many things she had to get done today.

Today was orientation. Since she had already been to Stanford before, she didn't have to attend as many meetings as the incoming freshman, but she did have to get her books and make sure that her classes and finances were in order.

Plus she promised Anakin to show him around the school and help him get settled. The night before, after Anakin and Ben had returned with Anakin's sweet-looking motorcycle, Shmi filled them in on what exactly Anakin had planned to do at Stanford. Even though he was twenty one and it was a rather late start to college, Anakin was going to school on a scholarship for Mechanical Engineering. Anakin had apparently spent a lot of time between high school and college working with various companies on engineering projects, saving money for college. However, combined with his experience and high school grades, he had landed himself a scholarship to Stanford, and it was this that had brought him out to California in the first place.

Shmi was worried that if Anakin revealed his memory loss to the school, they would take his scholarship from him. Padme disagreed with this. Anakin hadn't done anything to get it revoked: it wasn't like his memory loss was his fault. Plus, he'd fixed her cable in minutes.

"But cable isn't mechanical engineering." Mindy had pointed out.

"Maybe, but he needs to be honest with the school." Padme insisted. "They need to understand what's going on so that they don't expect something from him that he can't give yet and they end up putting too much pressure on him."

In the end, the decision was left to Anakin, who had crossed his arms defiantly. "I will tell them the truth," He said seriously, "And I will prove to them that I'm still just as good, if not better, than before." There was a challenge in his endless blue eyes that made Padme's heart beat faster. She got the feeling she'd seen that look somewhere…

As she entered the kitchen, her thoughts were quickly turned to the present by a cry of amazement. " _What is this delicious substance?!"_ Anakin stood at the stove with Mindy, holding a piece of bacon in between his fingers. Ben and Shmi were already there, breakfast already heaped onto their plates.

"That would be bacon," Ben said, clearly amused by his friend's antics.

"This is the best thing I've ever tasted," Anakin continued, his eyes wide. He grabbed the package of uncooked bacon still sitting next to the stove and dumped the contents into the pan. "Why don't people have this at every meal?!"

"Because it's unhealthy," Shmi chided, "So eat it sparingly son."

"After this meal, sure." It was then that Anakin caught sight of Padme. A huge smile lit on his face. "Padme, have you had this stuff before?!"

Padme couldn't help but smile back. "Yes, of course. I love how excited you are about it though."

"Just wait until you have it on burgers." Mindy grinned as Anakin's eyes widened further. "And potatoes. And chicken. And…"

"Look what you've done," Ben laughed, "Now that's all we're going to hear about for the next few days."

Padme loaded a plate full of pancakes, eggs, and of course, bacon, before sitting at the breakfast table. "So Anakin," Padme started, trying to keep her voice from sounding too eager or hopeful. "Have you thought about my offer?"

Anakin, having a plate full of just bacon now, returned to the table. "Yes, I have." He said, not looking at her.

"And?"

"And," He took a deep breath, drawing it out. Padme resisted the urge to shake the answer out of him. Although she could use an office, having Anakin in her home felt…right. She had a feeling her home would feel empty without him. He finally looked up at her though, throwing her a teasing grin. "I guess I could stay."

Padme's smile returned, her heart soaring with excitement. She wasn't sure what her parents would say to her renting out a room in her house to a boy, but her name was on the lease. In her mind, she could rent it out to whoever she pleased. "Fantastic," She said before she began to dig into her food.

She didn't miss the worried look that Ben threw her way before he too began to eat his breakfast.

* * *

This school was _huge._ When Padme talked about Stanford, Anakin had always imagined something like the Jedi Temple. But as they parked in one of the many school lots, Anakin was stunned to find that the school was the size of a mini-city. Anakin glanced down at the printed class schedule in his hands. "Let me get this straight," He said, "I'm supposed to make it across campus with only fifteen minutes in between most of my classes?"

"You could always get a bike," Padme suggested.

"Or a skateboard. He totally seems like a skateboard kind of guy." Mindy mused.

"Either way," Padme continued, "You'll mostly be in one area of campus if you're doing Mechanical Engineering, though your core classes may be across campus."

Anakin frowned and pulled out the printed map of the campus, comparing it to his schedule. It did look like most of his classes were in the same area, but there were a few he would need to rush to.

 _What's the point of this?_ He wondered sullenly as they got out of the car to make their way into the school, _I already have tons of experience. I don't need to go back to school._

He had expressed these same thoughts to Obi-Wan right before he'd left when the others weren't listening. Obi-Wan was going to stay with his mother to get his stuff out of the truck while he was at orientation.

"In this world, your success depends on your education." Obi-Wan replied patiently. "Not just experience. You need the credentials on paper if you want to have a good life here."

So grudgingly, Anakin decided he would follow through on this world's Anakin's plans. Besides, he reasoned, Padme would be going to this same school. Maybe it would be a chance to be around her more.

They began to pass buildings with red tiled roofing and stone exteriors that sort of made all of the buildings look the same to Anakin. Again Anakin missed looking up into the sky and seeing great towering buildings with different structuring that made it easy for him to tell what building was what.

Padme began pointing out the different buildings, going on and on about which building held what colleges, and what activities the school usually put on in the different semesters. As much as Anakin enjoyed Padme's attention to him, a lot of what she said went totally over his head. He didn't even think he was going to ever bother remembering all of these buildings.

Eventually Mindy stopped. "Well, this is where I need to go," she said, jabbing her thumb at another similar looking building. "I'll meet up with you later." With that, she turned and left Padme alone with Anakin.

"What exactly does Mindy do?" Anakin asked, watching her leave.

"She's a historian," Padme replied, surprising Anakin. He didn't know what he expected Mindy to want to do for a living, but it wasn't that. Honestly, historians where he was from were usually droids, so he couldn't even fathom any human being able to remember so much information. "She's studying to work in the archives of museums. She may be an excitable social butterfly, but she has her serious side too."

Anakin raised his eyebrow as Padme continued to lead him towards his part of the school. "I'll believe it when I see it." Padme laughed at that, and continued giving him the tour.

Finally they reached the building where Anakin would spend the majority of his college career: Building 520. Creative name, Anakin thought dryly as Padme led him inside.

They passed through hallways of darkened classrooms and a few shops that already had some students working on projects. Anakin peeked through the open doors when he could, curious about the technology of this world, but he didn't stop. He wanted to get this over with as soon as possible.

Finally they reached the main office where a few students sat reviewing various things with what Anakin figured to be advisors. Padme signed a sheet at the front desk before she sat down with Anakin on hard plastic chairs, pulling out a book. "This may take a while," Padme said, motioning to some magazines on the table in front of them, "So get comfortable."

Anakin glanced at the cover of the book she was reading ( _Cloud Atlas)_ before he nodded, looking over the magazines. He picked one that looked like it would give him more information on the technology of this world and began to read.

It indeed took a while before his name was called—thirty minutes, in fact. However, the time flew by as Anakin engrossed himself in the words on the magazine page. It was an effort to tear himself away from the magazine, but Padme promised that he would get to read plenty on technology for school.

They followed a petite student secretary back into a spacious office where a man was seated at a desk, his face turned to look at a computer behind him. "Mr. Trooper, Anakin Skywalker is here to see you."

The man whirled in his chair, and instantly Anakin's eyebrows shot upwards in surprise. "Great, have a seat Mr. Skywalker, Ms.?"

"Padme Amidala," Padme smiled as she took a seat in front of the large wooden desk. Anakin remained standing, staring in awe at the man before him. His hair was shaved, but what hair Anakin could see was graying. He had thick eyebrows that shadowed his dark eyes, and tanned, dark skin that was covered with small scars.

"Rex," Anakin breathed, unable to stop himself.

The man before him looked surprised. "Why yes, that is my first name. Most students call me Mr. Trooper, or Mr. T if I see them often enough." His tone was friendly, but Anakin could tell that he was serious about not allowing Anakin to call him Rex.

Still, Anakin remembered all of the multiple battles they went through together, and it was odd to call him by any other name. It was odd, frankly, that the man didn't remember who Anakin was. Rex had always been loyal to Anakin during the Clone Wars, and they had developed a strong relationship over the years based on respect. Anakin didn't see any of that familiarity or respect in his dark eyes now as he waited for Anakin to sit. Slowly, Anakin sat, swallowing the lump in his throat. He could feel Padme shoot him a curious glance.

"Now," Rex started, leaning back into his over-stuffed chair. "What brings you here to the office today?"

Padme remained silent, allowing Anakin to tell his story. Anakin had been prepared to tell his scripted story, but now that he was sitting in front of another familiar face, he had a hard time remembering anything that wasn't related to Rex and the Clone Wars. "I, uh, lost my memory this weekend," Anakin started, wincing at the unsure tone in his voice. How had he gone from imposing Sith Lord to bumbling Padawan in just a few days? "I'm supposed to come to this school on a scholarship." He pulled out the doctor's note he had from Bail and handed it to Rex, who looked it over with a grim expression on his face.

When he was finished, his calculating gaze snapped back to Anakin. "Are you saying that you won't be able to perform the duties required of you to complete your degree with us?" There was a challenging edge in his voice.

"No," Anakin quickly assured him, "I just wanted to be honest with the school and," he glanced at Padme, who gave him a small smile of encouragement. "I wanted to see if you had any recommendations."

Rex studied him for a long moment. "The students who get into the Mechanical Engineering program are expected to be able to meet the standards of this school," he began, using that no-nonsense tone that Anakin had heard him use so many times on new recruits. Anakin never expected to be on the receiving end of that tone. "What makes you think that a student with your limitations will be able to meet those minimum requirements and then some?"

Anakin knew that Rex wasn't asking to be cruel—he was quite serious. And if the roles were reversed, Anakin would have asked the same question. But Padme immediately jumped to his defense. "Because you cannot discriminate against someone with genuine health disabilities," she said, using that commanding voice she often used whenever she was addressing another senator or issuing an order. He'd always found that tone to be rather, well, sexy, and even now his heart swelled with pride as he listened to her defend him. "The only reason why you wouldn't allow him into the program is if he was incapable of performing the work required, and he is capable of completing those tasks. I've seen it myself." Her confidence in his abilities, even though this Padme hardly knew him, made him feel like he could do anything. How did she always manage to make him feel this way?

Rex raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

Padme's jaw clenched, her eyes narrowed. "It is." Anakin heard the challenge in her voice.

The edge of Rex's mouth quirked upwards. "Alright. Prove it."

"Prove it how?" Anakin asked, his own eyes narrowing at Rex.

Now Rex grinned fully. "I'll show you."

* * *

Rex led them into one of the shops Anakin had seen on the way in. There were a few other students welding something together, but Rex led Anakin to another unused station. He motioned to various objects laid out on the desk. "We sometimes do this as an entry audition." He started, "I'll give you two hours to build something impressive using whatever is on this desk. If you complete your task and you impress me, then I won't complain further about you staying in the program."

Anakin looked over the various objects in front of them, already formulating a plan in his mind. He didn't know what all of them were, but technology was second nature to him. He understood how to fix things before he had ever learned to become a Jedi. This world was different, but looking at the object in front of him, he just seemed to…know what to do. "I'll finish it in an hour," He said with confidence. He didn't bother to wait for a response before he approached the table and began to build.

"Do you want me to stay?" He barely registered Padme's question. He grunted, his hands moving over the objects with surety, his mind conjuring up images of what he was supposed to do as he did them. Distantly, he noticed Padme give up waiting for a real answer and sit down next to Rex, pulling that book back out.

He moved quickly and surely, only pausing a few times to check his work. He hardly noticed that some of the other students in the room had stopped what they were doing to watch what he was doing, or that Padme had stopped reading her book to watch in fascination.

It was just him and the machine.

This was right. Even when he was Darth Vader, whenever he got the chance to work on upgrades to his personal X-Wing or speeder, he took it. In that moment, he wasn't Darth Vader. He wasn't a Sith Lord. He was just a man, creating something in a galaxy that he was helping to tear apart.

It was no different here. Here, in that shop, he was able to control something in his uncontrollable situation. For the first time since arriving, he felt _right._

He finished at 45 minutes. He stepped back from the table and looked back at Rex. "Care to take a look?" He asked with a grin, wiping the sweat from his brow.

His expression passive, Rex stood and approached the work bench, looking at the contraption on the table. "Is it a robot?" He asked, turning it over to examine it more closely.

"I would call it a droid, but yes."

"Does it actually work?"

"Try it out for yourself." He watched as Rex flipped the small switch, and the droid came to life. With the limited materials Anakin had been given, it was only a crude droid, but Anakin was satisfied as it slowly made its way to the computer at the edge of the workspace and plugged itself into the USB drive, beginning to download a video presentation Anakin had found on the computer. Completing that task, it slowly turned back around and began to project the video by itself.

"Well, I'll be." Rex whistled, "I've seen plenty of robots built, but never that fast and with that capability using that few resources." He looked back at Anakin, amazement written all over his face. "Are you sure you forgot all of your memories?"

Anakin shrugged, but he couldn't help but allow a small grin to spread across his lips. "I guess technology is more of an instinct."

Rex looked at the droid again before turning to face Anakin fully, squaring his shoulders. "Well, you passed the test. Not only will I fully endorse you entering into our program and keeping your scholarship, but I will also personally make sure you receive any and all help that you need." He stuck a hand out for Anakin to shake, and instantly Anakin grabbed it, beginning to feel a bond reforging with his old friend. "Welcome to the program, Mr. Skywalker."

* * *

 **Okay, so this was more of a filler chapter, but it was a needed filler chapter. I promise, next chapter is going to focus a LOT more on Anakin's developing relationship with Padme. It's gunna be cute! And we'll see some of his new Jedi training.**

 **I want to apologize for the late update. After I finished with my sickness (YAY for being better!), I went camping with some friends. When I came back Saturday morning, with the full intent to finish two more chapters at least by tonight, I got a call from my best friend saying that her dad was in the hospital. It's pretty bad, so I spent a lot of this weekend trying to help her.**

 **I will get back to the frequent updates though. To answer some questions first however:**

 **Will there be a bad guy like Palpatine?**

 **Answer: Yes, but I'm still figuring out exactly what his role in this world is going to be. Obviously our government here in our world is different in many ways, but similar in others. I have a pretty strong idea on how exactly to do this, but I am still hashing out details. He will play a bigger role as the story progresses however. I think I may introduce him briefly soon, however.**

 **Will I introduce more Clone Wars characters?**

 **Answer: I'm going to try. I'm going to be honest, I'm still watching the Clone Wars. I binge watch episodes between chapters, so I'm still getting a feel for characters. I did introduce Rex in this chapter, and I will go into this world Rex's background more as the story goes on (there is a reason he's in the position he's in). I will also try to introduce Ahsoka, and I think I will change her age so that she's a little closer in age to Anakin and has more of a reason to show up in the story. If any of you have a major problem with that, let me know.**

 **Anyhow, I will get back to regular updates! Promise. Thank you for your support and patience!**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **~Sarah**


	9. Training

"I hope you know that I'm not calling you Master," Anakin said sourly as he followed Obi-Wan to a large ditch at the edge of a park filled with children running to and fro.

Anakin didn't think it was such a good idea to train so close to people who didn't know what a Jedi was, but Obi-Wan insisted that Anakin needed to get used to using his powers under different circumstances again. "Besides," He'd said as they'd gotten into his truck, "It's California. Californians see weird things all the time." Whatever that was supposed to mean.

Now Obi-Wan just smiled. "Oh Anakin, I've missed our training sessions." He said dryly as they dropped into the concrete space. Anakin wrinkled his nose at the trash and murky puddles of mysterious liquid were on the floor of the ditch. This was not at all an ideal place to train, but Anakin supposed that even in his galaxy, no Jedi after his transformation into Darth Vader had an ideal place to train either. Briefly he wondered how Luke had received his training.

Obi-Wan found a relatively dry, clear area and sat down, cross legged. He motioned in front of him. "Sit."

Anakin hesitated. "We're not starting on Form 1?" It was usually the first thing Younglings learned when they started their training.

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "You were Darth Vader not too long ago. You were a master of the Lightsaber. Are you telling me in the week you've been here, you've completely lost that ability?"

Anakin scowled. "No."

"Good. I won't make you call me Master, but I do ask that you make an effort to trust me. Now, sit." He motioned at the spot on the ground again, and this time Anakin sat.

It had been a week since he arrived in this world. Already he was adjusting quickly to the differences of this world—at least physically. He had figured out how to use his motorcycle (which was one of his favorite possessions), he had unpacked what little he owned in his bedroom, and he was finding the school work to be rather easy. This world may have been more advanced in some things, but his galaxy was more advanced in many other ways, so even this world's advanced technology was rather simple for him to grasp.

However, that meant that he finished his work early. Both Mindy and Padme, much further along in school than he was, were constantly busy in the evenings. He had occupied his time with spending time with his mother, something that he had greatly desired for so long, but today she was supposed to head back home. He didn't want her to go, not only because he felt that one week was too short of time to be with her after so many years of being separated, but also because he knew that he wouldn't have anything to do after finishing his school work. He would either have to find something to do, or he would be left alone with his thoughts—and he was not adjusted emotionally.

He hoped he found something to do very quickly.

Although his mother was leaving today, Obi-Wan was staying. He had told his mother that he was staying to help Anakin with his memories, but Anakin knew the truth. Obi-Wan was staying to reteach him how to use the Force again.

Anakin knew that he needed to learn to use the Force again, but he hated that he would have to train with Obi-Wan again. It wasn't because Obi-Wan was still an enemy to him—honestly, Anakin still wasn't sure what Obi-Wan was to him. He just hated being so vulnerable, so open to criticism and judgement. To successfully create a Master-Padawan relationship, the Padawan needed to let the Master in completely. Anakin was not yet in a good place to let Obi-Wan in fully. He was sure that if Obi-Wan saw the extent of his inner turmoil, he would change his mind and turn his back on Anakin.

Anakin really didn't feel like getting into another battle with his former friend.

"Now," Obi-Wan began, his hands on his knees, "As I said, you don't have issues with your fighting technique. What you do need improvement on, and honestly, what you've always needed improvement on, is your control. So today, we're going to meditate."

Already Anakin was inwardly groaning (he didn't dare to do so outwardly, as he knew Obi-Wan wouldn't appreciate it). He had always hated meditation. It wasn't because it was boring—it was actually quite the opposite. Meditation forced you to look inward, to attempt to find inner peace. Anakin had never fully been able to achieve inner peace due to the multiple fears and warring emotions he had always felt. He had never explained that in full to Obi-Wan, but Obi-Wan always knew that Anakin avoided meditation when possible.

"What are your concerns, Anakin?" Obi-Wan's voice reached him, pulling him out of his inner despair. He looked upon Anakin with that patient look he always had, but this time Anakin could see the concern in his eyes. This time, Obi-Wan had an idea of just how broken Anakin was. "We can't keep secrets from each other this time. You need to tell me when you are concerned about something."

He was right. He had always been right, but he was even more so now. Anakin took a deep breath. "I'm worried that I won't be able to achieve peace. I have…even more demons to battle than I did before."

Obi-Wan nodded thoughtfully. "I don't expect you to achieve that peace for a long time. I have a theory that what is holding you back from your ability to use the Force is your inability to reach inner peace. We have a lot of work to do. What I want you to focus on today as you meditate, though, is trying to identify what your major obstacles are that are blocking the Force. What is it that you need to come to terms with first?"

Anakin winced. There were so many things, so many awful things, but the major ones? Those were the ones he worried would break him. "And do I have to tell you what those are when I find them?"

He already knew the answer before Obi-Wan said it. "Yes. If I am to know how to help you, I have to know what it is we're up against. I know that's hard, but for this to work, you have to do it."

This time, Anakin did groan. "I'll try."

Obi-Wan's lips curled upwards into a sad smile. "Do or do not. There is no try."

Yoda's words. Even in death, Yoda was still influencing his training.

So Anakin closed his eyes, settling in rather uncomfortably into his meditative state. He focused on the Force that he could still feel within himself, trying to pull it out of the inner depths of his soul. It didn't budge.

After about ten minutes of trying to absorb himself into the Force, Anakin sighed in frustration. "Nothing's happening," He snapped, "This isn't going to work."

Obi-Wan continued to gaze at him with absolute patience. "Because you aren't trusting yourself." He said simply. "I see now that the self-doubt Luke has came from you."

Anakin opened his eyes, perking a bit in curiosity. "Luke had self-doubt?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "Yes. He often doubted his ability to use the Force during his training."

Anakin realized something then: Obi-Wan may have hidden Luke and Leia from him, but he was still a connection to the children he had lost. "Could you…tell me more about Luke?"

Obi-Wan paused, thinking over how the information would affect Anakin's training. Finally he nodded. "I'll tell you more about him when you successfully find the obstacle to your Force through meditation."

Groaning, Anakin closed his eyes again. This time, he focused on breathing deeply, in and out, concentrating on the Force within. He could feel it, a ball of energy, slumbering within his breast, waiting to be released. Instead of trying to force it to come out, Anakin instead focused on spreading that energy throughout his body.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the Force began to spread. It hummed through his veins, making his body feel warm despite the cool breeze hitting his face. He felt it reach his mind, where images began to replay through it: memories, worries, things spoken and things unspoken, all flooded through his head.

It wasn't long before the images that haunted him began to run through his head. Instinctively, he wanted to pull away.

"Don't fight it," Obi-Wan's voice, far away, said. He was right: Anakin had to do this. He mentally pushed himself onward, facing the memories.

He saw the millions of people he hurt. Many people he had never actually met, but he could feel their presence.

He saw Mace Windu, ever stern when it came to anything Anakin was involved in, being thrown by Palpatine's lightning from the window after Anakin had sliced his hand off. Anakin had only meant to do it to make Mace see sense in what he was doing—Yes, Palpatine deserved death, but he also deserved a trial. Anakin may have had selfish reasons for wanting Palpatine to continue to live, but he hadn't been wrong when he'd said it wasn't the Jedi way to kill him. Still, Anakin hadn't stopped Palpatine from killing him.

The image moved on. Obviously, despite Anakin's guilt, this wasn't what was stopping him from using the Force.

He saw himself turn to the Dark Side. He saw the self-loathing as he did it, his sole purpose to save his wife…

Then he was Force choking Padme.

The image caused his entire body to shudder in revulsion, and he began to withdraw from the image. "Anakin, face it." Obi-Wan's voice kept him grounded, and hesitantly Anakin continued to meditate, the images continuing. He saw the vision the Force had shown him before he'd come to this world, of Padme having their babies, pleading for Obi-Wan to see the good in Anakin as she died.

He saw her funeral. She was beautiful in her midnight blue down, her hair spread out around her, white flowers cascading across her coffin.

In her hands, the necklace he'd made for her.

Then she was before him again in her PJ's, asking him questions, unable to remember who he was or what he'd done to her.

And as he looked at her, seeing her beauty, seeing her as she was all those years ago, untouched by untold pain, Anakin thought one word:

Unworthy.

He was unworthy of her. She would never forgive him. Part of him wanted to confess to her what he'd done, but he knew that even if she did believe him, she would turn away in revulsion.

He didn't deserve her.

The pain of those images caused such intensity that he cried out, the Force leaving the rest of his body abruptly, settling back to the slumber within his chest.

He opened his eyes, breathing hard, sweat running down his skin. His stomach turned, and again he felt the urge to throw up, if only to make himself feel better. He knew it wouldn't do anything, so this time he forced the feeling to go away.

"What did you see?" Obi-Wan asked, and Anakin could hear the hopefulness in his voice.

He swallowed hard again, forcing himself to calm his racing heart. "I saw myself…" he didn't want to say it. He couldn't.

"You need to tell me Anakin," Obi-Wan encouraged.

Anakin closed his eyes again. "I saw myself ch-choke Padme." He said in a whisper. "I saw…I saw her die. I saw how she begged you to see the good in me. I saw us reunited here in this world, where she's so innocent and beautiful and _alive_ and…" He put his head in his hands. "I don't deserve her Obi-Wan. I know that the Force wants me to reconcile with her, but I can't. I'm afraid that if I do tell her, and by some miracle she remembers, she'll not only hate me, she'll be repulsed by me. I'm afraid of that, but I know I don't deserve anything else. And I hate myself because of it, because I know I'm going to lose her and there's nothing I can do to stop it."

Obi-Wan was silent for a long time. Anakin wasn't sure if he was waiting for him to calm down, or he was trying to think of something to say, but by the time Anakin had controlled his breathing, Obi-Wan said, "It sounds like the major thing that keeps holding you back, both here and back in our Galaxy, is the fear of losing the one you love most. It's an understandable thing. But it was your fear of losing her that caused you to lose her in the first place, Anakin." Anakin met Obi-Wan's serious, ice blue eyes. "You need to let go of your fear of losing her if you want to not only use the Force again, but fully reunite with her as well."

Anakin was almost afraid to ask, but he had to. "Do you think that's possible?"

Obi-Wan frowned in thought. "Anything is possible, Anakin. I can't say for sure, since only Padme can ultimately decide. You already know that nursing that fear will only be sure to make you lose her. So why don't you work on going down a different path this time?"

"Easier said than done," Anakin grumbled.

"This is true," Obi-Wan nodded before he stood up, brushing the dirt off of himself. "Well, I think that's enough for today. Good work, Anakin."

Anakin stood and began to follow Obi-Wan out of the ditch. "You promised to tell me something about Luke," he reminded him after they'd climbed out and were headed to the truck.

"I did, didn't I?" Obi-Wan sighed, thinking. "Okay. I'll tell you one story for today. You'll get another story next time we train, got it?" Anakin nodded, knowing there was no way he would talk Obi-Wan out of it even though Anakin wanted to know everything there was to know about his son. "When Luke was six, Owen lost a screw driver. The screw driver was needed to put back together farm equipment, and Owen couldn't complete his work without it. Owen had Luke help him look for the screw driver, but after an hour of searching, they were unable to find it. Finally, Luke did what was instinctual for him: he used the Force.

"As soon as he used it, he ended up finding it under the couch in the living room. Luke was excited by what he'd done, and he proudly explained what happened to Owen. Owen was always terrified of Luke's potential—he didn't want him to become…" Obi-Wan trailed off. Anakin didn't need to hear the rest of that sentence to know what Obi-Wan meant: Owen was terrified Luke would become a Sith, like his father. "Anyway, Owen got angry with Luke and insisted that Luke must have found it because he put it under the couch in the first place. Eventually, Luke stopped insisting that something had led him to it, and learned not to use the Force."

It was obvious to Anakin that Luke was skilled in the Force even from a young age. It was something that filled him with a sense of pride—but for Owen to react that way? Sure, Anakin understood Owen's reasoning behind it. But the Force wasn't just some random ability that could be ignored like the ability to paint. The Force was literally a part of who Luke was, and to encourage him to ignore something so vital to his identity for so long… Anakin had to ignore the wave of anger that threatened to overwhelm him.

"Owen was a good guardian for Luke," Obi-Wan rushed, as though reason Anakin's mind. Perhaps he had. "But he was also a cautious man. Still, without his guidance, Luke may have turned into a very different person."

Anakin could only nod and say, "Thank you," in response.

They reached the truck, and Obi-Wan pulled out his keys to unlock it. "Before we go to say goodbye to your mother," Obi-Wan said, not pressing the unlock button. Anakin waited tensely for whatever Obi-Wan was going to say. "Your mother is concerned that you aren't getting all of the help you need."

"You know I don't have a problem remembering who I am." Anakin interrupted.

He nodded. "I know, and you know, but she doesn't. She is worried that you turned down Doctor Organa's orders to see a therapist."

Anakin scowled. "I don't need a shrink."

"Again, I know that. But your mother is going to keep worrying over you unless you do it." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, it's just once a week. I'll even pay for the visit. I just hate seeing your mother so worried."

Anakin didn't disagree. He hated seeing his mother worry as well. But a therapist? As far as he was concerned, they were just as bad as doctors. Still, if it made his mother happy…

With a resigned sigh, Anakin nodded. "Fine. But don't expect me to like it."

Obi-Wan smiled, though the smile didn't touch his eyes. "I wouldn't expect any differently."

* * *

"These dreams won't stop, and they're really starting to weird me out." Padme said as she dipped her roller into the sky blue paint. The entire living room was covered with protective plastic while she and Mindy painted the walls, and every move they made was accompanied by the loud sound of crinkling plastic.

"Why?" Mindy said, rolling her brush up the opposite wall. "I mean, they're just random images."

"Normally, I would agree with you." Padme said, turning back to her wall. "But they're so bizarre and random, I just don't know where my subconscious would have gotten them from."

"Maybe you saw something on TV once? Like in a Halloween commercial?"

Padme shook her head. "No, I don't think that's it. And it's strange, but they feel so…so real. Like they weren't from my imagination, but rather my own memories."

Mindy sighed, stopping for a second to look at Padme. "Look, they're just dreams. Weird, random dreams, but dreams nonetheless. Once I had a dream that I became the Queen of Russia and when I invited you over, you ran over my bushes with a four wheeler screaming, 'Die Commie bushes, America rocks!' At the time, the dream felt pretty real to me at the time, but unless there's something you're not telling me, that situation has never happened nor will it ever happen. It was just a bizarre dream. Your dreams are the same way, just filled with random aliens and hot men. You could totally have way worse dreams, you know."

Padme frowned. She had a point. Honestly, Padme wasn't sure why the dreams stayed with her as much as they did. Other than the first dream with the little boy, nothing significant had happened in any of her dreams.

Still…

"Let's just talk about something less dreary." Mindy said as she switched her roller brush for a regular paintbrush to get the edges of her wall.

"Like what?"

"Like," Mindy grinned, and instantly Padme regretted asking the question. "Like the party tonight at OPAL. You _are_ going."

Padme groaned. "I can't. I have a bunch of homework this weekend. Besides, we went to a party last weekend and look how _that_ turned out."

"Yes, I happened to hit a super hot guy, bring him home, and now he lives here. That's such a terrible thing." Padme could practically hear Mindy rolling her eyes. "You've been doing homework almost non-stop this whole week, and I have to. We need to get out of the house sometime, Padme."

Padme didn't reply—Mindy was right, and she didn't feel like admitting it out loud. She knew that she couldn't spend her whole college experience working on school work, but with the amount of it that she was assigned, it was easy to do that.

"You know," Padme could hear the mischievousness in her friend's tone, "Anakin said he'd go."

Padme tensed. "He did?" She hadn't thought to ask him about it. She'd seen him since school started, of course, but it wasn't for very long.

"Yup. I bet he would love it if you went."

Padme turned around to face her, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You haven't been feeding him stories, have you?"

Mindy pointed innocently to herself. "Who, me? Why, of course not. I just asked if he wanted to go, and then when he hesitated, I said I would convince you to go to. He was more than happy to agree after that."

Of course she did. "You need to learn to stay out of my love life." Padme said.

"Or lack of one." Mindy pointed her paint brush at her. "You need to lighten up." She flicked the paintbrush for emphasis, but as she did, extra paint still on the brush flicked off of it and splattered onto Padme, making Padme gasp in surprise. Mindy paled, her free hand going to cover her mouth. "I am _so_ sorry. I honestly didn't mean for that to happen!"

For a moment Padme just stood there, feeling the paint splattered onto her thankfully old T-shirt and jeans. "I need to lighten up, huh?" Padme finally said, reaching down to the paint bucket to grab the other regular paint brush. "What about….you?" She flicked her paint brush at Mindy, the paint splattering right into her face.

Mindy squeaked as the paint hit her, a devious grin lighting across her face. "Oh, it's on!" She said, dipping her brush into the paint again and splattering Padme.

Both girls screeched as they began hurling paint back and forth at each other, paying no attention when the sound of the front door opening echoed throughout the house. Moments later, Anakin inched into the room, a curious look on his handsome face. "Padme? Mindy? What's…" Some of Mindy's paint missed Padme, and instead splattered across Anakin, making him break off the question.

Both girls froze, staring at Anakin in horror. Unlike the girls, Anakin was wearing a nice button up gray shirt and brand new jeans. They were not clothes they thought he would like to get ruined. But Anakin only stared at them wide-eyed, obviously not having expected to get splattered with paint, but as the shock wore off a huge smile lit his face. "Three can play at this," He said, reaching his hand into the paint and placing it on Padme's cheek.

"Anakin!" Padme cried, pretending to be appalled, but Anakin only laughed, smearing paint onto Mindy's shirt before Mindy could move out of his way.

An all-out paint war ensued between the three. They didn't care that they were ruining each other's clothes, or that they were making the plastic slick with excess paint. They laughed and shouted as they threw paint, and eventually, as that particular paint bucket began to run empty, they collapsed on the plastic floor, breathing hard.

"Well," Mindy breathed, "Welcome home Anakin."

Anakin laughed, the sound full and bright, making Padme's heart ache with…with…well, she wasn't sure. But she knew that she liked it when he laughed. It was a sound she wanted to hear more often.

Slowly, Padme got back to her feet, looking at the mess they'd made. "Well, it's a good thing we put down plenty of plastic," She said, but as she began to wonder how they were going to leave the room, the sound of the front door opening echoed through the house again. Moments later, Ben appeared at the entrance to the living room.

"Hi, O—Ben." Anakin said, a mischievious grin on his face.

Ben frowned at the mess they'd made, but Padme could see the humor in his eyes. "I can't leave you three alone for five minutes, can I?" He asked, attempting to sound scolding, but he didn't quite manage it.

"Nope," Anakin said, almost proudly.

"Well, let me get you three something to clean up with." With that, he turned and walked away, muttering something about it being typical that he was cleaning up after 'those two.' Whoever 'those two' were.

* * *

When Mindy had approached Anakin about going to a dance party, Anakin had been hesitant. He wasn't much of a dancer, and although he liked Mindy fine, he didn't know her well enough to go hang out at random parties with just her. But when Mindy had said Padme would likely go, Anakin couldn't help but say yes.

When he got to the club late that night, Anakin wished he had said no.

He had spent the rest of that afternoon helping Padme and Mindy clean up the paint mess and the finish painting the living room using another full can of paint. By the time they had finished, the sun had already set. That didn't stop the girls from getting ready for the dance, and after much mental debate over whether or not he still wanted to go, he decided to follow through and get ready. By the time he had finished, the girls had gone already in Padme's black BMW, leaving Anakin to get there on his motorcycle.

The club had been easy to find, but as he entered the smoky room packed with sweaty bodies, he wished he had known just what he was getting himself into.

There had been bars in his galaxy. There had been crazy parties. But they didn't compare to _this._

The music was louder than he'd ever heard music go. His eardrums rang with the intensity of it, and the floor shook beneath him. Lights of different colors bounced around the room, making the people in the room appear almost alien as they danced to the pulsing music. He wasn't even sure the music was actual _music…._ Did people seriously listen to this stuff in this world?

And the dancing…he wasn't even good at his Galaxy's dances, how was he even going to attempt _this?_

He squinted, trying to see a familiar face in the crowd, but he could hardly tell who was who in the room. Finally he gave up, finding an empty table in the corner to sit at while he texted Padme that he was here.

While he waited for a response, he opened up the Facebook app on his phone, flipping through it. There were a bunch of notifications from people he didn't know, all asking him questions on how school was. He hadn't made any posts since he got to this world, so none of these people knew that he didn't know them anymore.

With a pang of regret, he wondered what had happened to the Anakin of this world. Had he died? Disappeared? Been placed in another world? He suddenly felt really bad about taking the place of this world's Anakin. Yet again, he had been selfish, but this time how was he supposed to know this would happen? He wondered if his mother would mourn the loss of the Anakin she knew, or if she would embrace him as her own if he told her. And how did Obi-Wan feel about it? He had clearly had a close relationship with the Anakin of this world, and now he was stuck with a very broken former Sith Lord. Somehow, Anakin doubted he was as calm as he acted.

"You made it!" He looked up to find Padme standing next to his table, a smile on her face. All doubts about being there disappeared when he saw her. She was…well, an angel.

She had straightened her hair, something he hadn't seen before, and it looked longer than it was as a result. The different lighting reflected off of the gleam in it, and she almost looked like she had a multicolored halo around her head. She wore a high necked, sleeveless black mini dress, and Anakin blushed to see so much of her bare legs (women did NOT wear that in his galaxy for the most part, but he had increasingly become aware that women here wore much different clothing). She wore black high heels, and dark red earrings dangled from her ears.

Anakin swallowed. "Yeah," he said, his voice barely being heard over the music. Well, it seemed they wouldn't be able to talk very much here.

Padme laughed and reached her hands out. "Dance with me!"

Anakin's blush deepened. Sure, he'd danced with Padme, but never in public. That was how he'd figured out that he was an awful dancer, at least compared to her. "No, I'm not a good dancer," He shouted.

"Who cares? I'm not good either!" Yeah, right. But she was taking his hand and he was allowing himself to be pulled out of his seat and back into the crowd. She led him into the center of the dance floor, under a chandelier, and stopped, turning to face him. "Don't think about it, just let the music guide you!"

Anakin's heart clenched at those words. She'd said that to him once before. _Don't think about it. Let the music guide you._ He watched as this Padme began to dance to the beat of the music, her body twisting and turning, and suddenly he became very aware of her curves. It was an effort not to reach out and pull her closer to him.

"Dance!" she yelled over the music again when she saw him still standing there. Hesitantly, Anakin began to dance. He glanced at the other men in the club for reference—they didn't seem to be doing anything fancy. In fact, they hardly moved at all. So Anakin followed their example, feeling totally out of his element. Needless to say, he hadn't exactly gone to a bunch of dance parties as Darth Vader.

Eventually, Anakin began to settle into a routine, slightly changing it up as different songs came on. Mindy soon joined them, in a pair of leather pants and a maroon tank top, dancing with Padme like they had done so for years. Anakin figured the girls probably had. It was odd trying to fit into their routine, knowing that he didn't exactly go with it.

Finally Padme stopped, breathing heavily. "I'm going to go get some water," she said, motioning to the counter. "I'll be back!" She didn't wait for their response before she spun on her heel and made her way over.

Anakin debated going after her, but he didn't want to feel like a lost puppy following after Padme's every move. He'd done enough of that when he was still courting her back in the old days, and though she'd found it cute, it hadn't been what had won her over.

Still, he kept his eyes on her as she approached the bar, leaning over to ask the bartender for her drink. "Just ask her out already!" Mindy shouted.

Anakin didn't take his eyes off of Padme, but he smiled bitterly. "We'll see, Mindy." He shouted back. He hated that he had to shout. Couldn't they have gone somewhere calmer?

Even if he was starting to enjoy dancing, albeit awkwardly, with Padme.

Mindy launched into reasons why he should ask Padme out, but he hardly heard her. As she spoke, a man approached Padme. He leaned over and said something to her and she looked at him with an exasperated look on her face as the bartender handed her the drink. The man said something again, and this time Padme shot him a glare, turning around to head back to Anakin and Mindy.

It was as she was heading back that the man made his mistake. He reached out and groped Padme.

Anakin was consumed by anger so quickly, he didn't even think. He abruptly left Mindy, pushing his way through the crowd. Padme dropped her glass, smacking the guy across the face, but that did not appease Anakin.

He couldn't think. How _dare_ someone touch Padme that way without her permission?!

The next thing Anakin knew, he was in the guy's face, throwing a punch right into the man's jaw. The man went sprawling across the counter, scattering glasses onto the floor. People around them screamed, moving out of the way. The man tried to get back up, but Anakin was on him, punching him again.

And again.

And again.

Again.

Again.

He was out of control, some distant part of him knew that. But he had touched her inappropriately, in a way that she clearly didn't want him to.

And Anakin was going to make sure that he never even had another inappropriate thought about Padme again.

"Anakin!" Someone was yelling, but he didn't care. The guy beneath him was bloody, and already unconscious. " _Anakin!"_ He wasn't Anakin, he was Darth Vader, why was someone calling him by his weak Jedi name? " _ **ANAKIN!"**_

Anakin stopped, dropping the man from his now bloody hands. The man fell against the counter and then slumped to the floor. The club was silent. He could hear someone calling the cops.

He stared at the bloody man on the floor. He had done this. He hadn't killed the man, but he'd certainly broken his nose at least. But had he had the Force, he would have killed him. He knew that for a certainty. But even this…sure, the man had deserved the first punch. But did he deserve to be beaten to a bloody pulp?

Slowly, he turned around, afraid to see the look on Padme's face. He forced himself to look though.

She looked at him, her eyes wide, her hand outstretched hesitantly, as though she weren't sure if he was safe to touch. Mindy stood behind her, staring at the man on the floor and then narrowing her eyes at his bloody fists. "Anakin," Padme breathed, taking a step towards him.

"No," He said, shaking.

She frowned, her eyebrows knitting together. "But…"

He pushed past her, running towards the open doors. No one tried to stop him. People cleared the way as he went, staring after the man who had turned into a monster right there on the dance floor.

He raced into the parking lot, pulling out his phone as he rushed to his motorcycle. He didn't know who he was going to call, but he opened up the app at random and called.

"Hello?" Obi-Wan. Of course he'd called Obi-Wan. "Anakin?" He could hear the concern, the undeserved concern, in Obi-Wan's voice. "What's happened?"

Anakin reached his motorcycle, breathing hard. "I'm sorry," He said, his voice shaking, "But I can't train with you anymore. I'm sorry."

"Anakin, what…" Anakin disconnected the call, turning his phone off, and shoved it into his pocket before he got onto his motorcycle and sped blindly off into the night.

* * *

 **BAM long chapter and a cliffhanger! :D MUAHAHAHA! Because it was such a long chapter, I took an extra day writing it. Besides, last night I went to a Halloween party dressed up as a female Darth Vader and I ended up as a finalist in the costume contest! So, super fun. People were like, "So someone is excited for the new movie" and I was like, "WHAT GAVE ME AWAY?!" XD**

 **Anyhow, Obi-Wan has narrowed Anakin's internal issues down to one major issue, but as Anakin said, it's easier to say you'll overcome an issue than to actually overcome it. But Anakin has a lot more experience now, so he will pull through and the result will be...rather surprising. There were also some cute moments between Anakin and Padme in this chapter, and a rather...explosive moment as well. Anakin will have to deal with the fallout from that next chapter, and we'll see how Padme views it as well.**

 **Thank you so much for your reviews! I had some really good suggestions from reviewers! Trust me, I will address them all as the story progresses, but some questions may not be so easy to answer, like what happened to the Obi-Wan and the Anakin of this world. We'll explore that soon, and some other issues that arise from being thrust into our world.**

 **Keep up the reviews! I love to read them and they certainly inspire me! Love you all lots!**

 **Hugs and chocolate kisses,**

 **~ Sarah**


	10. Regrets

It was midnight by the time Padme was done talking with the cops. Paramedics had come to the scene, but the guy had mercifully only broken a nose, even though his face looked way worse, so they patched him up in the truck and sent him home. He didn't look at Padme, and Padme didn't bother to approach him to apologize for Anakin's behavior. Anakin may have gone overboard, but Padme didn't like sexist pigs either.

The cops had questioned her, and she answered all of their questions truthfully, telling the story as it happened. She made sure to stress that Anakin had recently lost his memory, and wasn't as okay as they thought he was. She had no idea if that was the truth, but it was the only explanation for his sudden violent streak.

But then again, she'd only known him for a week.

The cops eventually decided to let the incident slide with a warning. Apparently they had bigger problems to worry about than some guy breaking someone's nose to protect a girl's honor. However the club owner was _not_ happy, and he informed Padme and Mindy that the three of them were banned from the club.

This did not make Mindy happy, and she practically seethed with fury. "How dare they? Who do they think they are? Maybe they shouldn't let sleeze bags into their club." She growled as they headed to Padme's car.

Padme didn't bother to answer. She was still remembering the horrified look on Anakin's face when he came to his senses. When she had stepped forward to try to gently pull him away from the situation, he had run like he was terrified of her.

It made her gut clench to think about it.

As they got into the car, Padme finally checked her phone in the hopes that Anakin texted her. There were no messages from Anakin, but she had ten missed calls from Ben. She frowned, debating on telling Ben what had happened. She wasn't sure what Anakin's relationship was to Ben, since both men seemed to be a little on edge whenever they were around each other, but Ben was the only one there who had known Anakin most of his life. Perhaps Ben could at least talk sense into Anakin, if not calm him down.

"Mindy shut up for a second," she said, interrupting Mindy's ranting as she called Ben back. He picked up after the first ring.

"Are you okay?" Was his first question. No hello. Just straight to the point.

"I'm fine," she assured him, "Did Anakin tell you what happened?"

"No," He seemed to calm just a little, as if he truly had been worried for her safety. Just how often did Anakin fly off the handle like that? "He called about an hour ago. He sounded upset, but he hung up before I could get any details out of him." A hesitant pause. "What happened?"

With a sigh, Padme told him about the guy at the club, and how Anakin had completely lost his cool and practically punched his face in. "I haven't heard from him since he ran off," She said in frustration, "I'm worried. It's late, and he's not on foot. He could be anywhere."

"I'll find Anakin," Ben assured her confidently, "I'm actually already on his trail. Just go home and get some rest Padme."

Padme didn't want to go home. She wanted to do something productive, something that would help Anakin, but she knew Ben was right. There wasn't much that she could do if she didn't know where he was. "Okay," she finally relented, "And Ben?"

"Yes?"

"Please don't be too hard on him. He looked pretty upset with himself."

There was a pause, and for a second Padme wondered if she'd lost connection. Then, "You're a good person Padme. I hope you know that." He sighed. "I'll see what I can do."

Padme's throat tightened, but she managed to get out, "Thank you" before she hung up.

* * *

Anakin had driven his motorcycle for at least an hour, the feel of the cold wind slapping his face as he drove keeping him grounded. Even that couldn't keep him from losing his cool eventually, and he had to find somewhere to stop. He ended up pulling over to the side of the road on a large hill overlooking the city. It was a designated 'scenic view,' and there was a wooden bench covered in bird poop, so Anakin figured he was safe enough there from cars or other would-be dangers.

He sat on the bench, not even thinking about the dried poop on the bench, and stared at the lights of the city. From up there, at that time of night, it was quiet. He could still hear the sounds of the city, but it was muted and relaxing.

Or it would have been relaxing had he not reverted into his old violent ways only a little over an hour ago.

Anakin's eyes filled with tears as the enormity of what he'd done, what he could have done, hit him. He had sworn to do things differently this time. He had sworn he would never be like Darth Vader again. Yet he'd smashed that man's face in, and he'd done it right in front of Padme.

He put his face into his hands, breathing deeply, trying to keep himself grounded.

If he'd had the Force, he would have choked the man to death.

If he'd had his lightsaber, he would have sliced the man in half.

If he'd fallen back to the Dark Side, he would have done it without caring who saw.

He was suddenly very, very glad that he didn't have access to the Force. Perhaps Obi-Wan was wrong. Maybe he wasn't meant to become a Jedi again. Obviously he couldn't handle the darkness within his soul. He would always be tainted, and as long as he was tainted, he couldn't trust himself to have the use of the Force.

And he couldn't be with Padme. He knew that for certain now. He couldn't accidentally lose control like that around her again. This time she hadn't gotten hurt. But next time?

He wouldn't do it. He wouldn't be selfish and give into his impulses. He wouldn't lose her like that again.

That knowledge only made him feel worse, more lost than ever before, and finally he let the tears flow, his shoulders shaking as he cried.

He didn't know how long he stayed like that, but he knew that it was at least another hour before he was able to calm down enough to look back out at the city. Even at this time at night, people were still out and about, so many of them free of burden. He longed to be blissfully ignorant like they were. He wished that he could trade lives with them, become someone else.

But it wasn't possible. He would have to find a way to deal with it. He had no idea where to start, so he just sat there, watching the city below him.

He hardly noticed, or perhaps didn't care, when the sound of a car pulling over reached his ears. It was probably a passerby who was concerned that someone was sitting there on the side of the road at one in the morning. He wiped at his face in an attempt to look fine before he turned around to tell them to leave him be.

He didn't say anything though. Obi-Wan got out of his truck, slamming the door, before he turned to face Anakin, concern and apprehension written all over his features.

Of course he found him. Anakin turned back around, knowing that there was no getting rid of him now. Obi-Wan was not the type to give up easily.

Obi-Wan sat down on the other end of the bench, not saying anything, just waiting patiently for Anakin to open up. Anakin knew this, but he didn't know how to fully admit to his failure. He had wanted things to be different…but they weren't. Maybe he could never fully escape Darth Vader. Somehow, admitting that to Obi-Wan was much harder than he thought.

But as the silence dragged on, it was obvious Obi-Wan wasn't going to move until Anakin talked. Heaving a sigh, Anakin said, "Padme called you, didn't she." It wasn't a question. He already knew the answer.

"Yes."

"And she told you what happened."

"Yes."

Anakin ran his hands through his short hair, frustrated. "So you understand now why I can't train with you anymore."

"No, actually." Obi-Wan said, leaning back against the bench. "Why don't you explain?"

"You know what I'm going to say," Anakin growled.

"I want to hear it from you anyway."

Of course. Anakin took a deep breath, preparing himself. "If I had the use of the Force still, that man would be dead. That is not me over thinking things or worrying too much. I know I would have killed him." It sounded so much worse being said out loud, Anakin winced. "I…I don't want to be like that. I want things to be different, but if I use the Force again and I lose control…I'm no better than I was as Darth Vader."

Obi-Wan nodded thoughtfully. "Well, it's good that you recognize that you made a mistake." Anakin scoffed. "Well, the man isn't dead. Even without the Force, you could have killed him easily."

Obi-Wan had a point. It wasn't like Anakin had always used the Force to hurt people while he was Darth Vader. He had learned…multiple ways to hurt people. "Still, I lost control. For a moment, I wasn't Anakin anymore."

Obi-Wan sighed. "Anakin, you can't expect to be different overnight…"

"It's been a week!" Anakin protested.

Obi-Wan shot him a look. "A week compared to years of being Darth Vader is not going to change much. You've already started to make progress, but there's bound to be some withdrawals. That's why I was worried about you living with Padme."

"I won't hurt her again," Anakin immediately insisted.

"You said that the first time too." The words hit Anakin like a rock and he groaned, putting his head in his hands. "If you keep focusing on everything you're doing wrong, you're going to hit a dead end fast. I want you to focus on what you did right and make a plan for what you're going to change so that it doesn't happen again."

"You make it sound so simple," Anakin mumbled.

"I know it isn't. But you're also very stubborn, and when you put your mind to something, you accomplish it. You'll accomplish this too." He sounded so confident, as if Anakin had never majorly screwed up before and tonight was his first mistake. "So what did you do right?"

Anakin resisted for a moment, too stubborn to give in. Obi-Wan waited though, and it was obvious that he wasn't going to stop pressing the issue. Sighing, Anakin replied sullenly, "Well I didn't kill him."

"That's a start. What else?"

He thought for a moment. "I didn't critically injure him." He didn't need to be a doctor to know that. He had seen plenty of battles, and he knew when he had critically injured someone.

"That's also good," Obi-Wan nodded. "And?"

"And…and I stopped when Padme called my name."

Obi-Wan studied him, a troubled look crossing his features. "That's…good, but she won't always be there to stop you. We're going to need to work on that." He paused. "And we will work on it. You need training, Anakin, if only to find inner peace and control."

"I can't…" Anakin started, but Obi-Wan interrupted.

"No, you can. Stop thinking that way. You had a good start today, and you'll only improve. Regardless of how you achieved it, you did bring balance to the Force. You are the Chosen One. If anyone can completely master the Force, it's you. So stop doubting yourself." His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument, and even though Anakin still wasn't sure that he could really stop doubting himself, he decided not to argue.

They settled into silence, listening to the distant sounds of the city as both men looked out at the dazzling lights. It wasn't as impressive as Corusant, or many other planets he'd seen, but it was pretty enough. "Why are you helping me, Obi-Wan?" Anakin finally asked, "Really. You don't have any obligation to help me, and frankly you should be angry that I replaced the Anakin of this world that you grew to love. So why bother?"

Obi-Wan was silent, and Anakin began to wonder if he was going to answer him when he finally replied. "You were my brother, Anakin. That never changed. Even when you were Darth Vader, I still loved the Anakin I trained and fought alongside of. I may have befriended this world's Anakin, but he never looked to me the same way you did. He had his mother. He had his step father and brother. I was his friend, but I was never his brother. Now my brother has returned, and he needs my help. I'm not going to turn him away, regardless of what he's done."

Anakin's throat tightened and his eyes stung with unshed tears. How could Obi-Wan still feel that way towards him? Obviously Obi-Wan was much more comfortable with his role in Anakin's life than Anakin was with the role Obi-Wan had in it. Anakin still felt so alone and lost.

Feeling overwhelmed, Anakin decided to change the subject slightly. "What do you think happened to the Anakin of this world?"

Obi-Wan shrugged. "I don't know. I don't even know what happened to the Obi-Wan who lived here before me. Maybe the Force has a different place in the universe for them. Maybe they're still apart of us. Maybe they're just gone. I honestly have no idea, and I'm not sure we'll ever know." He paused again. "You know she's worried about you."

Anakin groaned. Obi-Wan always knew how to get right to the central issue. "What am I supposed to tell her?"

"The truth, maybe?"

Anakin looked at him skeptically. "Yes, she'll totally believe that I used to be a Sith Lord who was brought back to the Light Side of the Force by my son, who just so happens to be her son as well. Oh and that we have a daughter too that I tortured and terrorized. Yup. That's a story she's going to believe."

"What else do you want me to say, Anakin?" Obi-Wan defended, "Lies are part of the reason you got into this mess."

"Don't you think I know that?" Anakin snapped, "I've told her the truth where I can, but I can't tell her all of it. Even if she did believe me…"

"You might lose her." Obi-Wan finished. "We're going back to that fear of losing her thing again, and it's going to keep holding you back until you face it." When Anakin didn't look convinced, Obi-Wan sighed. "Look. It's late. We need to get home and rest. Just…do me a favor?"

Anakin hesitated—he didn't want to agree to something that would be something he couldn't hold up to. However Obi-Wan was doing so much to help him, Anakin had to try. "What is it?"

"When you see that therapist on Monday," he said, "Tell him the whole truth."

Now Anakin knew Obi-Wan was out of his mind. "He'll lock me up in a nut house." Anakin protested.

"Maybe, maybe not. You need someone else who is a neutral party to know what you're going through. Besides, if I'm paying for the sessions, you might as well get the most out of it." When Anakin still didn't look convinced, Obi-Wan placed a hand on his shoulder. "I wouldn't have suggested it if I thought you would be jeopardized Anakin. You need to learn to trust me."

Over a week ago Anakin would have flat out refused. But now that Obi-Wan was his Master again, and so far had done nothing but try to help Anakin, he found that things between them, like so many other things in his life, was completely different. "I'll do what I can," he said, wondering if he was making a serious mistake.

Obi-Wan smiled wearily. "Good. Now, let's go back to our homes, shall we?"

* * *

Padme couldn't sleep. She paced the house, wondering if Obi-Wan had found Anakin, if Anakin was alright, if…

"Go to bed, Padme," Mindy, who had collapsed onto the now uncovered couch, mumbled, her voice hindered a bit by the cushion her face as buried into.

"I can't." She said, stopping to look at her. "Besides, if you're so concerned, maybe you should go to bed too."

Mindy waved a hand in her general direction, not lifting her head. "I'm too lazy. I'll sleep here tonight."

Padme sighed, "Fine, then I'll leave you to it." She moved to exit the room, but Mindy's voice stopped her.

"Are we sure that we still want him to live with us?" Padme stopped cold in her tracks, not turning around.

"Why do you say that?" She asked, her chest feeling hollow at the thought of Anakin moving out. She didn't understand why it was so important to her to have him near, but she knew she'd never felt like this before in her entire life. She should have been terrified of Anakin after what he'd done, but she wasn't. She was only concerned.

"Because, I don't know, _he beat a guy to a bloody pulp?"_ Mindy sounded like she couldn't believe Padme had to ask that question. Over a week ago, Padme would have agreed. "We don't really know this guy. He could be a violent psychopath!"

"He doesn't know himself either, Mindy." Padme still wasn't sure if that was the right explanation, but she decided to believe it. "He was only trying to protect me." In a way overboard reaction, but she had seen the regret in his eyes right before he'd run. She would have been more concerned had he not regretted his actions.

"I just think you need to be careful," Mindy said. Padme had never heard Mindy sound so serious—she really _was_ concerned for Padme's safety. It reminded Padme why she was friends with her in the first place, and her heart warmed a little.

"If I honestly thought he was a threat, I would have changed the locks by now. I think he's under a lot of stress. Plus, Ben said he would be seeing a therapist on Monday. That's sure to help, right?"

"Maybe," Mindy didn't sound convinced, but she dropped the subject. "Whatever, it's your house. Goodnight, Padme."

"Goodnight." She turned off the lights and headed silently to her room. As she headed down the hallway, she passed by Anakin's room and stopped. She stood there outside of his door, debating on how appropriate it was to snoop around, but in the end she took a deep breath and let herself in. This was technically her house, she reasoned, if she wanted to take a peek to make sure that there wasn't anything there that would point to a potential serial killer, that was her decision.

She didn't turn on the overhead light, but instead turned on the desk light, letting in enough light so that she could see. She hadn't been in there since the room had been filled with unopened boxes.

The first thing she noticed now was just how freakishly clean it was. The bed was neatly made, the night stand was empty save for a school book and a picture frame. There was nothing on the carpeted floor, and Padme suspected that if she opened his dresser, she would find his clothes neatly folded. It reminded her more of an army barrack than a bedroom a college boy lived in. There were no decorations, nothing to really give the room a sense that it belonged to someone. Even hotels had more animation. She peeked into the walk-in closet and found that there were still many boxes left unopened, shoved into the back like Anakin wanted to forget they were there.

Well, unless serial killers were neat freaks, she didn't see anything that screamed danger. She sat down on the bed, looking at the picture frame on his night table. Smiling back at her was Anakin with his arms around his mother, who smiled up at him proudly. He wore a graduation gown, probably from high school, and he looked younger than he was now. Carefree, happy, even. She had seen Anakin smile, but she hadn't seen him smile so genuinely.

"What happened to you that night?" She wondered aloud in a whisper, suddenly feeling exhausted. Maybe she would wait for Anakin to come back here. That way she could talk to him and make sure that he knew that she wasn't upset with him. Maybe…

She didn't know when she'd done it, but her eyes closed and she slumped over onto his pillows, breathing his scent deeply as she fell asleep.

* * *

 _Padme carried a tray of food into what looked to be a small shed filled with various tools and objects that she didn't recognize. A man knelt next to what looked to be some sort of motorcycle, fiddling around with it. Padme didn't say anything, but not long after she entered, the man spoke. "The shifter broke." As if she needed an explanation for what he was doing. "Life seems so much simpler when you're fixing things."_

 _There was so much pain in his voice—obviously something tragic had happened to this man. Padme set the tray down, devoting her full attention to what he was saying. "I'm good at fixing things…always was. But I couldn't…" He stopped, setting the tool down. "Why did she have to die? Why couldn't I save her? I know I could have!"_

 _Padme wasn't sure who this woman was that he was talking about, but it was obvious her loss was tearing him apart. "Sometimes there are things no one can fix. You're not all-powerful, Ani."_

 _The man picked the tool back up and began working again, as if it working would keep him grounded in reality. "I should be! Someday I will be…I will be the most powerful Jedi ever! I promise you, I will even learn to stop people from dying!"_

 _Padme didn't fully understand what he was saying since she didn't know what a Jedi was, but from the tone of his voice she began to grow worried. "Anakin…"_

 _He interrupted, furious. "It's all Obi-Wan's fault. He's jealous! He knows I'm already more powerful than he is. He's holding me back!" He suddenly hurled the tool he was using across the room, startling Padme as he stormed to another table._

 _She should leave. She knew she should. He wasn't stable. But something in the way he was acting…this was more than just about someone close to him dying. There was something he wasn't telling her. "What's wrong, Ani?"_

 _He began to shake, looking down at his hands. "I…" He looked back up, still shaking. "I killed them. I killed them all." He was breathing hard, and Padme's heart clenched in disbelief. "They're dead. Every single one of them." He turned to face her finally. Padme recognized Anakin instantly. He looked younger, and his hair was different, but she knew his blue eyes like she knew the back of her hand. "Not just the men…the women and children too." Padme's throat tightened, and she wasn't sure what to say anymore. Anakin became more animated, yelling now. "They're like animals, and I slaughtered them like animals. I_ _ **HATE**_ _them!" Suddenly his face crumpled and he leaned against the counter, sliding to the floor, breaking into sobs._

 _Padme should have been horrified—she was horrified. But she wasn't running away. Instead she found herself approaching him and sinking to her knees next to him, throwing her arms around his shaking shoulders. "Why do I hate them?" Anakin started asking, as if Padme had all of the answers in the universe. "I didn't…I couldn't…I couldn't control myself. I…I don't want to hate them, but I just can't forgive them."_

 _Finally Padme spoke. "To be angry is to be human." It wasn't right what Anakin had done, but when she imagined herself losing someone she cared about by another's hand, would she have been able to control herself? Would she have reacted the same way? She honestly didn't know the answer to that._

" _To control your anger is to be a Jedi." Anakin said bitterly, and suddenly Padme felt almost protective of him. Who were these Jedi who clearly caused so much pain and stress to Anakin?_

 _She stroked his hair. "Ssssh," she soothed, "You're human…"_

" _No. I'm a Jedi. I know I'm better than this." He was so broken…her heart ached for him, and she wished she could take the pain away. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"_

* * *

Padme jerked awake, the vivid dream still swirling about in her head as she looked around, trying to get a bearing on her surroundings. The lamp was still on, but so was the room's light. She didn't remember turning it on. Groggily, she sat up and turned to find Anakin standing at the doorway, looking like a kid who just got caught stealing cookies from a cookie jar. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice hoarse. "Did I wake you?"

"No, no," She quickly assured him, standing up, suddenly wide awake. "I didn't mean to fall asleep. I was going to wait for you, but..." she was blushing now. She couldn't believe he'd caught her _sleeping_ on his bed. If she wasn't so concerned about him, she would have slunk back to her room to hide forever.

"Well it is 3AM," Anakin said, "I don't blame you for falling asleep, but…why are you here?"

She wasn't going to mention that she'd initially come in because she was checking to see if he was a serial killer. The dream from before entered her mind and what Dream Anakin had said to her about killing a bunch of people…she shook the thought away. "I was worried about you," she confessed instead, crossing the room until she stood right in front of him. He stood perfectly still, his expression guarded, but she thought she saw a little melting in his eyes when she said that. "You were clearly upset and I just wanted to make sure you were okay and," She took a deep breath. "And I wanted you to know that I'm not angry with you."

"Why?" Anakin asked, surprise flickering across his face. "You should be afraid. If our roles were reversed, I probably would be. Why are you so…so good?"

Padme blushed at the unexpected compliment. "Well I don't know about good, but I do know that you're going through a lot and that isn't something that I can begin to fathom," She said, shifting her weight nervously. "You're going to make mistakes, and honestly the guy kind of deserved some of that. I think you need a friend who will at least attempt to help you, and I, um, want to be that friend." She finished, looking down at her feet. "If you'll let me."

Anakin was silent, and she was afraid that she'd been too forward, too awkward. Right when she was about to try to blow it off as being silly, Anakin reached up and tilted her face back to his gently with his fingers. "Thank you," He said, his eyes serious and filled with….something. Something that made Padme's heart soar, something that made her want to lean up and…and….

"For what?" she breathed.

"For being that friend," He said, "You don't have any idea how much that means to me." He paused, as if remembering something. "Really. You don't. I don't…I don't deserve it."

She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Everyone deserves a friend."

A sad smile slipped onto his lips. "I just wanted you to know it means a lot to me either way."

Slowly, Padme nodded, her breathing shallow as she became painfully aware of how close they were. "You're welcome."

Anakin seemed to notice it too, since he suddenly dropped his hand and stepped aside. "Well, goodnight Padme." He said, clearing his throat.

Padme blinked, surprised and pained by his sudden distance, before nodding. "Goodnight Anakin," she said before she rushed out of his room and towards her room. She couldn't keep replaying the dream and her discussion with him in her mind, and as she entered her room she began to wonder:

What was going on with her?

* * *

 **Another chapter done! And Padme had another solid dream/memory! Will she remember?! We shall seeeeeeeee!**

 **Anyhow, we're going to have a major character introduced next chapter. Who is it? You'll have to find out!**

 **And I just love your suggestions and reviews! I get notifications on my phone, so whenever I get one I always smile super wide and everyone around me thinks I'm weird. I am, but that's besides the point.**

 **I'm really surprised that people thought I would settle Anakin's issues and get him together with Padme super fast. I'll let you know, I enjoy putting my characters through emotional/physical pain as the situation calls for it. Once my Creative Writing teacher called my parents about it and they were just like, "No, she's not depressed, she just enjoys being mean to fictional characters." But it makes sense that Anakin would have some relapses. He was a Sith Lord for half of his life, he's going to have some problems every once in a while.**

 **But obviously Padme is starting to feel some certain emotions for our lovable former Dark Lord...**

 **Anyhow, review! You guys are the best!**

 **Love,**

 **~Sarah**


	11. Familiar Faces

Anakin waited in the overly furnished waiting room of the therapist's office, feeling as if he had pulled every muscle in his body. The night before he'd found out that Padme enjoyed going for early morning runs during the semester. How he hadn't noticed in the week he'd been there, he didn't know, but when Padme had invited him to go with her, he couldn't refuse.

It turned out he should have.

In his Jedi days, Anakin could have run for miles without tiring. Due to his mechanical limbs as Darth Vader, he hadn't been able to do as many physical activities, and being the right hand man of the Emperor, he hadn't needed to. For whatever reason, Anakin had assumed that with his younger body, he would immediately be able to get back into his physical routine.

He was wrong. He was so wrong, and Padme had totally showed him up.

"I can't believe you couldn't keep up with her," Obi-Wan whispered, a hand hiding his mouth. Anakin knew that behind that hand, Obi-Wan was grinning like a kid on Christmas morning (a concept that had just been explained to him by Mindy).

Anakin groaned. When Padme had told Mindy about their run, she thought it was hilarious that Anakin had almost passed out from exhaustion only two miles into the run, so of course she told Obi-Wan as soon as he came to pick Anakin up for his appointment. And now Obi-Wan was trying not to be amused that the former Sith Lord, and before that the former Hero With No Fear, couldn't go on a two mile jog anymore. "Shut up Obi-Wan," Anakin grumbled, a blush rising to his face. He didn't blame Obi-Wan for trying not to laugh—to be honest, if the roles were reversed, Anakin would have teased Obi-Wan mercilessly. Obi-Wan was being much nicer.

Obi-Wan patted Anakin's shoulder. "Don't worry, in all seriousness you just need to train yourself to be physically active again. Being fantastic at using a lightsaber is great and all, but there aren't a whole lot of opportunities for that here." He scowled, looking legitimately put out by that. Obi-Wan had already ranted about the unsophisticated weaponry of this world when Anakin had asked about it, and Anakin wasn't about to open that subject back up again. "Unfortunately."

Anakin rolled his eyes. "I'll see what I can do. Right now I've got bigger things to worry about."

Obi-Wan was instantly serious, giving Anakin a reassuring look. "Remember what you said you would do."

"Remember that you said I wouldn't get thrown into a nut house."

"I didn't quite guarantee that," Obi-Wan oh so helpfully reminded him, "But I do doubt that will happen."

"Comforting," Anakin mumbled, before he heard the receptionist call his name. A sick, nervous feeling settled in his gut, and he slowly stood on shaking legs. Could he really confide in a complete stranger?

"You'll be okay, Anakin." Obi-Wan assured him, sounding way more confident than Anakin felt. Anakin nodded and headed for the door, following the receptionist to the therapist's office.

"Right this way, Mr. Skywalker." She opened the door to the room, stepping aside so that he could enter. He mumbled a thank you before he took a deep breath, stepping into the office.

"Good afternoon," A heavily accented voice greeted him, and he found himself looking into the kind eyes of a very short, older man with kind, yet wise, green eyes. He motioned to an oversized couch. "Have a seat."

Anakin didn't move, squinting as he looked at the older man. There was something familiar about him…something that made the Force within him warm at the sight of him. But the more Anakin looked at him, the more he became stumped. He had no idea who this was. "I'm sorry," Anakin said as the receptionist closed the door behind him, "But I didn't get your name."

The man smiled. "Trusting, you are not." And instantly Anakin knew who this was. "Doctor Yoda, I am."

Anakin's mouth dropped open in shock. It wasn't often that Anakin was surprised enough to do that, but this time it was completely justified. " _Master Yoda?"_ he said without thinking.

Yoda frowned, and Anakin just couldn't get over the fact that he was _human._ He'd figured out there weren't aliens on this planet (yet), but to actually see Yoda as a human? Anakin did end up sitting down on the couch because he was certain that if he stood up any longer he was going to collapse. "Know me, do you?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

Suddenly Anakin could feel Yoda's Force signature enveloping him, searching for answers to Anakin's odd reaction to him. His own Force reacted to it, and even though Anakin couldn't use his Force to respond, he could feel the power within him communicating somehow with Yoda. "You can use the Force like Obi-Wan, but you don't remember me." Anakin stated in disbelief. Why did Obi-Wan remember Anakin and Yoda didn't? Was it because Anakin had a strong connection with Obi-Wan?

"Obi-Wan?" Yoda asked with a frown, looking down at Anakin's chart. "Memory loss, you obviously do not have." He wrote some notes down on the chart. "Start explaining, you must."

Anakin leaned back against the couch, running his fingers through his hair in disbelief. Who else was he going to run into in this world? This world got stranger by the day. "You won't believe me." Yoda waited, obviously not going to relent. Sighing, Anakin started his tale. "I am not from this world." No reaction. "I'm not even from this galaxy." A raised eyebrow. "Where I come from, I'm not even a young man anymore."

Once he was talking, he found it was becoming easier and easier to let it out. He had respected Yoda as a Jedi, and though he had theoretically hunted Yoda as Darth Vader, he hadn't exactly put locating him at the top of his to-do list. He had never trusted Yoda like he had Obi-Wan, but Yoda had always offered to listen to him even when other Jedi's turned him away. Even now, as Anakin told him of growing up a slave and being liberated to become a Jedi, Yoda listened patiently.

He told Yoda of training to become a Jedi. He told him of his mission to protect Padme, and although he hesitated and instinctively rebelled against the idea of telling him, he told Yoda of falling in love with her. He told of marrying her, of the Clone Wars, and how they thought they were bringing it to a close. He told of Padme becoming pregnant, of his nightmares, of turning to the Dark Side to save her life…and of his transformation into Darth Vader.

He paused then. He was already way past time for his appointment to end, but Yoda was completely wrapped up in what he had to say, his eyes still narrowed as he listened. Anakin looked down at his hands. "I did awful, awful things during those years. Things that I'm not sure I can ever speak of. I was so consumed with hate for the Jedi and for myself that I didn't care who I hurt. I thought there was no turning back until I met my son, Luke. He…he didn't give up on me. He refused to kill me, even when he had the opportunity. He had the strength to resist becoming a Sith, and his strength was what caused me to finally return to the Light Side of the Force and bring balance to it before I died. I thought that was the end of my journey, but then…I was given a second chance, and about a week ago…" he motioned around them. "Here I am."

There was silence in the office. Anakin was sure that if a pin had dropped, he would have been able to hear it. Hesitantly he looked back up at Yoda to see his reaction.

No longer was Yoda staring at him, but rather out of his office window, a contemplative look on his face. "Troubling, this is." He finally spoke, his voice soft. "I was there, you say?"

"Yes," Anakin had neglected to tell Yoda that he was also green and totally not human. One step at a time.

"This Obi-Wan…he is also here, you say?" Again, Anakin nodded. Yoda frowned, and again Anakin could feel Yoda using the Force to determine what needed to be done about this situation.

"I know you're searching your feelings," Anakin said cautiously, "You should know my words to be true."

Yoda was quiet for a while. "Know it is true, I do." He finally sighed, running a hand over his face tiredly. "How, I do not know. Obi-Wan…in the lobby, he is?"

"Yes," Anakin said.

Yoda pressed a button on his phone, and instantly the receptionist's voice came over the speakers. "Call Obi-Wan in." He said, his voice sounding troubled.

"Yes sir." She hung up, and Yoda once again sat back in his overstuffed chair. "Unexpected, this is." Yoda muttered, "What to do?"

Anakin didn't have an answer for him.

The door opened and Obi-Wan entered the room, already looking at Yoda like he had expected this meeting. "You knew who this was, didn't you?" Anakin accused half-heartedly. He already knew the answer.

"Of course," Obi-Wan said, and again Anakin could feel Yoda using the Force to feel out Obi-Wan. "Hello, Master Yoda. Do you remember who I am?"

Yoda hesitated. "Recognize you, I do. Skywalker, I do not. Curious." He frowned.

"Do you just recognize me, or do you actually remember who I am?" Obi-Wan asked.

Yoda shook his head. "Recognition only, I'm afraid. Change, that may."

Now it was Anakin's turn to frown. "Do you think it's possible that someone from this world could remember something of our old galaxy?" He asked, immediately thinking of Padme. What would he do if she remembered him? He quickly stuffed down the excitement he felt at that thought—remembering him would mean he would have to endure her hatred, for there was no way she would forgive him for what he'd done.

"Yoda may because he's a Force user," Obi-Wan said, taking a seat next to Anakin, "But it may also be possible for someone else to remember if the Force wills it."

Anakin swallowed his dread.

Obi-Wan didn't seem to notice. He was obviously fascinated with Yoda. "Master Yoda, have you always been able to use the Force in this world?"

Yoda nodded, still looking troubled by the whole situation. "Always had the Force, I have. Met others, I have not." He paused. "Until today."

Now it was Obi-Wan's turn to look troubled. "How many other Force wielders are in this world without our knowledge?" He wondered aloud. A shiver went up Anakin's spine—to have so many untrained Force sensitive people…that could be a disaster waiting to happen.

So…where was the disaster?

He filed this question away for later. "So what now?" He asked instead.

Yoda and Obi-Wan looked at each other, as if communicating silently. Finally Yoda turned back to Anakin. "Help you, I will." He looked back at Obi-Wan. "Training him, are you?"

"Yes Master," Obi-Wan said, effortlessly using his old title for the older Jedi.

"Conferred with the Force on this, have you?"

"Yes Master," Obi-Wan said with confidence, "It is the will of the Force."

"Continue, then." Yoda said, getting out of his seat. "Other appointments, I have." He met Anakin's eyes seriously. "Return, you will. Discuss your past in detail, we will." When Anakin swallowed nervously at that, Yoda added in a more gentle tone, "Fear is a path to the Dark Side, you know. Afraid, do not be."

He had sort of hoped that the therapist he saw wouldn't believe him so that he could tell Obi-Wan it wouldn't work and never have to bring it up again. But Yoda was, well, Yoda, and he believed Anakin despite not remembering who he was. Anakin now had a feeling that if he quit going to the therapist, Yoda would still expect Anakin to face his past. So, with a resigned sigh, Anakin nodded.

"Good," Yoda said with a smile. "Very good."

* * *

Padme sat in the middle of her bed surrounded by open textbooks, her Surface Pro on her lap as she consolidated information she needed into one PowerPoint. She had a presentation at the end of the week, and she needed to be as prepared as possible.

Still, she had been at this for hours, and her head was starting to swim with all of the words she had been staring at. Her head began to droop, and she had to pinch herself to stay awake.

"Knock, knock," A voice at the door said, instantly waking her up completely. There, leaning against the doorway, was Anakin, a small smile on his face.

She smiled back, trying to ignore the way her heart raced around him. "Hey," she said, "How did it go?" Anakin pushed away from the door frame and entered her room. As he came nearer, her breathing quickened, and she suddenly forgot about the work that was strewn all over her bed.

"It was," He paused, searching for the right word, "Interesting, to say the least."

"Good interesting or bad interesting?" She asked, putting her laptop down.

"I'm not sure yet." He glanced at her bed. "Busy with homework?"

Padme sighed, already wishing it was the weekend. "Unfortunately. I have a presentation at the end of the week."

"Let me guess," Anakin said dryly, "You've already worked on it for hours and now your head is swimming with too much information."

Padme blinked in surprise. "Yes, actually." _How did he know?_ She thought to herself, but Anakin seemed to read her mind again.

"Lucky guess." He tore his eyes away from her bed and looked around the room. "You know this is the first time I've actually been in here…aside from the one time I put you to bed." He smirked at the blush that rose on her face. "But even then, it was dark so I didn't really get to see it."

Padme cleared her throat, looking around the room herself. "It's just a room," She said, "Nothing special."

"You can tell a lot about someone from their room," Anakin disagreed, walking over to the far wall by the window to look at the pictures she'd tacked there. "For example," He said, motioning to the pictures. "I can tell that documenting your memories are important to you." He took a closer look at the pictures. "And from these pictures, I can tell that your family and friends mean a lot to you."

"They do," Padme agreed, starting to close her textbooks. There was no way she was going to be able to concentrate with him in her room. And maybe, for once, she didn't want to concentrate. "What else can you tell?"

Anakin grinned and moved to the bookcase, looking at the various titles she'd collected over the years. "Clearly you like to read," He said, "And obviously you enjoy reading about politics and theological concepts. But you also enjoy reading for pleasure, specifically Fantasy." He pointed out her rather large selection of fantasy books. "So you probably like to take a break from reality more than you let on."

Padme laughed. "I'm not that serious all of the time."

"You're right," Anakin's smirk widened. "Not _all_ of the time." Padme threw him a mock glare, making him laugh. "Now, I don't even need to open your closet to know that I would probably find a ton of clothes, more than anyone actually needs. You probably enjoy dressing up, even though at home you like to be casual."

Indeed he was right. How was he so accurate? "Well what about your room then?" Padme teased. "It's so clean. Does that mean that you're a perfectionist?"

"You bet," Anakin replied, and though he was still smiling it had tightened. "Maybe I'm too much of one."

Padme instantly sensed that Anakin wasn't completely ready to be teased about certain things, like how his room reflected his personality. So instead Padme finished with, "And you clearly love your mother, since a picture of you two is what you chose to keep on your nightstand."

At this Anakin relaxed, and his smile became genuine again. "Yes I do love her," He said.

A silence passed between them and Padme glanced down at her laptop. Nope, there was no way that she was going to be able to concentrate now. She turned it off and stood. "Come on," she said, "Why don't we go watch a movie?"

Anakin perked up at that. They had watched a few TV shows together, but they hadn't watched a movie since the Star Trek one over a week ago. "I'd like that," He said, trying to contain his excitement.

She smiled: he really was like a little kid when it came to technology.

* * *

"Let's watch the Avengers," Mindy immediately said when Padme invited her to watch a movie in the living room.

"The Avengers?" Anakin questioned, sitting down on the couch next to Padme.

"Yes." Mindy said seriously, already pulling out the DVD. "Hot men everywhere, fantastic script, great graphics…I could go on, but seriously. Hot men everywhere."

"Because I so want to watch that," Anakin rolled his eyes.

"Well there's Black Widow," Padme offered helpfully, "Guys seem to think she's pretty hot." Anakin opened his mouth to tell her that she was the only one he had eyes for, but he quickly closed it. He did not want to open that door between them further than they already had.

His mind flashed back to that awful night only days ago, when he'd come home to find Padme asleep on his bed. The sight had warmed his heart, reminding him yet again of all of those nights crawling into bed with her, watching her peaceful face as he fell asleep.

Thankfully, she woke up before he was stupid enough to do something, but that ended up not being much better when she came so close to him, his mind and heart screamed at him to close the distance and kiss her.

So no. Telling her that would only worsen the pain. He wouldn't let that distance between them close. Not this time.

"Well I'll watch it and tell you what I think." Anakin said, opening the can of Coke he'd brought from the kitchen. He had recently discovered soda, and was enjoying sampling the different flavors.

Mindy popped the movie in and they began to watch…and not even five minutes into the movie, while Anakin was taking another swig of Coke, he caught sight of a sickingly familiar face.

Mace Windu.

He sat up straight sucking in a breath at the same time he was still drinking, and instantly began to choke. "Anakin?" Padme asked, worry evident in her voice, "What's wrong?"

It took Anakin quite some time to clear his throat and he quickly put the can down so that he could stare at the man on the screen. He was so familiar….he looked a little older than Anakin remembered, and he had an eye patch, but Anakin knew by now that the eye patch wasn't necessarily really covering an eye injury. Still, Anakin would know that face anywhere…

And he would remember slicing off his hand to stop him from killing Palpatine.

The sick feeling intensified. "Who is that man?" He said, pointing to the screen.

"Mace L. Windu," Mindy said with a grin. "He's way cool in like every movie he's ever played in ever, and he's the perfect Fury for the MCU."

"Do you…recognize him?" Padme asked hesitantly, and Anakin didn't need to ask to know why she was hesitant. It looked odd to her that he recognized someone who to her was just a random actor when there were other things he supposedly didn't recognize.

"He's, um, familiar." He admitted, trying to think of a good excuse as he grabbed his phone to text Obi-Wan. "Maybe he's an actor in one of my old favorite movies." It was a weak attempt at an excuse, but Mindy seemed convinced by it.

"Well if I lost my memory I'm pretty sure I would recognize that man too. Like I said, he's awesome." She said. Padme didn't say anything, just gave Anakin a funny look, before she settled back against the couch and continued to watch the movie in silence.

Anakin kept one eye on the movie while he discretely texted Obi-Wan: _Did you know that Mace Windu is an actor in this world?_

He couldn't focus, but he tried to anyway. When Loki appeared on screen and explained his motive to Mace, Anakin couldn't help but compare his words to the way he'd felt as Darth Vader: "I am burdened with glorious purpose…freedom is life's great lie…An ant has no quarrel with a boot…"

Yeah. He had definitely had that attitude as Darth Vader. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, debating on whether or not he was going to be able to make it through this movie, when Obi-Wan texted back.

 _Yes I know. I've met him too. He has a Force signature, but he doesn't use it. He won't remember you, if that's what you're worried about. He's a completely different person here._

Anakin calmed somewhat at that, but he still worried. What if he did happen to meet Mace and he remembered his killer in the other Galaxy? What if, like Obi-Wan theorized, the Force allowed some to remember their other life, and it decided that Mace needed to remember?

Well, Mace hadn't exactly been Anakin's biggest fan in the first place. Anakin didn't think that meeting would go as well as his meeting with Obi-Wan and Yoda had.

Anakin managed to sit through the movie, despite his unease with Mace and his distaste for Loki (only because Darth Vader shared too many similar beliefs with the villain). When it was finished, Anakin practically snatched the controller and turned it back to the TV, switching it to a news channel. He knew for sure that the news was boring. Nothing on that channel would upset him.

"So… I take it you didn't exactly love that movie." Padme said, watching him cautiously.

"No, it was fine," Anakin quickly assured her, noting that Mindy was also giving him a funny look now. Was he really that hard to read? "I enjoyed the story and the action and obviously there were some funny parts but…I guess Mace isn't my favorite actor."

Mindy made an offended noise. "He's a wonderful, beautiful, bald actor. And he's super sassy. What's not to love?"

Anakin shrugged. "I don't know why. Sorry."

Padme frowned. "Well I guess maybe you recognized him because you don't like him then. I'll keep that in mind."

He wished he could tell her the truth, but she wouldn't understand. So instead he tried to smile. "Sorry," He said.

She shrugged. "You don't have to love every single movie."

"Although," Mindy pointed out, "He's in like almost every Marvel movie…and Padme and I are huge fans of those movies, so…get used to it."

"Mindy," Padme chided.

"What?" Mindy shrugged. "It's true. Plus, Padme's older sister is an actress and she play's Thor's girlfriend in some of the movies. So…definitely don't tell her sister you don't like those movies."

"I don't think she'd care,' Padme mumbled, turning her attention to the news.

Anakin frowned. "You know, I haven't really seen much of your family Padme." He started, not sure how to finish. He knew she'd had a good relationship with her family back in their galaxy, but was that true here?

Padme shrugged. "My parents are in politics, so they're usually pretty busy. Like Mindy said, my sister is an actress and has a family, so she's also pretty busy. Election season is coming up though, so we'll probably do a get together to support my parents soon." Anakin still wasn't 100 percent sure how politics worked in this world, so he refrained from making a comment. Besides, he had just come from a situation where he did his best to destroy democracy. Padme hadn't liked it then, and he didn't think she would like to find out about that now. Before he could come up with a suitable reply, however, Padme turned the volume up on the TV. "Speaking of which…" She said with a scowl.

Only slightly curious as to what was getting her worked up (since he still didn't care much for politics, despite how often he'd tried to get interested for Padme and…other reasons), Anakin began to pay attention to what the news caster was saying.

"…Senator Palpatine has announced that he will run for re-election this upcoming year," The woman was saying, and instantly Anakin's muscles tensed at the name.

No. It wasn't possible. At least that was what Anakin started repeating in his head over and over again. In reality he knew by now that it was possible, but it wasn't something he'd wanted to deal with again…

Sure enough, the screen switched to video footage of what looked to be a conference of some sort, and standing at the podium was none other than a younger, completely healthy looking Emperor Palpatine, smiling that deceptive smile as he discussed his seemingly harmless reelection plans with the reporters.

Anakin was on his feet in an instant, his entire body shaking, his breathing shortened as he tried to fathom the implications of Palpatine being here. He didn't need to meet him to know that Palpatine likely remembered his life in the other galaxy—if anyone remembered, he would. Vader had been the Emperor's closest companion for so long…Anakin knew his tricks by now, and he knew that whatever Palpatine was really up to, it would spell disaster.

"Anakin, are you okay?" Padme's voice brought him back to reality.

He kept staring at the screen. "You said your parents are politicians." He started.

"Yes," she replied hesitantly, not sure where he was going with this.

"And they're running for the same office?"

"Probably," she shrugged. "I mean Palpatine has always been my parent's competition, so…"

Anger flashed bright within Anakin and he whirled on her, staring her intently in the eyes. "Don't ever, _ever_ go near that man." She had to believe him. If Palpatine remembered…which he likely did…then he would also remember Anakin's betrayal that night on the Death Star. Palpatine knew that the best way to get to Anakin was through those he cared about…

And he couldn't lose Padme again.

Padme frowned, straightening up a little. "I'm not likely to meet him," She assured him, "What is this about?"

Anakin shook his head. He had to text Obi-Wan about this. Certainly Obi-Wan would know more about Palpatine's situation here on this world. "Nothing. Just… _don't_ go near him, and if you can't avoid it, don't trust him. He's not as nice as he seems."

He didn't wait for a response. He had much to do, much to think about, so he turned and left the room, headed to his own room.

He had to prepare for the inevitable war that would eventually follow.

* * *

 **So LOTS of familiar faces in this chapter! What role will they all play? You'll have to find out!**

 **Okay so it's almost two in the morning where I'm at, I'm super tired, but I had like a few paragraphs left after I came home from a Halloween party and I wanted to finish this chapter tonight so that I can work on another tomorrow (or...today...whatever). I'm going to bed before I start writing really weird, sleep deprived stuff.**

 **Quick question before I go though: What costumes do you think Anakin, Mindy, Padme, and Obi-Wan would wear in this world? Tell me in the reviews! I'm thinking of eventually writing a Halloween chapter (since around the story's timeline, that would be Anakin's first major holiday), but I can't decide. Mindy I could see going as a sexy kitty. Idk about the others though.**

 **Anyhow, review! Keep being beautiful and awesome!**

 **Love,**

 **~Sarah**


	12. Sickness

When Padme's alarm bleeped to life early the next morning at 5 AM for her morning run, Padme groaned, rolling over to slap the off button. She missed the first few attempts, but she eventually found it and the room lapsed into silence.

Yet again, her dreams were plagued with random, strange images. She opened her eyes to look at the reality of her darkened room, hoping that by doing so, she would be able to rid her mind of the images.

Faintly she could hear Anakin's alarm blaring too, and she knew that she had to change into her running attire quickly if she wanted to be on time. She learned quickly that Anakin was quick to do…well, everything. She didn't want to give him any reason to tease her later.

She sat up in bed…but as soon as she did, a wave of nausea slammed into her, and her vision swam. She tried to ignore the feeling, hoping that it was just her body adjusting to waking up, but when she moved to get out of bed, the feeling intensified.

She had to get to the bathroom. _NOW._

She practically tripped in her rush to get out of the bed and run to her bathroom where she promptly threw up into the toilet, her body quivering with what she recognized now to be fever.

She stayed like that for a while, emptying the contents of her stomach until she had nothing left to give and she merely knelt there, waiting to see if she was completely finished. Distantly, she heard a knock on her bedroom door before it opened. "Padme?" Anakin asked quietly, and she assumed he was looking around for her.

"Don't come in here," She moaned, and sure enough another wave of nausea hit her and she was hurling her guts out.

Anakin apparently didn't understand the meaning of 'don't come in' because he was suddenly at the bathroom doorway, turning the light on. Padme winced as the light hit her sensitive eyes. "Oh Force," He muttered under his breath. If she wasn't worried that she would throw up again, she might have asked what he meant by that unfamiliar phrase. He was at her side in moments, holding her hair out of her face.

"I think it's a little late for that," She grumbled, wincing at the thought of Anakin touching whatever had gotten into her hair. "You shouldn't be in here. I don't want you to catch whatever this is."

"I don't care if I catch it," Anakin immediately replied, "How long have you…" she threw up again, "been like this?"

"Just now," Padme groaned.

"Well I think it's fair to say that we're not going running."

Padme couldn't help but laugh at that, which only made her sides hurt. "Stop making me laugh."

"Sorry." They waited for a while, before finally Padme was sure that she was finished. Anakin helped her to her feet and over to the counter where Padme washed her mouth out. "You need to go to the doctor." Anakin said seriously as he watched to make sure she wouldn't need his direct assistance again.

"No, no," Padme said, waving her hand dismissively, "I'm fine." She could see Anakin's skeptical look in the mirror.

"You are clearly not fine." Anakin said, "You look like a Sarlacc decided to spit you out." When Padme gave him a confused look, he looked at her apologetically. "Sorry. Something I made up."

"You have a strange imagination."

He shrugged. "Either way, you need to go see Doctor Organa."

She turned the water off and turned to face him. "What I need is a shower and to sleep." She winced, knowing that she was going to miss school and would fall dreadfully behind.

Anakin frowned. "Why did I have to go see him then if you won't even go yourself? That's a little hypocritical," He pointed out.

She didn't want to admit that he had a point, so she countered with, "Because you were hit by a car and you have amnesia. I just have the flu. He's just going to tell me to get rest."

Anakin scowled, but his eyes softened. "Can I at least call him later to get his opinion?"

Padme paused, studying Anakin a little more closely. Although he seemed calm on the exterior, she could see worry in his bright blue eyes. Finally she relented, nodding. "Okay, and if he says I need to go in, I will. But for now I'm going to take a shower and go back to bed, okay?"

Anakin looked her over, as if he was expecting her to pass out at any moment. When he seemed satisfied, he nodded. "If you need me, I'll be in the living room." He said, "Don't hesitate to call for me."

"But school…"

"I'm still going to school," He assured her, holding his hand up to stop her. "But until then I'm going to take care of you." When she still hesitated, hating that she was so weak, he stepped closer, putting a hand on her shoulder as he stared into her eyes. "You took care of me, now let me do the same for you."

His offer was so genuine, and the concern in his expression and voice was so sincere that Padme found it impossible to resist. "Okay," She said with a sigh, "But don't fuss too much. It's not like I haven't been sick before."

Anakin winced, as if she'd brought up some painful memory. "Yeah," He said, "Right. Go shower and get back in bed. I'm going to make some calls."

* * *

"Anakin, don't worry too much, it sounds like she has the flu," Bail said on the other line. Anakin had called his office as soon as it opened, and he'd refused to take no for an answer by the receptionist. "If she's still not doing well in 24 hours, then bring her by. But for now she just needs to rest as much as possible."

Anakin frowned, not liking that answer one bit. He _hated_ seeing Padme so sick. He wished he could take it away, but he knew that even if it was possible, it would fall under the Dark Side's realm. Anakin wouldn't make that same mistake again.

"Okay," Anakin sighed, hating that there wasn't more that he could physically do to help her. "I'll keep you updated."

"Good," A pause. "And how are _you_ doing? Any luck on remembering your past?"

At that moment Anakin didn't care about himself. He cared that the woman he loved was sick and he was virtually helpless to take away her pain. "No," He grumbled, trying not to snap at the man.

"I see," Bail sounded troubled by that, "Perhaps you should come in soon so that we can do some more tests."

"Maybe," Anakin said, not wanting to commit to anything. It wasn't like Bail was going to actually find anything of interest anyway. "Thanks for the help." Or not.

"Anytime."

Anakin disconnected the call and leaned back against the couch, his mind whirling as he tried to decide what to do next. He had already made her soup, made sure that she had everything that she needed in her room (such as school books, her laptop, and extra blankets if she got cold), and essentially pestered her to stay in bed when she'd tried to convince him that she had to go to at least one of her classes. When she worried that she may have gotten contagious germs over the rooms she had been in the night before, Anakin had dug out the Lysol and sprayed the whole house down for her so that she could rest without worrying about other people getting sick.

He knew though that she was still awake. She wouldn't stop worrying about falling behind in school. He wished he could convince the school to cancel classes for the day so that she could rest easy, but he didn't have the use of the Force to try to convince him. He had already texted Obi-Wan to ask if he would be willing, but he'd gotten a firm no and a lecture about using the Force for unselfish purposes.

"I'm not being selfish though," He grumbled to himself. He really was concerned for Padme's health, and not just because he was afraid of losing her. He loved her, and he didn't want anything bad to befall her ever again.

If he couldn't convince the school to cancel, then maybe…

He stood abruptly, going back to Padme's room where she sat against the cushions looking at something on her laptop. "Padme?" He asked.

She looked at him and smiled a bit. "Hey," she said and his heart ached to see the dark circles under her eyes.

"Doctor Organa said that if you aren't better in 24 hrs, I'll need to take you to see him." Padme nodded, no surprise on her face. "And…and I want to make sure you're caught up on your classes." He finished.

Now surprise did flicker across her face. "How?" She asked.

"If you give me a list of where your classes are and what time they're at," He said, "Then I can go and take notes for you."

At first Padme was speechless, as if it had never occurred to her that someone would do that for her. "But what about your classes?"

Anakin shrugged. He wasn't about to explain that his galaxy had advanced past the classes he was currently taking. "I'm ahead. I have all A's in them. I can prove it if you don't believe me."

"Oh no," she shook her head, "I saw what you can do. I believe you." She still hesitated though. "You really don't need to…"

"I know," Anakin interrupted, "But I want to. Like I said, I want to take care of you like you have for me." _Because I love you,_ he added mentally, _and I want you to be relaxed and happy._

Padme, still looking at Anakin like he'd suggested something completely unheard of, slowly nodded. "Okay then," she said, reaching over to grab a pen and some paper to write down the info. She paused before she did so, looking at him. "Thank you," She said, "That really…that's a really, really nice thing of you to do."

Anakin's face heated a bit, but he was pleased to see her happy. "No problem." He said as she handed him the list. "Just focus on getting better, okay?"

Padme smiled, and for a moment she no longer looked sick but rather the same beautiful angel he had always known. "I'll try."

He smiled back softly before he turned and left, determined to help her in any way he could. Even if it meant sitting through classes he knew would bore him to death.

He would do anything for her.

* * *

 _Padme stood in the back of some kind of chariot with the younger Anakin standing next to her. Her hands were cuffed in front of her, and glancing over at Anakin, she saw that his hands were also bound. She wanted to ask what was going on, but like in all of her dreams, she couldn't voice what she was thinking. Her body seemed to move on its own._

 _The chariot led them into a massive stadium full of strange looking aliens that Padme was 100% sure that her subconscious couldn't have come up with on its own. In the center of the stadium was four large stone pillars, and a man was chained there with his hands above his head. From this distance, Padme couldn't tell who it was, but as they got closer she realized that the man looked like Ben, but with longer hair and a thicker beard._

 _The chariot stopped in front of the other two pillars and Padme and Anakin were led off the chariot and towards the pillars. With dread, Padme realized that they were going to be chained up too, and from the frenzied crowd, she didn't think this was your average execution. That had to be what this was, right? An execution of some sort. Some gladiator-style execution with aliens rooting for their death._

 _She was terrified, and had she had control of her actions, she would have been screaming and pulling to get away. But in the dream, she calmly reached up and pulled a pin out of her belt and used her mouth to position it so that she could…what, pick the locks? Did she even know how to do that? Either way, the pin was positioned in her hand as the alien creature chained her hands above her head._

 _Ben said something to Anakin, and Anakin said something back, but Padme wasn't paying attention. Her hands were already working at the locks around her wrists, moving as if they picked locks all of the time._

 _Above them, another group of aliens and an older man stepped out onto a dais. The lead alien held up its arms and with a somehow amplified voice (for Padme didn't see a microphone), it said…something. It was spoken in a very guttural alien language, so it offered no help whatsoever in determining what was going on._

 _She figured it out soon enough. At the far end were three gates, all of them opening up. The first creature through was what looked to be a very strange rhino with two horns on the side of its head. The crowd went into a frenzy at the sight of it, and soon it was not alone. A giant praying mantis (at least that was what it looked like) emerged screeching from his gate, its voice sounding like nails on a chalk board. A cat like creature leapt from the other gate, taking out one of the aliens that was jabbing him with an electrified stick._

" _I've got a bad feeling about this," Anakin said from beside her. Nah, really? She wanted to say, but she currently was now using her mouth to get the cuff from off of her wrist._

 _The creatures were herded forward by aliens on top of…other aliens, complaining at being prodded. She didn't have much time, but she finally got the cuff off. She whirled around and began to climb up the pillar effortlessly, as if she climbed vertical pillars every day. She was at the top in no time, and she began working on the other lock to get completely free._

 _The praying mantis thing began to attack Ben, while the rhino thing charged at Anakin. She almost opened her mouth to call his name, but before she could Anakin leapt up into the air, flipped, and landed on the rhino's back as if he were a cowboy in some deranged trick rodeo._

 _She might have tried to figure out how he moved so smoothly and effortlessly (especially since 24 hours ago he couldn't even run two miles), but the vicious cat thing jumped onto her pillar, digging it's claws into the stone as it climbed towards her, jaws snapping. Fear threatened to overwhelm Padme, and as it reached her, she used her only weapon, the chains, to smack it away from her. It backed away a little, but her hit only seemed to enrage it more. It climbed towards her again, and she tried to hit it again, but this time as it went down it raked its claws across her back, leaving three gashes across her back._

 _She screamed, closing her eyes as pain radiated through her body, and…_

Padme woke up with a scream, lurching up into a sitting position so fast that her vision blurred and her stomach twisted in such a way that she was out of her bed, still feeling the rake of the creatures claws on her back, and running to the bathroom to throw up.

By the time she was finished, the feel of the gashes had dulled to the point where it was a mere tingling. Still, right after Padme was done washing her mouth out, she lifted her shirt and checked her back in the mirror for gashes.

Nothing. Just familiar, smooth skin.

She tried to breathe deeply to calm her racing heart, but she was unsuccessful. "Just a dream," she whispered to herself, "Just a dream…"

A dream that she _felt._

The door to her bedroom opened. "Padme?" Mindy's voice called, sounding worried.

Padme lowered her shirt, leaning against the bathroom counter. "You shouldn't come in," she called back, "You'll get sick."

"But I heard you scream," her voice was closer, telling Padme that she had ignored Padme's warning. What was with her friends and their inability to heed her warnings? She was already certain Anakin would get sick. She didn't need to get her best friend sick too.

Nevertheless, Padme shakily exited the bathroom. Sure enough, Mindy was standing outside of the door, a worried look on her face. "It's nothing," She said, heading back to her bed. "Just a bad dream."

She climbed back under the covers and Mindy sat down on the edge of her bed, looking at her worriedly. "Are you still having those alien dreams?" She asked.

Hesitantly, Padme nodded. "Yes. Most of the time they're just random images, but sometimes it's a whole coherent scene." She stopped, debating on exactly how much information to tell her. Would she think that Padme was going crazy? Maybe she was.

"What was this dream about?" Mindy asked quietly, her eyes serious.

After a moment of deciding, Padme realized that she had to talk to someone about them. She told Mindy what had happened in the dream, including how real the claws on her back had been. "That's the thing that frightens me the most," Padme finished, "You aren't supposed to feel anything in dreams, and yet this was so…so real."

She expected Mindy to make a joke about how Padme was such an expert on getting scratched across her back by a giant cat alien thing, but Mindy was uncharacteristically silent. This only made Padme more worried. "Have you talked to Anakin about these dreams?" Mindy finally asked, "He's in like every one of them."

Padme blushed at the thought of telling Anakin that she dreamed about him almost every night. That didn't scream desperate at all. "No, and I'm not going to."

"Why not?" Mindy asked, "What if…"

"What if what?" Padme interrupted, "They're real? They aren't. There is no possible way that there are aliens and that I've…I mean, I would remember something like that, wouldn't I?"

"Yeah," Mindy said, though she looked hesitant still.

"Besides, that's totally crazy." Padme said, more to convince herself rather than convince Mindy.

"Yeah…" Mindy sighed. "Look. I have to get to class. But…if you have any more of those dreams, let me know okay?"

Padme didn't see how Mindy would be able to help her, but she nodded anyway.

* * *

Anakin entered the house late that evening, completely, mentally exhausted. He didn't know how Padme spent every day in classes like that. He hadn't even understood over half of what was being said, but he'd written down everything that sounded remotely important. He had also made sure he wrote down or gathered her assignments and now his backpack was drooping heavily from his shoulder. Obi-Wan had tried to meet up with him so that they could talk about the 'Palpatine' problem, but Anakin found himself so busy that he'd missed their appointment.

He felt bad of course, but he couldn't help but act on the need to take care of Padme. Even on his way home, he had purchased a bunch of stuff from the drug store that claimed to help people with the flu. He had a large bag full of stuff in his free hand.

He headed to Padme's room, half afraid of what he would find. Would she be worse than this morning? Or would she be better? He hoped she would be better.

When he entered her room, she was sitting propped up with pillows, watching some TV show on her laptop. When she saw him come in, she paused it and smiled tiredly. "Hey," She said.

He looked her over—she still looked pale, but the circles were gone from under her eyes. "Hey," He said back, going to her bed and placing both bags on it. "I took lots of notes for you and got your assignments," He said, pulling those out of his backpack, "And I got lots of stuff to make you feel better from the drug store." He pulled that stuff out of the plastic bag.

Padme looked at the coke cans, crackers, and Jell-O as she opened up the notebook with his notes. "You did all of this…for me?" She asked breathlessly, looking at the detailed notes he'd created and organized.

"Of course," He said as if it was the obvious thing to do. He knew that it wasn't, but…

"But why?" She asked, flabbergasted.

"Because you're my friend," _Because I love you,_ "And I want you to get better." _And I wish you never got sick again._ "How are you feeling?"

"Better," She said, "I only threw up once since I last saw you." A strange look passed over her face, but she didn't say anything more.

"And your fever?"

"It's lowered," she said, and this time she smiled, making his heart clench.

He wasn't thinking straight. Maybe it was because of his worry for her. Maybe it was because he was exhausted from everything he'd done that day. Maybe it was because he usually had a hard time focusing whenever he was around her. But he blurted, "How is it possible that you're so beautiful?"

He regretted the words as soon as he said it. He couldn't believe he'd just blurted that out…but she smiled, clearly not taking it seriously. "Stop teasing me Anakin," she said, "I know I look like crap."

No, you really don't, he wanted to say, but this time he made sure to keep his mouth shut. Instead he gave her a lazy grin as if he'd meant to tease her, and she laughed. "Well. If you need anything else, you know where I am." He said, deciding to make a quick break for it. He stood, about to leave, when her voice stopped him.

"Thank you Anakin," When he looked over his shoulder, she was smiling sweetly at him. He had to look away quickly to avoid turning around and going back to her side.

"No problem," he said, before hurrying out the door.

As soon as he closed the door, he leaned against it, sighing as he mentally kicked himself for being so stupid. Years of being Darth Vader had not improved his flirting skills, apparently.

"You're hiding something." Anakin tensed, turning slightly to find Mindy leaning against her door, staring him down with narrowed eyes.

"Excuse me?" He asked, trying to think about anything that he had done recently to make her think that way. He didn't think she was from his galaxy, but it wasn't like he knew everyone there. Was she remembering something? Or was she just suspicious because he'd lost his cool over the weekend and in general acted odd?

"You heard me," She said. "I told you that if you hurt Padme I would hunt you down and make sure you regretted it. I am serious about that." Her eyes narrowed further, and for the first time in a very long time Anakin felt a shiver of actual fear lace up his spine. "I don't know what you're hiding, but trust me when I say this: I will find out what it is. And if it puts Padme in danger…well I'm not sure yet what I'll do, but it won't be pleasant."

Again Anakin marveled at her audacity to threaten him. She had no idea of course that he was one of the strongest Sith Lord's to ever live, if not the strongest. But he suspected that even if she did know, she would have threatened him anyway. It was both frightening and impressive at the same time. "Got it." He said.

"Good." She seemed satisfied, and she opened her door. "Good night Anakin. Don't let the bed bugs bite."

* * *

 **Woohoo! Another chapter done! This was definitely more of a relationship building chapter, and I loved writing it. When I was sick I totally came up with it, thinking about what Anakin would do if Padme were sick. Well, here's the result. He's certainly calmed down since Episode three, but he still over reacts a bit...in a cute way.**

 **Okay so I had some absolutely fantastic reviews! Some of my reviewers gave some REALLY cute ideas for future chapters, and I may totally use some of those ideas... you guys are so fantastic!**

 **Also, I'm making a playlist on Spotify for this fanfic. Music inspires me to write, so I have a playlist for everything I write. It was music that inspired this story, so... I'm making a playlist. Idk how to share it, but if y'all are interested I'll figure it out. Otherwise, if there was a particularly inspiring song for a scene, I'll just write it. The overall theme for this story though is "When the Darkness Comes" by Colbie Caillat. I can't stop listening to it when I write. Great song!**

 **I hope everyone had a fantastic Halloween! ONLY TWO MONTHS UNTIL EPISODE 7! And this month Star Wars Battlefront comes out and I'm crazy excited for that...but I asked for it for Christmas so you don't have to worry about me disappearing because I get distracted by that.**

 **Anyhow, be sure to review! Love you guys!**

 **~Sarah**


	13. Ambush

"You know," Anakin growled, in a foul mood, "I think telling me that Palpatine is in this world was one of the first things you should have told me."

Obi-Wan sat across from Anakin in the same ditch they had practiced in the weekend before. "Well not necessarily," He said with a shrug. "I wasn't immediately sure what side you were on, and then once I figured it out, I was much more concerned with helping you." Anakin would have protested to being doubted, but in this case he deserved it.

"I get that, but the man is the most evil man to ever exist." Anakin said through clenched teeth. What had Palpatine already done to this world? Anakin wouldn't know the difference since he'd only been there for barely two weeks, but it was the world that Padme had grown up in and loved. However, Palpatine had been from Naboo in his Galaxy as well—he had a habit of being where Padme was.

"We don't even know if he remembers," Obi-Wan said, trying to keep Anakin calm.

But Anakin was not calm. He couldn't sit still anymore. He got back to his feet and began to pace. Obi-Wan let out an exasperated sigh. "Have you met him? Do you know that for sure?"

"Well, no, but…" Obi-Wan started, but Anakin interrupted.

"Trust me, he remembers. Palpatine had back up plans for his back up plans." Anakin groaned. "What if me throwing him into that shaft started his life here? What if I inadvertedly caused another abuse of power by his hands?"

"But if he doesn't remember…" Obi-Wan tried again, mostly to try calming him down. Obi-Wan himself had always been a little suspicious, but he found out quickly that it was much easier to meet a celebrity like Mace L. Windu than Senator Palpatine. Besides, he'd never seen anything that screamed Sith Lord, but then again Anakin knew Palpatine better than anyone. If Anakin was concerned…

"Even if he doesn't remember, he would have the use of the Force. It doesn't make sense that Yoda and you have the Force and he wouldn't. That man…" Anakin stopped pacing, a shudder running down his spine. "There isn't any goodness in him. I don't think there ever was."

"People aren't born evil." Obi-Wan pointed out, but Anakin was shaking his head.

"You don't understand. I've seen who he really is first hand. I've felt his Force Signature…his soul is complete and total darkness." Anakin looked at Obi-Wan pleadingly. "He's a danger, Obi-Wan. He _must_ be stopped before he turns this world into a smaller version of the Empire."

Obi-Wan took time to read Anakin through the Force. He didn't detect fear, but he did detect regret and anger…not necessarily at Palpatine, but rather at himself. Obi-Wan would have liked to take away the blame, but Anakin had played a major part in Palpatine's atrocities. Anakin would have seen through the lie easily. "Anakin, this world's politics are not the same as our galaxy. On one planet, countries can't even decide what the best form of government is, so there are a variety of governments across the world. Every time someone has tried to take over the world, regardless of how much power they have, no one has ever been able to. I think it would be harder for Palpatine to take over this world."

Anakin was shaking his head again before Obi-Wan finished. "If anyone could accomplish it," Anakin said gravely, "Palpatine can. Especially if he is still a Force user."

That, Obi-Wan didn't have an answer to.

If Anakin thought Palpatine was a danger in this world, Obi-Wan decided he would trust him. "Okay," He said, "I will do some digging. In the meantime maybe it would be beneficial if we asked Padme to ask her parents…"

"Absolutely not," Anakin said, his voice firm, leaving no room for negotiations. "I will not have her involved in this again."

"Anakin…"

" _No."_

Obi-Wan sighed. There was no talking to him when he was like this. "Okay." He relented—for now. "It's obvious that there is no way that you'll achieve inner peace in the mood you're in. So let's focus on something else today." Obi-Wan stood, reaching into his jacket to pull his lightsaber out of his pocket.

Anakin's eyes widened at the sight of it. He hadn't seen a lightsaber in this world, or any technology that would suggest that it was possible. "How…?" He began, and Obi-Wan raised a hand to stop him.

"When I woke up, I had this still attached to my belt," He said, tossing it to him. Anakin caught it with ease, though he didn't ignite it.

"Why didn't I still have mine?" Anakin asked. Obi-Wan's felt foreign in his hands. He had built all of his lightsabers himself, and to use someone else's….well, it didn't feel right.

Obi-Wan shrugged. "Maybe for the same reason you weren't given immediate access to the Force." He opened his duffel bag and pulled out a large bag of oranges and a blind fold. "We no longer have the training equipment from home," He said, "But we can make do with this."

Anakin frowned as Obi-Wan handed him the blindfold. "You're going to throw those at me. Aren't you." Anakin didn't bother asking, he already knew the answer from the mischievous glint in Obi-Wan's eyes. His master was going to enjoy this very much.

"Use the lightsaber to stop them before they hit you and you should be fine." Obi-Wan said, clearly amused by Anakin's reaction.

"I haven't been able to use the Force…" Anakin began, but Obi-Wan cut him off.

"I am not asking you to use the Force to accomplish a major feat. I'm asking you to use it to guide your motions. You know that this is the first thing that Younglings learn when they begin training. I expect that you will master it fairly quickly, even with your…limitations."

Anakin scowled, hundreds of possible retorts filling his mind, but he forced himself to push those thoughts away. It wouldn't do any good arguing. Besides, he had done this once before, and Luke had probably…

He hesitated. "Did you teach Luke to do this?"

"I did." Obi-Wan replied, but he offered no more detail.

If Luke could do it, Anakin thought, putting on the blindfold, then so could he.

As soon as the blindfold was secured, Anakin held the lightsaber in his hands, focusing on the Force within himself. Once he found it, he ignited the lightsaber, feeling the familiar thrum of its energy as he smoothly settled into a defensive stance. He breathed deeply, feeling the flow of the Force move within him, stretching, and…

An orange struck his shoulder.

"Hey!" Anakin hissed, trying to shrug away the sting.

"Stretch out with your feelings, Anakin." Obi-Wan said, and seconds later another orange struck him in the stomach, hard enough to wind Anakin a little.

Anakin grunted, trying to focus once again, cursing that he couldn't immediately tap into the Force like he used to. He had gotten so used immersing himself in the Dark Side of the Force that Anakin had forgotten what it was like to only use it when necessary. He felt it within his chest, felt it begin to flow through him, and once he was sure that it flowed through him, he began to stretch his mind out, picturing the oranges floating in the air in front of Obi-Wan.

For a while, Anakin waited in tense anticipation. Then, he felt the oranges fly forward, and he felt where they would strike before they did. He reacted with his lightsaber, the oranges slicing in two and falling harmlessly to the ground at his feet.

Obi-Wan didn't stop there. He continued to fire oranges at the former Sith Lord, pushing Anakin to react rapidly, or to wait in anticipation as they began to fly at random intervals. Anakin hit every one seemingly effortlessly, but in fact he was straining to keep control over the Force. The Force didn't come as naturally as it used to, and he could feel it trying to restrain itself again. He continued to focus however, and soon Obi-Wan stopped. "I'm out of oranges." He announced, "You can take the blind fold off now."

Anakin turned off the lightsaber and pulled off his blind fold, blinking into the dim evening light. He looked at the sliced fruit at his feet and a slow grin began to spread across his face. "Do you realize that this is the first time I've actually been able to _use_ the Force?" He asked, trying to contain the burst of elation at having completed such a simple task. It didn't matter that as Darth Vader this task would have been so mundane he wouldn't have even thought about it. Now he could say that he could somewhat use the Force, which was much better than not being able to at all.

Obi-Wan smiled back. "Congratulations." He said, holding his hand out for his lightsaber. Anakin handed it back to him after some hesitation, feeling vulnerable once it was out of his grasp. He had spent most of his life with a lightsaber by his side. Now that he remembered what it was like to have one, he didn't want to let go.

Even if he didn't fully love the style of lightsaber Obi-Wan had.

"I think that will be enough—wait." Obi-Wan tensed, and Anakin could feel him reaching out with the Force to feel the surrounding area. Anakin, confident from his recent accomplishment, tried to do the same, but he couldn't extend it past himself still. Before he could dwell on that and get frustrated, Obi-Wan straightened, his entire body stiff. "How long have you been hiding there, Mindy?"

 _Wait, what?_

For a few, strained moments, nothing happened. But when Obi-Wan opened his mouth again, bushes at the top of the ditch began to rustle and Mindy crawled out, leaves stuck in her short black hair, cursing as branches scratched her skin. She tripped as she tried to stand, but she caught herself before she hit the ground, standing up straight, shooting both Anakin and Obi-Wan a glare. "I've been here long enough to know you have some weird thing against Senator Palpatine. Something about him being Diablo or whatever."

Anakin, frozen in shock, his heart rate speeding up erratically as he tried to figure out an explanation for everything Mindy had seen, barely registered the unfamiliar word 'Diablo.' "Mindy," He said, his voice hoarse, "Did you…why are you here?"

She slid down the bank of the ditch, landing in a puddle of murky water before she answered. "I told you that I would find the answers to whatever it is you're hiding." She said, her voice confident as she walked boldly up to them. "So you better start explaining why you have issues with Senator Palpy, why you have some weird glowing sword-looking thing, and how you," She pointed at Obi-Wan, "can make oranges float."

"Senator Palpy…?" Obi-Wan questioned.

Mindy waved her hand dismissively. "That's my nickname for him." She looked Anakin straight in the eye, her dark eyes hard and determined. "I waited through your ridiculous…whatever it is you two are doing before confronting you. So what's up?"

Anakin swallowed nervously. How had Obi-Wan not sensed Mindy earlier? Had he been that focused on Anakin's training that he had forgotten his own training?

He would worry about that later. Right now, he was trying to come up with a reasonable explanation, but the more he tried the more he realized that he couldn't.

With dread settling into his stomach, he realized he had to tell her.

So he did. He told her of being from another galaxy. He told her of the Jedi and the Force, of meeting Padme's other dimension self there and marrying her, of falling to the Dark Side, of Padme's death, the rebellion and his death. He didn't go into a lot of detail of just what he had done as Darth Vader, but he gave her enough detail to explain his outburst the weekend before. By the time he was finished, the sun had set and mosquitos were feeding off of them.

Mindy waited and listened, her face uncharacteristically unreadable, but as he watched her eyes, he saw fear creeping in. Still, when he finished, she pulled her gaze away from his to look at Obi-Wan. "Please tell me you're both crazy."

Obi-Wan's face was grim. "I'm afraid not."

She was silent for a while, the information slowly sinking in. "So you are a crazed mass murderer." Her voice was flat and serious, which almost frightened Anakin. It was the voice of someone who was about to snap and Mindy was not a person he wanted to be around when that happened.

Anakin answered with the truth though. "Yes."

Mindy closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "Do I even want to know how many people?"

"No."

She shook her head, her eyebrows furrowing. "This is crazy. _I'm_ crazy for believing you."

That did surprise Anakin. "You believe me?" He asked incredulously.

"Of course I do," she hissed. "The way you look at Padme, the weird things you say, the complete cluelessness to simple everyday things like toasters… It just didn't add up to 'memory loss' victim."

"So what are you going to do about it?" Obi-Wan asked seriously.

Anakin asked the more pressing question on his mind. "Will you tell Padme?"

Mindy's eyes flashed open, and the amount of fear, of mistrust, in them made Anakin step backwards.

How he wished they had sensed her presence earlier.

"Oh, I'm not going to tell her. I might believe you, but I _know_ that she won't." Her voice was dark, warning. "Let me tell you this, Anakin Skywalker, Darth Vader, or _whoever you are:_ you are **NOT** worthy of my Padme."

The words, although Anakin agreed with them, were still like a knife to his heart. He took another step back even as she stepped forward, jabbing her finger into his chest. "You stay away from her. _Stay away._ You got her killed once before. Do NOT take her away from the world of the living again."

There was so much venom in her voice, and she glared at him with such a ferocity that Anakin was speechless. If he had been Darth Vader, he would have tried to recruit her as a top general in the Imperial army. She was _that_ intimidating.

But despite that, he saw the fear in her eyes. She was terrified. Of him. Of what he could do. But like he had predicted, she still stood up for her friend. If that anger and protectiveness wasn't directed at him, he may have been more impressed.

But right now, he was a little afraid.

She didn't say anything else. She just whirled on her heel and stormed to the ditch and, rather ungracefully, climbed out.

She was gone for quite a while before Obi-Wan spoke. "I'm going to try to talk to her. For now, go spend the night at my apartment. The key is under the mat."

Anakin could do nothing but nod—he doubted Obi-Wan would change her mind. She was right. He didn't deserve…well, any happiness, really.

Still, his heart ached painfully as he continued to stare off after her.

* * *

 **No I am not dead! I have taken a new job, so things are pretty crazy and stressful right now. But I'm still writing. In fact, I've already started on the next chapter. Yay! I was going to make this longer, but I've already made you guys wait. So next chapter will (probably) be longer. I will try to update that one this weekend. We shall see though.**

 **Anyhow. I have a question for you: how do you feel about Obi-Wan being in a relationship with someone? I ask because a friend pointed out that Obi-Wan has learned from Luke the good power of relationships, and in this world he's not exactly bound to the rules of the Jedi since he's one of the few who even knows of the Force. I don't know who it would be with, but I wondered what you thought.**

 **Well, that's it for tonight. Thank you for your support! Be sure to review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	14. Acceptance

It was not hard for Obi-Wan to follow Mindy's trail. He didn't know how it was possible that he hadn't sensed her presence. He _had_ scanned the area through the Force before they began their training, but he'd somehow missed her. Perhaps she had come after he began to get distracted by Anakin's worries over Senator Palpatine.

He followed her out of the park, expecting her to get into her car to drive away, but when he got to the parking lot he saw her car still parked, the driver's door open. Cautiously, he approached the car, peeking inside to find Mindy sitting in the drivers seat, sobbing.

Instinctively he froze up. He had comforted people before, but for some reason the sight of her crying made him feel…useless. As if he were some bumbling Padawan again, unsure of himself. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out, and he couldn't help but feel awkward as she continued to cry.

She was the first one to speak. "How can you stand to be around him?" The words were jumbled, and he had to strain to understand the words. "He _betrayed_ you. Of everyone, you should be reacting this way!"

Obi-Wan knelt down next to her, trying to think of just how he could adequately explain the complicated relationship that he had with Anakin. After a moment, he tapped into the Force, letting it guide him. There was no way that he could get through this conversation without it. "I won't excuse what he's done," he started slowly, "Because you're right: what he did was awful. It was evil. It was unforgivable."

"Then why keep helping him?" Mindy asked, looking down at him. Her dark eyes were puffy and red, evident even in the darkness. "Why let him stay with us when you knew what he's capable of?"

Obi-Wan had asked himself that question many times, and he still wasn't fully sure of the answer. He followed the Jedi code and wasn't going to seek revenge. But it was more than that. "Anakin was my brother," He started, "I practically raised him. He was a good person: loyal, passionate, and reliable…"

"But then he turned into…whatever you said he turned into." Mindy pointed out, and Obi-Wan noticed she was starting to cease her tears. Thank goodness.

"He did," Obi-Wan relented, "And as I said, he did awful things. I don't even know all of the things he's done. But I can't help but think I could have helped prevent it."

That did get Mindy to stop crying, if only to give Obi-Wan a skeptical look. "He didn't make it sound like you did anything wrong." She said.

"Because he and I talked about it and…well, we haven't gotten over it completely, but we're working on it. If you'd asked him back when he was Darth Vader, he would have blamed other people for everything he was doing. But now he mostly blames himself. That alone shows how much he's changed." He took a deep breath. "When I found out about Anakin turning to the Dark Side, I didn't think I had it in me to kill him. It was my duty as a Jedi to kill him. I was torn between wanting to help him and the need to follow my duty."

"So what did you choose?" Mindy whispered, her dark eyes wide as she listened intently.

Obi-Wan looked at his hands. "For the first time since I was a Padawan…" at her strange look, he clarified, "Jedi-in-training, I was angry. Anakin's decision was a personal betrayal to me. I chose duty over friendship. I didn't know where he was, so I went to the only person I knew that had a close relationship with him."

"Padme."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Yes. I knew she knew where he was, but even after I told her what he'd done, she refused to tell me. I knew then that the child she carried was Anakin's. I knew that they were close, but I didn't know they were that close. I didn't even know they had been married for years until just last week.

"I was sorry for Padme's pain, but I didn't let that stop me from sneaking onto her ship when she went to go after him." He hesitated. "Padme was trying to convince him to go with her. Even knowing what he'd done, she still loved him. He was stubborn though and kept trying to get her to see his side of things. I could hear everything they said, and when it became obvious to me that he wouldn't budge, I came out of my hiding place. As I did, Padme put her foot down and told him she wouldn't live like that. She knew that Anakin's biggest fear was losing her, and although I'm sure she was serious about leaving him if he stayed with the Dark Side, I realize now that she was also giving Anakin an ultimatum.

"When I came down from that ship, I saw the hesitation in his face. I saw him processing her words, I knew that he knew she was serious. If I hadn't come down, if I had chosen our friendship over duty, maybe he would have listened to her. Maybe, if only temporarily, he would have turned away from the Dark Side just long enough for Padme and me to help him. But I did go down that ramp, and our eyes met. He knew I was there to kill him, to fulfill my duty as a Jedi. Because I came out of Padme's ship, he thought she brought me there to kill him. Anakin told you what happened after that.

"But I still could have tried to help him. I focused so much on what he'd done, I didn't try to understand why. I just knew that he had betrayed us, betrayed me, and for the first time I fought in anger. I have faced other Sith Lords who betrayed the Jedi order, but I never fought them the way I did Anakin.

"Most would say that I was right to fight Anakin the way I did. But he'd also betrayed Padme, and even her dying breath was spent telling me that there was good in Anakin and not to give up on him. But I didn't listen. I thought maybe she was too blinded by her relationship with him to really see who he had become. I believed that for years as I helped watch over Luke, helped train Luke to one day defeat his father and the Empire.

"But it was Luke that proved his mother's words. I told Luke that the only way to defeat Darth Vader, his father, was to kill him. Luke flat out told me he wouldn't kill him because he knew there was still good in him. I told him he would fail if he didn't. In the end, it was Luke's faith in his father that brought Anakin back. Even when Luke had the chance to kill his father—and trust me, Darth Vader had not been kind to Luke either—he chose to spare him and insist that his father had goodness in him and therefore could not be destroyed."

Obi-Wan stopped, his heart hammering painfully in his chest. "If I had done the same, all those years ago, would Anakin have come back? I can't help but think he would have." He looked up into Mindy's conflicted gaze. "If Padme knew about Anakin's past, and believed him, what do you think she would do?"

For a while Mindy didn't answer. "She wouldn't believe it," She whispered, avoiding the answer to the question.

"But if she did."

Now it was Mindy's turn to look down at her lap. "She would say that since Anakin's return, he has tried to redeem himself, and that would be good enough for her."

Obi-Wan nodded. Padme would react that way. He was sure of it. "You are not Padme. You have no reason to give Anakin a chance. You're a good friend, defending her even though you now know just what Anakin could do to you if he lost his temper. I think Anakin is impressed by that loyalty. But Padme has a right to make her own decisions just as you have the right to make your own as well. And Anakin _is_ trying to be a good person. He's already come far, and he actively seeks to improve himself. But it was reacting in anger that pushed him further into the Dark Side in the first place. You don't have to give him a chance, but I ask that you at least think about it."

Mindy continued to stare at her lap, her tears long dry now. Her breathing seemed to be even, and though he could still see the conflict in her eyes, he could see that she was honestly reviewing the situation.

Finally, she nodded. "I'll think about it and get back with you."

Obi-Wan relaxed a little. "Thank you. Anakin will be staying at my apartment until you decide. So you don't have to worry about being pressed into a decision."

"Thanks."

Obi-Wan stood, his knees groaning from kneeling so long. "Have a good night, Mindy."

* * *

Padme moved her little 'surprise' for Mindy and Anakin into her room with one hand and held her cell phone with the other hand, talking to her sister Sola. "So you're back in town for a while?" she asked.

"For a while," Sola confirmed, "So I'll be around when mom and dad have that big gala to sponsor their campaign in November." Her mother had just sent them a memo about the big gala to them a few days ago and had stressed the importance of the whole family being there to support the campaign. Part of the reason voters liked her parents so much was because they were a 'family' type of politician, and voters seemed to identify with that. Not that Padme was going to complain. Her parents were excellent at what they did.

"Well we should go dress shopping then." Padme said with a smile.

"We totally will." She paused. "I do need to ask a favor of you this weekend."

Typical. Being an actress, her sister was always busy. "Okay, what can I do?"

"I'm going to be doing a read through of the script for Thor: Ragnarok in Los Angeles this weekend. Darred is going to be on a business trip until Monday. Do you think you could possibly look after Ryoo and Pooja Friday and Saturday night?"

At this Padme couldn't help but smile. She adored her nieces, and she looked forward to when they would come to visit her. "Sure," Padme said, "I'm sure Mindy and Anakin won't mind. Maybe I can take them to Disneyland on Saturday."

"I'm sure they would love that, if you really want to put up with them in a crazy place like that." Sola laughed, "Now who is this Anakin?"

Oh jeez. She shouldn't have said anything about Anakin. "He's just a roommate."

"A roommate, huh?" The mischievousness in her voice made Padme groan. "When's the wedding?"

"Roommate does not equal a wedding." Padme pointed out, trying, and failing, to hide her irritation. Her sister was obsessed with Padme finding a man. Sola had taken a different path than Padme, choosing the life of the spotlight rather than the life of a politician or lawyer like the rest of her family. She had therefore found her husband quickly, and though they were a happy couple, she was obsessed with the idea that Padme also needed to find a man to be with.

"We will see, little sister." Padme could hear the grin in her sister's voice. "I'll see you on Friday. Maybe I'll get to meet this Anakin."

Padme didn't make any promises. In fact, she was already thinking of ways to get Anakin out of the house when her sister dropped by. "I'll see you then," was all she said before she hung up and returned to the kitchen just as Mindy entered looking like she had just pulled five all-nighters. "Whoa. What's wrong?" Padme asked, shocked to see her friend so…deflated. It was the only word that adequately described the way Mindy looked.

Mindy plopped into a chair at the table, burying her face in her hands. "I feel like I've been dragged through the mud." She mumbled into her hands.

Concerned, Padme sat down next to her. "What happened?" She asked, trying to remember if Mindy had recently started dating anyone. Mindy tended to date around, but she was the one breaking men's hearts, not the other way around. Besides, Padme didn't recall seeing Mindy go out for a date lately.

Mindy pulled her hands away from her face to stare down at them. From this close, Padme could see the puffiness around her eyes. Had she been crying? "I…I found out something awful today." She said, her voice shaking. "And now I don't know how I should treat this person."

Padme hesitated. "Do I know this person?"

"Not really." Mindy grumbled, and Padme relaxed. For a moment she was worried that Mindy had been talking about Anakin.

"Okay, well what was so bad that you came home looking like this?" Padme's voice was gentle, and she reached out to touch her friend's hand in comfort. Mindy pulled away, still not looking at her.

This is really serious, Padme thought as worry gripped her heart.

"This person has been nice since I met them," Mindy said slowly, "They've been helpful to their friends. Their family adores them. But even from the beginning, there was something off about this person. They even warned me that they weren't whole. And now I know…. I know that they did something absolutely awful in their past. Something that the majority of people would consider unforgivable. And yet the people they hurt have forgiven them. But when I found out, I wanted them to stay away from me. But at the same time, I see the regret in their eyes. I see them trying to make amends. I see it, but I still want to hate them. I don't know what to do."

Padme sat there in silence for a long time, processing what Mindy had told her. She was curious to know who this person was, but she didn't think Mindy would tell her if she asked. "It's understandable to be angry," Padme said slowly, not sure how much of her opinion was wanted in this matter.

Mindy finally looked at her. "What do you think I should do?"

Padme thought carefully over her answer before she replied. "I think that if this person is trying to redeem themselves, you should give them a chance to prove themselves."

Mindy raised an eyebrow. "Even if they did something really horrible?"

"Even if they did something really horrible."

Mindy bit her lip, but she nodded. "Okay. Thanks." Suddenly she stood, the chair scraping loudly against the tile. "I'm going to bed. I'll deal with it more tomorrow."

Padme also stood. "Wait. I have a surprise for you."

"Me?" Mindy frowned.

"Well. For the house, really." She took Mindy's hand and pulled her to Padme's bedroom, leading her inside.

There, sitting next to the bed, was a golden retriever puppy. When it saw the girls, he wagged his tail and stood, approaching them excitedly. "You got a dog?" Mindy asked, surprised.

Padme grinned. "Yup. I was at Wal-Mart today and there was this lady giving them out for free in the parking lot. I thought if I didn't take one home, it might end up in a bad home. Plus, it would be fun to have a dog to run with in the mornings."

Mindy knelt down and scratched the dog behind its ears and it leaned into her touch. "Have you named him yet?"

"Not yet. Any ideas?"

Mindy thought it over, petting the dog as it danced in excited circles around her. Finally, a slow smile crept upon her lips. "Oh. I've got a name that I'm sure Anakin would love." She said, her voice serious even though she had a mischievous look in her eye.

"What is it?"

"Jedi."

Padme blinked. What a weird name. But…it was a name she had heard before. And looking at the happy little puppy, she couldn't help but feel like it fit. "I like it." She agreed, kneeling down next to her friend to pet the puppy. "Jedi it is."

* * *

Anakin sat on the stool in the workshop the next morning at school. He had a large white paper in front of him and he was currently sketching his rough draft for that he would eventually build for his class project by the end of the semester. Rex had given him the assignment that morning, and the idea for this particular project had instantly come to Anakin's mind.

He didn't know if it was technically possible to build in this world though. He supposed that he would be the first to find out.

He had spent the night on Obi-Wan's couch, and his back was now full of knots because of it. Obi-Wan lived in a tiny one bedroom apartment that was barely big enough for Obi-Wan to comfortably live in. With Anakin there, it had been well, rather awkward to say the least. Obi-Wan didn't say what he'd talked to Mindy about, or how she had reacted. He just said they needed to trust the Force to take care of things.

Still, when Anakin arrived to school that morning, he felt as if his emotions had been hit by a car—and he knew what that felt like, so he figured it was an accurate description.

So as soon as he'd received the assignment, he had spent the day in the workshop sketching out the plans, making a list of everything he would need to get. It felt good to set his mind to a task: working with machines had always grounded him, even in his darkest moments. It felt good to create something rather than destroy it.

The day passed by swiftly. He barely stopped to eat, sketching his project to the last detail. By the time he finished, the sun was setting and his stomach was growling fiercely from hunger. Sighing, Anakin rolled up the paper to go turn it in to Rex, when someone stopped him.

"Knock knock." He whirled to find Mindy standing at the door to the shop, watching him cautiously. "Can I come in? Or am I not allowed?"

Why was she here? He wondered. Didn't she want to never see him again?

He didn't say that though. Not yet at least. "I don't think there's a rule against non-majors coming in. Padme came in here once and no one said anything. Just don't touch other people's projects." His voice was hoarse from his silence that day. He wished he sounded more confident, but Mindy didn't seem to mind. She cautiously walked into the room, skirting around sawdust and scattered screws still yet to be swept up. "How can I help you?" He asked when she didn't say anything.

She reached him, looking him in the eye. There was no fierceness. There was no hatred. There was no fear. But there was caution. "I came to…to apologize."

That Anakin did not expect. "Wait, what?" He asked.

Mindy blushed and looked away, suddenly finding his work table very interesting. "I've been thinking a lot since yesterday," she began, "And although I hate what you've done, I also realized that you can't change your past. Since I've known you, I've never actually felt that you were a personal threat to either Padme or myself. The one time you did lose your temper, you were trying to protect Padme. And, well, Padme is a grown woman. She make decide for herself who she associates herself with."

Anakin wasn't sure what to say. He hadn't even expected her to talk to him again, let alone apologize. "You don't have to apologize. You're just trying to protect your friend."

"I know," Mindy said, looking at him again. "But I also need to learn to trust the new friend I've made."

Again, Anakin was not expecting this. "Are we friends?" He asked, unsure.

A small smile quirked on her lips. "I assumed we were before yesterday. Can we continue to be?"

At first, Anakin was speechless, his mind whirling to process Mindy's change of heart. After a while though, his own lips formed a smile. "Any friend of Padme's is a friend of mine."

Mindy's smile widened into a grin. "Good. My threat still stands though—hurt her, and I'll hurt you." She frowned. "Well. I'll obviously have to find a way to get you back without you expecting it, what with you having all that hocus pocus stuff."

"It's called the Force."

"Whatever." She waved her hand dismissively. "Let's go home. Padme was wondering where you were this morning. I told her you and Ben were on a magical journey through fairyland and she stopped asking me questions, but that means she'll probably turn to you for a serious answer. So prepare one."

Anakin couldn't help but chuckle. "Thanks for the tip."

"No problem." She paused as Anakin gathered his things. "Oh. And there's also the matter of the dog…"

* * *

 **Thank you to Ladyw1026 for the idea about Padme getting a dog. I think it adds another our-world personal touch to Padme's life. Plus...Anakin will develop quite a interesting little relationship with that pooch. Mans best friend and all.**

 **So I want to say a quick thing on Mindy. I've gotten quite a few reviews where people mentioned that she reminds them of Sabe. Well, you're correct in a way. When I created this story, I made a pintrest board for inspiration and when I looked for pictures of possible look alikes for Sabe, I picked Kiera Knightly with short hair, who played Sabe. I didn't put two and two together until after I wrote the first chapter, and I decided to keep her as a real world character. So in many ways she exhibits the same traits as Sabe or another of Padme's hand maidens, but I wanted to make sure she was also her own character. When you want to create a good plot, you have to have side characters as well. Padme in this world is going to be surrounded by different people, and although there may be a direct Sabe or other handmaiden in this world, Padme hasn't developed a relationship with them. She developed a relationship with someone similar, but also of this world. Now, I've received mostly positive feedback for Mindy, but some people may not like her. Trust me, I have a point in what I'm doing with her. I needed her to know about Anakin's past for future things. I need her to be there for certain things. If you don't like her, I'm sorry you feel that way, but she's not going anywhere for now at least.**

 **Also, I got lots of good feedback for potential Obi-Wan relationships. I will say this: he will not be getting together with Mindy. Mindy may think he's hot, but I have a hard time picturing her with Obi-Wan. I think Obi-Wan would go crazy after a week. XD**

 **Anyhow, love you lots! Review! Thanks for your support!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	15. Disneyland

The doorbell rang and Jedi exploded into loud, excited barks, leaping up from the kitchen floor and racing towards the front door, his claws slipping and sliding. Anakin winced at the loud noise, mentally cursing the little creature that Mindy had convinced Padme to name Jedi.

The dog was anything _but_ a Jedi, and not just because it literally could never become one.

"Anakin, could you please grab Jedi?" Padme called as she went for the front door. Anakin suppressed a groan but nevertheless went after the creature, picking it up from around Padme's legs where it had shoved itself. It wiggled in his grasp, and continued to bark in Anakin's ear. Anakin clenched his teeth to keep himself from snapping and lashing out at the thing. Padme, who just thought that Jedi was the most adorable thing to ever walk the universe, would not appreciate that.

He carried the wiggling dog away while grumbling, "I can't believe I'm jealous of a dog," to which he was met with a loopy, toothy, stupid grin from said dog.

He carried it towards the backyard, vaguely noting that Padme had opened the door and was greeting people. He passed through the living room where Mindy sat, working on homework. As she always did when she saw Anakin around Jedi, she smirked. "Control the Jedi, Anakin." She said, obviously holding back laughter at her own private joke.

Now Anakin did audibly groan as he opened the back door and dropped the thing outside, slamming the door before it could race back in. "Is it too late to name it something more appropriate?"

"Yup. He already responds to that amazing name." Anakin scowled—Mindy may have called a truce between them, but she was still…different around him. And he was pretty sure that she had suggested that name to Padme just to annoy Anakin.

It was working.

"A Jedi is supposed to be calm and in control. That thing," He scowled at the door where the puppy was giving Anakin a pleading look, "Is anything _but_ that."

"He's a puppy, Anakin." Mindy said, turning back to her work. "He's supposed to be like that. He will calm down with age."

He'd believe it when he saw it.

"So this is the infamous Anakin," a new voice said, and Anakin's attention was pulled back to the entrance of the room. There stood Sola, smiling mischievously at Anakin. Padme was not with her, but he could hear her voice in another part of the house.

He had met Sola once while on Naboo protecting Padme as a Padawan. Sola was about as tall as Padme, with straight brown hair and the same loving, dark eyes as her sister. There were many similarities between the women in appearance, but Sola had always had vastly different aspirations than Padme. Even in this world, Sola had broken away from family tradition to become an actress, but Padme still talked about her as a loving sister and trusted friend.

Back in his galaxy, she had also been obsessed with Padme's love life, particularly when it came to him. From the look she was now giving him, that was evidently not going to change in this world.

"Yes," he said, playing dumb, "And you are…?"

"Oh, sorry. My name is Sola." She crossed to him and stuck out a hand in greeting, "I'm Padme's older sister."

"The one who is Thor's girlfriend," Mindy helpfully added, although Anakin only vaguely remembered that conversation. "Say, any chance that I could meet that hottie? Maybe steal a kiss?" She gave Sola a playful grin, to which Sola rolled her eyes. Apparently she was also used to Mindy's antics.

"Not anytime soon." She turned her full attention back to Anakin, sizing him up. "So, how long have you and my sister been a thing?"

"Sola!" Now Padme was entering the room, trailed by two little girls…who Anakin also recognized as Ryoo and Pooja, Sola's daughters. He had also met them in his galaxy, and they'd loved to play with R2D2. They both looked the same as he remembered them as well, with Ryoo standing much taller than her younger sister and having dark, straight hair, while Pooja always had a little smile and light brown curly hair that rivaled Padme's natural curls.

It felt like he was seeing them for the first time, and he half expected to look down and find himself wearing his Jedi robes and Padawan braid.

 _If Padme and I had children,_ he wondered before he could stop himself, _would we still have Luke and Leia?_

The thought was so painful because he realized he wanted to be their father so badly, that he immediately shut it down. He wasn't going to get back with Padme.

"We're just friends, I told you." Padme was scolding her sister. Padme apparently agreed with him.

Sola gave her a disbelieving look. "Right. I'll give you guys," she paused, thinking, "Three months."

Padme scoffed. "Isn't that a little soon?"

"Please, I met, dated, got engaged, and married my husband within three months. If it's meant to be, it'll happen." Sola grinned.

Padme let out an exasperated sigh, a blush rising onto her cheeks. "You are more embarrassing than mom and dad ever were."

"That's my job."

"No, your job is to go to that reading. If you don't go, you'll be late."

Sola laughed. "Getting rid of me now, huh? Well, I see how it is." She turned back to Anakin, "Take care of my sister."

"SOLA!" Padme seriously looked like she was going to kill Sola, and Anakin couldn't help but start to laugh. That only made Padme's blush deepen as she grabbed Sola's hand and dragged her out the door.

Even when Sola had left, Ryoo and Pooja looked at Anakin curiously. "Hello," He said slowly, not sure if they wanted to talk to him. He was a stranger, after all, and he wasn't exactly good with kids…

"Hi," Ryoo said, giving him a smirk. "So you're dating Aunt Padme?"

Mindy, who had been silent for the whole interaction, now burst out laughing. "So who does Padme's family want her to date, Anakin? Can you tell? Because I can't."

Anakin clenched his teeth, deciding to ignore Mindy. "No. We're just friends."

"Not according to mommy," Ryoo said skeptically, but she dropped the subject anyway. "Aunt Padme says she has a puppy. Where's the puppy?"

It was an effort not to scowl again as Anakin opened the back door to let the beast back in. Predictably, since it never did anything calmly, it rushed in yapping its head off as it reached the girls. The girls squealed in happiness though and fell to their knees to pet it.

By this time, Padme returned, looking composed but still a little embarrassed. "Sorry about that," she said, going over to the media center.

"It's not a problem. That's what families are for, right?" Again, he couldn't stop himself from wondering how he would have reacted to his children's love interests had he chosen the right path in the first place. He didn't think he would have reacted well.

Again, he put that thought out of his head.

"Apparently." Padme found what she was looking for and turned back to the girls. "Look what I found!" She held up a DVD case that was labeled 'Frozen,' causing the girls to gasp in excitement, completely forgetting about the dog.

"YAY!" They squealed so loud, that Anakin couldn't help but cringe at the noise, and they rushed to Padme to try to grab the case from Padme's hands.

Padme laughed, holding it out of their reach. "I have to put the disc in, then you can look at the case. Go sit down on the couch."

Ryoo immediately did as Padme asked, giggling with excitement. Pooja, however, paused as she passed Anakin, looking up at him with big blue eyes. "Hello there," Anakin said awkwardly, trying to smile.

A wide smile spread across her face in return and she grabbed his hand. Anakin wasn't sure what she was doing, but she was only five, so he let her lead him to the couch. "Watch with us Uncle Anakin," She said, patting the cushion next to her.

Instantly his heart melted, and he yet again wondered what it would have been like to have Luke and Leia at this age. Would they have sought his presence to do even the simple things?

"Oh Pooja, Anakin isn't your uncle. Maybe he doesn't want to watch a princess movie…" Padme began, glancing apologetically at Anakin, but he held up a hand to stop her.

"It's fine, she can call me what she wants. Besides, I haven't seen once of these cartoon things Mindy won't stop talking about. It'll be an experience." He said as he sat down in between Ryoo and Pooja. Pooja instantly curled up against him, her eyes riveted to the screen that was now on the main menu.

Padme blinked in surprise at Anakin's reaction, but her eyes warmed as she smiled. "Okay, don't blame me though for what happens: they worship this movie."

"But I don't," Mindy said, shutting her laptop and getting up. "You can have fun being stuck with this," She paused when the girls shot her a glare, "uh, wonderful movie. I'm going to go be stuck with homework." She left without a word, and Padme took her spot.

"Prepare yourself Anakin." Padme said, a knowing smile on her face that immediately made Anakin start to rethink his decision to stay.

And it turned out, Anakin should have left with Mindy.

When the movie began playing, Anakin was yet again struck by how different it was. This was animated, and yet there were so many details and realistic qualities that Anakin opened his mouth and began to ask Padme how they made it, but was quickly shushed by the girls on either side of him, so he closed it.

And then the singing began.

He hadn't expected that. He opened his mouth to ask why they were singing, but then the girls started singing along so loudly, he would have had to shout to be heard. So instead he looked at Padme like _what am I watching?_ To which she grinned and mouthed, _told you so._

It kept going. More singing between an actually good plot line, but _they were randomly singing._ Who did that? No one who wasn't being paid. Oddly, he had a very strange picture of himself as Darth Vader singing his feelings at random, but it was so bizarre that he shuddered and buried that thought deep, deep down.

And then there were talking snow men…although he did like Olaf in some strange way. And then singing rocks, _singing rocks…_ he sincerely hoped that Obi-Wan never found out that he'd watched this movie, because he just knew that Obi-Wan would never let him, the former Sith Lord, live it down that he watched…whatever this was.

When the movie ended it was dark, and Anakin sat between the giggling girls just dumbfounded. "Again, again!" Ryoo shouted, and yet another shudder crawled down his spine at the thought of watching it again. Did all parents in this universe have to suffer through these sort of movies over and over again? He did not envy those parents.

"No Ryoo, it's time for bed. We don't want to be tired for Disneyland tomorrow, do we?" Padme asked as she stood, turning off the TV.

"NO!" Pooja shouted, instantly standing up. "We're going to be pretty princesses and meet Anna and Elsa!"

"Yeah!" Ryoo agreed, also standing.

"Well then you better get into bed." Padme smiled, and she hadn't even finished that sentence before the girls shouted goodnight and ran out of the room.

"I think you probably would have liked the Lion King or Treasure Planet more than that particular one," Padme said when they were gone. "I promise there are other good Disney movies."

"Do they _all_ sing randomly?" Anakin asked, making Padme laugh.

"Most of them, yes. But they can be really catchy, some of them."

"I still have that 'Let It Go' song stuck in my head." Anakin grumbled, and Padme laughed harder.

"Well if you want, you can come with us to Disneyland tomorrow." She said it nonchalantly, but…did he detect a little hopefulness in her voice? "I mean even if you don't remember the movies, it's still pretty fun and everyone should go there at least once in their life. They call it the 'Happiest Place in the World" and…well, I'm rambling, but it really would be more bearable if you came with us tomorrow."

Another blush was creeping up on her cheeks and Anakin couldn't help but smile. She was so sincere and hopeful, it was impossible for him to say no. How did she always manage to do that to him? He didn't think he would ever know the answer. "Okay, I'll go."

Padme's eyes lit up and the smile she gave him was blinding and so beautiful that his heart clenched, and yet again he had to restrain himself from taking her into his arms. "Great!" she said, her voice full of excitement, "We're going to have so much fun!"

And for once, Anakin believed her.

* * *

The next morning Padme rose early to help the girls get into their Elsa and Anna dresses. Ryoo was Elsa, being the oldest, and Pooja was Anna. Padme took pictures of them on her phone and sent them to Sola before she led them out into the kitchen where Anakin and Mindy waited. Mindy had run to get donuts so that they could make a quick getaway to attempt to beat some of the crowds.

As soon as the girls saw Anakin, they began to giggle. Wearing a gray button up shirt and jeans that looked very good on him, even Padme couldn't help but feel her heart race at the sight of him.

"Hi Uncle Anakin," Ryoo said, and Anakin glanced up from his phone to smile at them. He knelt down in front of them, taking each of their hands.

"Well hello, am I in the presence of royalty?" He asked playfully, but the girls absolutely loved it. They broke into more giggles. "Well it will be a pleasure to escort you two ladies." He said, and watching him smile at her nieces, being so genuinely kind and almost fatherly, Padme couldn't help but notice her knees going a little weak.

 _Pull yourself together Padme,_ she thought as she grabbed her keys. So he was great with kids. Big whoop. Plenty of guys were. But watching him with Ryoo and Pooja…she felt, she felt…

She felt like she was missing something, something very important.

Shaking the feeling off, she herded everyone out the door and into the car.

When they reached Disneyland, after a very long drive, Padme purchased the tickets and they headed into the park. "Okay, so we need to get some fast passes…" she began, but Mindy cut her off.

"Ben says we gotta take tons of pictures because he thinks it's hilarious that Anakin is here with us." Padme gave her a weird look, not sure why Ben would think it was that funny, but Anakin sighed as if he had expected that.

"Okay, fine, but can we please stay focused?" She didn't know why she bothered to ask. The girls were practically jumping with excitement and were chattering to each other consistently about what rides they wanted to go on first, and Anakin was looking around him at the colorful, curious world that was Disneyland.

"Is Disneyland its own country?" he asked.

"No, but it might as well be." Padme sighed, "Seriously. We need to get fast passes if we want to make the most of this trip, so let's stop getting distracted and go, okay?" Goodness, it was like herding cats, Padme thought.

They purchased fast passes for various rides and began their day. She had been to Disneyland plenty of times as a girl, and she had even gone once with Sola and Ryoo when she was a toddler. But now she was the responsible adult and being there brought back pleasant memories but with the girls wanting to look at everything and do everything there was to do, Padme realized that being there with children was much tougher than she thought.

But what really made her day was watching Anakin's reactions. He was like a kid himself. He wanted to know how each ride worked, and although he didn't understand most of the references, he was still fascinated by the culture of Disneyland. "Is that a man in a giant mouse suit?" He asked when the girls met Mickey.

"Yes."

"But _why?"_

"He's the mascot of Disney."

"If you say so…"

Or… "That's not what Space feels like," He said after they'd gone on Space Mountain.

"It's just a fun ride. How would you know what space feels like anyway?"

He cleared his throat. "It's just an educated guess."

Or… "These blasters don't have actual bullets, how am I supposed to shoot anything?"

"You just point it at the little lit up targets and pull the trigger. The machines do the rest."

He'd looked pretty doubtful at that, but he and Padme had ended up having the exact same high score when they finished that ride.

He enjoyed Indiana Jones, and voiced interest in watching those movies immediately when they got home. He enjoyed the Haunted Mansion. He liked all of the roller coasters and really wanted to know how those worked.

But Padme's favorite ride she went on with him was the tea cups. They all squeezed into the cup, and when Padme explained that Anakin could turn the wheel in the middle to make it go faster, he took that challenge whole heartedly. He made a silly face at the girls and began to turn the wheel as fast as it would go. Normally Padme would have been squeamish, but this time she hardly noticed. All she noticed was the bright smiles on the girls faces as they screamed at Anakin to make it go faster and Anakin as he laughed and turned it around and around.

Mindy, however, did not enjoy that experience as much as Padme did. She had to run to the nearest restroom to throw up. She understandably refused to be in the same car or row as Anakin again.

Anakin did not, however, enjoy waiting in line to see Anna and Elsa. Even with a fast pass, there was a line to meet the two princesses. She could see the impatience in his eyes, and she didn't think it helped that there were plenty of little girls singing "Let It Go" over and over again as they waited. Still, whenever Ryoo or Pooja looked up to talk to him, he always had a smile for them.

Padme had to admit, she really was impressed. Here was a guy who was clearly going through a lot, more than Padme could ever imagine. And yet he was kind to her nieces as if they were his own nieces. He smiled for them even when it was clear that he didn't want to. And it was…it was…

Well, as Mindy would say, it was really _hot._

Finally it was their turn to meet Elsa and Anna, and the girls immediately went to meet their heroes. Mindy took pictures while Padme took a moment to stand next to Anakin. "You're really good with kids."

Anakin looked genuinely surprised. "You really think so?"

Padme gave him a look like he was crazy. "Of course. Have you seen yourself with Ryoo and Pooja? And they adore you. I think they might even have a little crush on you." She elbowed him playfully and that got a small blush to rise onto his cheeks.

"Well…uh, I just…." He cleared his throat. "I would like to think that, um, if I ever became a father ag…became a father," Padme frowned, wondering what he was originally going to say, but listened as he continued, "I would be the best I could be for them." In a quieter voice, he added, "They deserved that."

Padme opened her mouth to ask what he meant by that, but by then it was already time to move on.

They saw Anna and Elsa in a sing along show after that, and Anakin did actually look miserable as he was surrounded by lots of children singing along with their favorite princesses. When Elsa began to use whatever special effects that made it look like she was actually using her ice powers (and it really did look real), Anakin's entire frame froze up and it looked like he was about to leap from his seat and spring onto the stage to fight someone. Padme began to lean over Ryoo to ask what was wrong, but Mindy got to him first, grabbing his shoulder and shouting, "It's just a special effect, it isn't real! She's not using that hocus-pocus Sith Lord magic or whatever."

Wait, what?

Anakin seemed to understand it though, and after he squinted his eyes at the actress on stage, he seemed satisfied that it wasn't real and he calmed.

What was that about? Padme wondered, but she didn't get a chance to ask.

Finally the day began to come to a close. Pooja was so tired, that she had a hard time walking, and Anakin eventually picked her up and put her on his shoulders. She hugged his forehead, looking around the park tiredly. "We have one more ride," Padme said, "And then we can go home."

"Which ride?" Mindy asked with a yawn.

"Pirates of the Caribbean."

"Oh, I love that ride." Mindy said, perking up a little. "Hold up Anakin, I want to take a picture and send it to Ben."

Anakin stopped walking for a second to let Mindy take a picture of him with Pooja on his shoulders. As soon as she was done, his strained smile turned into a scowl. "He's going to have so many pictures to bribe me with later," He grumbled, but Mindy sent the picture anyway.

By the time they got to Pirates, the line was actually fairly short as most people were leaving the park. They were fairly quickly loaded onto a boat. "You'll can't sit on the front two rows," the worker told them as they approached the boat, "Those two rows are reserved."

"That's fine," Padme said as she helped Anakin settle the two girls between them. Pooja yawned and leaned against Anakin, looking like she was going to sleep through the ride.

"I think Ben could totally scrapbook an album out of these pictures," Mindy was saying as she began to flip through the pictures on her phone. Anakin turned around just enough so that he could shoot her a glare.

"I bet you and Ben are plotting a lot of ways to blackmail me," He was saying as the worker ushered a group of people into the first two rows of the boat. Padme frowned at one of them. She couldn't quite see his face, but he looked familiar…

The ride started, and as they pulled away Anakin turned back around, grumbling something about being teamed up on. Padme hardly heard him. She just kept staring at the white hair of the older man sitting directly in front of us. "Jolene," he said, and as soon as he spoke, Padme instantly knew who it was, "Make sure to get a good photo of Johnny and I on this ride." He was referring to the boy sitting next to him that Padme knew wasn't related to him.

Senator Palpatine.

Anakin seemed to recognize his voice too, because his whole body froze and he stared at the back of the man's head with wide, furious eyes. If Pooja and Ryoo were not sitting next to them, Padme wondered if Anakin would have jumped up and tried to throttle the man. He wouldn't have gotten far, because when Padme turned around, she saw that in the back row were two Disney workers in plaid shirts that were clearly meant to be both tour guide and temporary bodyguard for the politician. They would have stopped whatever Anakin tried, but still…Anakin looked ready to kill someone right about then.

He turned to face her, and she suddenly saw worry creep into his eyes. He mouthed quietly, "Don't say anything."

Padme frowned. Honestly, she herself didn't think she had enough restraint to say something nice to the senator. She knew what he was doing. Her parents, his rivals who were running against him, were well liked because of their strong family lifestyle. Senator Palpatine was an older man, never married, and never had children, so that was not a perception he had. But if he could go to Disneyland just long enough to take pictures with some hired kid he would claim was related to him in some way, he could point to those pictures as evidence that he too was a family man in order to get votes from her parents voters.

Needless to say, she was not happy with that.

Anakin slowly began to look around to see if there was any way to turn the ride around, but Padme knew that was impossible. They were going to have to somehow get through the fifteen minute ride without being noticed, and this time Padme agreed that they should go unnoticed. She didn't feel like getting into a political argument with her parents rival in front of her nieces.

And given Anakin's reaction to the senator, she really didn't want to have to hold the man back from a fight. This time, it would not end well for Anakin.

Thankfully, Ryoo and Pooja were tired enough not to make too much noise or draw too much attention to themselves. The majority of the ride was calm, but Padme worried that when the drop at the end came, the girl's screams would cause the senator to look back.

Padme seriously wished they had just gone home.

It was the longest ride of her life. Anakin seemed to get more tense with every minute that passed, and he looked like he was either going to kill the man or jump into the disgusting water to get away from the situation. But every other second, Anakin caught her gaze and mouthed, "Don't do anything. Don't say anything. _Do not draw attention to us."_

He really, _really_ didn't like Palpatine. Padme wondered what Palpatine had done to Anakin before his memory loss to elicit such a strong, negative reaction from him.

Finally the drop came, and thankfully the girls only giggled a little bit, being too tired to do anything else. As the boat came towards the unloading area, Anakin gently turned his body so that he was both hiding his face from Palpatine and hiding the girls' faces too. His eyes pleaded with Padme, asking her to do something to hide herself.

She turned around to face Mindy, who was also giving Palpatine a strange, untrusting look for some reason. Padme didn't remember Mindy ever really having major political feelings towards Palpatine, but the way she was looking at him… Padme had never seen her look at someone with so much distaste. "Hey, uh, can I check to make sure I didn't drop something back there?" It was a lame attempt, Padme knew, but Mindy met her eyes, instantly understanding what she was doing.

"No problem, look all you want. I'll keep an eye on the unloading." Padme looked at her gratefully and pretended to look for misplaced items.

They stayed like that as the boat stopped and they felt the group in front of them moving out of the boat. "We're clear," Mindy whispered, and immediately Anakin picked Pooja up in one arm and took Ryoo's hand in his free hand, helping her out of the boat. Padme followed after them, Mindy close behind.

Padme hoped that Palpatine had decided to ignore the picture counter. She hoped, with the park closing, that he was going home. But as they made their way to that area, Padme saw with a sinking feeling that Palpatine had indeed stopped at the picture booth, his wallet out to purchase more 'proof' of his family man status, but what bothered her even more was that he seemed frozen, staring at the pictures on the screen.

"If we hurry," she whispered, "Maybe we can sneak around them before they notice us…"

Padme hadn't even finished when Palpatine turned and their eyes met.

Anakin, Padme, and Mindy froze. Ryoo bumped into the back of Anakin's leg and she protested a little, but the adults didn't even notice. What they noticed was the older man looking between Anakin and Padme intensely, as if he were seeing two criminals rather than two normal people. He frowned, and his gaze lingered longer on Anakin, before his cold gaze moved to Padme. A shiver went down her spine as he suddenly smiled that politicians smile. "Padme Amidala," He said in what most would have considered a friendly voice. "It's been a while. It's been five years, hasn't it?"

Padme forced her own political smile, a smile she learned from her parents. "It has been. What a pleasant surprise." She looked pointedly at the clearly bored kid that was standing next to his secretary. "And who might this be?"

"My nephew." Generic answer, no specific names…yeah, he wasn't related. Padme felt anger begin to choke her. "And who," He asked, looking specifically at Anakin, "Might this be?" His voice was still pleasant on the surface, but Padme could hear a dangerous edge in it.

Anakin had managed to wipe off the murderous glare, but Padme could still see it in his blue eyes. "This is my friend Anakin," She said, "And my friend Mindy." She motioned to Mindy, but Palpatine didn't even give her a glance. He was still focusing on Anakin as if Anakin was the most interesting person alive.

"What a pleasure to meet you," he said softly, and Padme couldn't help but feel like the air between the two men was so intense, lightning could have struck between them.

"The pleasure," Anakin forced out between gritted teeth, "Is mine."

Padme cleared her throat. She had to get them out of there, now, before Anakin lost his cool. He looked on the verge of doing so. "Well, we need to get going. We have a long drive ahead of us. I'm sure we'll see each other throughout the election season." She began to walk, making it clear that they really were leaving. Anakin didn't hesitate to follow, pulling Ryoo close to him and hiding Pooja's face from Palpatine's direct view as if Palpatine knowing their faces would somehow physically endanger them.

Palpatine didn't bother stopping them, but as they passed him, he made sure to meet Padme's eyes and smile that cold, bone chilling smile. "Yes," he said, "I believe we shall."

* * *

 **Special thanks to my friend Carlie for helping me with details on Disneyland! She worked there for two years and I haven't been for YEARS so she helped me with some details.**

 **I loved writing this chapter because Anakin was SO freaking FUNNY to write. Disneyland is a totally different experience for the Former Sith Lord, and Frozen really wasn't the right movie to introduce him to. But still, his reactions made me laugh and the Disneyland sequence with him and the girls were so cute I kept squealing and it took me longer to write as a result. BUT THEN PALPATINE! D: He now knows Anakin IS IN THIS UNIVERSE. So that plot line is moving along, slowly but surely.**

 **So guys. Next chapter? It's going to be MAJOR. I mean, I usually have major things happening, but trust me. This one is going to be MAJOR MAJOR. I'll try to update asap, but I'm going to want to get it just right. So...be prepared.**

 **Review! I love your support. Don't ever feel like I don't want your reviews, because I totally do. They make my day. And I know I need to reply to some of your private messages, but I PROMISE I will do that tomorrow as I have already stayed up too late to update this. My bad. I'll probably be sorry for it in the morning.**

 **Love,**

 **~Sarah**


	16. The Beach

"Talk to me about Palpatine, you must." Yoda said, looking at Anakin calmly from his chair.

Anakin scowled at the mention of his former master. In fact, all Anakin ever seem to do during these sessions was scowl. He was not used to opening up, so the past few sessions had been discussions on his motivations for becoming a Jedi, how he viewed himself as a general in the Clone Wars, and his relationship with his mother. He always hesitated to give in depth answers, but Yoda was very good at getting Anakin to open up before the end of the session.

Anakin suspected Yoda was now about to delve into the harder things to talk about.

It had been three weeks since Padme and Anakin had run into Palpatine at Disneyland. The first week after it had happened, Anakin was convinced that Palpatine would retaliate, so much so that Obi-Wan came over to Padme's house every night to help him keep an eye out for anything suspicious. They'd told Padme that Obi-Wan was just there to help Anakin on his project, and although Anakin did have Obi-Wan sort of help (he wasn't very good at machines like Anakin, so he was more in the way than anything else), Obi-Wan mostly was there to help feel for disturbances in the Force.

But nothing had happened. Anakin obsessively monitored the news, looking for any mention of Palpatine, but it seemed as though he was doing campaigning around the country.

So eventually he had relaxed, but he didn't lower his guard down completely.

"What do you want to know about him?" Anakin asked, "I have a lot of history with him." Unfortunately, he added in his head.

"Meet him, how did you?" Yoda asked, his green eyes watching Anakin with patience. Anakin had to give him credit, for a man who didn't remember anything about his previous life, he at least acted like he understood what Anakin was talking about. Maybe the Force helped him understand, Anakin had no clue.

But if Anakin was truly honest with himself, it was nice to talk through things to a neutral party.

"I met him in passing when I was nine. I went to Coruscant with Master Qui Gon and Obi-Wan to escort Padme, who was then Queen Amidala, to the Senate. We didn't really get to know each other until the Clone Wars, and even then he didn't pay special attention to me until the end." Anakin clenched his fists, trying to keep his breathing steady. He and Obi-Wan had gone back to trying to find Anakin's inner peace, to no avail. The only helpful things he'd gained from it was stress management techniques. "I suppose he sensed that I had darkness in me. I… I told you I killed the Tusken Raiders. When I saw him again after that, he seemed to pay more attention to me, but he didn't try to approach me until much later."

"Give you special attention, when did he?"

"Towards the end of the Clone Wars," Anakin replied, scowling as he remembered all of the fake offers of friendship, the fake support, the way he had preyed upon Anakin in his weak state. "He ordered me to kill Count Dooku, and I did it. I knew that Count Dooku was evil, but I had disarmed him. I didn't need to kill him, and I knew it as soon as I did it. And then there was his appointing me to the Jedi Council even though I was not yet a Master, and then telling me he could save Padme with the dark side…" His throat closed up as he tried to fight back the rage that threatened to overcome him.

"Feel about him, how do you?" Yoda asked, sensing Anakin's emotions.

Anakin struggled to contain himself before he spoke. "Hate is not strong enough a word for the way I feel about him. He has manipulated essentially my whole life. He manipulated us into the Clone Wars, and was behind many of the battles I fought there. I can't say that he was the only reason I went to the Darkside, because that's not true, but I do feel that he manipulated the opportunity to fall. My entire existence as Darth Vader was constant manipulation. I told myself that I was being a loyal servant to a good cause, but I realize now that I was choosing to believe his lies because I didn't want to fully face the evil I had become." Anakin was breathless by the end of his rant, his heart squeezing painfully.

Yoda shifted in his seat, leaning forward. "Listen to me, you must." He waited until he was sure he had Anakin's full attention. "Concentrate on your feelings for him, you must."

 _That_ surprised Anakin. The Yoda of his world would have cautioned him to stay away from those feelings as if it were easy to just forget what he felt. "But…" He began uncertainly.

"On temporary, it is. Trust me."

Did Anakin trust him? Anakin wasn't sure of the answer to that, but he closed his eyes anyway and concentrated.

It was _not_ hard to begin to feel that old friend called Hate. Anakin had spent so long filled with fear and hate that it was not hard for him to feel. In fact, it was a little too easy to feel that way. But when he thought of Palpatine and what he had done, what he could _still_ do…the hate and fear was worse than he had _**ever**_ felt.

He wanted to kill him for what he had done.

He wanted to kill him for what he had taken from Anakin.

He wanted to kill him for what he could still do.

But he knew that if he killed him for any of those reasons, he would turn to the Dark Side again. He had been able to break away from the Dark Side by killing Palpatine the last time because he had done it only to protect Luke. But this time his reasoning would be purely selfish, purely for reasons that would turn him back into the monster he had been.

And he didn't want that.

He told Yoda all of this as he felt it. "I don't want to feel this way anymore," He said when he finished, his voice breaking. He opened his eyes to meet Yoda's green ones. "Hate has been my Master my whole life, and I can't live like this anymore. Every time I see Palpatine though, I just feel that murderous rage again. The only reason I didn't attack him at Disneyland was because I had two little girls holding onto me and Padme was there and wouldn't understand. And…and even if he does remember who he is and does have some evil plot, I don't want to feel like my whole life, every day, is governed by intense feelings of rage and fear."

Yoda nodded his head and leaned forward. "Listen well, young Skywalker," It had been a long time since anyone had called him that… "A choice, hate is. Neither good nor evil, the Force is. It merely exists. Responds to your choices, it does. Used for good or evil, it can be. It _is_ a choice. To let go of hate, you must choose. Hate will continue to be your ruler, otherwise."

The Force was neither good nor bad? He had always been taught growing up that there was a Light Side and a Dark Side. Yoda himself, back in his galaxy, had told him such on many occasion. But for the Force to merely exist, being neither good nor evil? He had never thought of it that way. "But it's hard to just let something like that go."

Yoda nodded in understanding. "A hard choice, it is. In order to heal completely, it must be done. Only then will you defeat Palpatine."

The Force responded to Yoda's words, warming through Anakin with the truthfulness of his words. Still, to just let go…

"I'll try," was all he could promise to do.

* * *

Anakin pulled his motorcycle into the parking lot of the beach, looking warily at the sandy shore before he slowly dismounted.

He hated sand. Why had he agreed to go to the beach after his therapy session?

It was a stupid question to ask. Now that the weather was beginning to chill slightly and tourism season was dying down at the beach, many college students were throwing a beach party, and Padme had asked him to come. Since it was Padme asking him, he stupidly agreed.

But now that he was looking at the sand and imagining it getting everywhere, he was suddenly considering turning around and heading home. He could make up some excuse. Padme would forgive him. Mindy would probably call him out on it, but Padme would believe him. Maybe.

But Mindy had invited Obi-Wan to come, and Obi-Wan was waiting for him. "Took you long enough," He said, approaching Anakin with a raised eyebrow. "Don't bother trying to turn around and go home. I'm the oldest one here and it's awkward, so you're going to suffer through the awkwardness with me."

"I'm not older than everyone here," Anakin grumbled, but he began to follow Obi-Wan to the shore anyway. He paused before he stepped onto the sand, bracing himself. He should have brought those 'flip flops' Mindy made him buy when he first got there.

"Yeah well I know you. I don't know most of the people here." Obi-Wan said as they approached a crowd of college students. Although it was the beginning of October, there were still women wearing…well they weren't wearing much. Anakin blushed and averted his eyes.

"Where's Mindy and Padme?" Anakin asked, looking around for them.

"Mindy went to go set up a volleyball net," Anakin didn't know what that was, "And Padme went to go rent you a surf board."

"A what?" Anakin asked, whirling his attention back to Obi-Wan in surprise. Padme hadn't said anything about…whatever that was.

Obi-Wan grinned, crossing his arms. "Padme is going to teach you how to surf."

"But what if I don't want to surf?"

"Do you even know what surfing is?"

"Yes." After Obi-Wan gave him a skeptical look, Anakin sighed. "Okay no, but," He glanced down at his shoes which were already full of sand. Oh Force, he could feel it seeping between his toes. Gross. "I hate sand."

"Well it's a good thing then that surfing is mostly in the water." Obi-Wan said with a laugh. Anakin opened his mouth to try another excuse, but Padme's voice interrupted from behind him.

"Has Obi-Wan told you my diabolical plan for you?" Anakin whirled around to meet Padme's dark eyes, and as soon as he saw her, his mouth dropped open in shock and horror.

She too was hardly wearing anything.

" _What are you wearing?"_ He asked, and he winced at the horror that leaked through his voice.

Padme frowned, looking down at herself. "What?" She asked, "It's just a bikini."

"I don't care what you call it, you're practically naked!" He had to remind himself not to stare. Sure he had seen that and….but it was still totally not appropriate for other people to see that.

Especially other men, and there were plenty of college boys around who could potentially look at her in a very bad way.

This statement however caused Padme to scowl, and she dropped both oddly shaped boards she'd held underneath each arm to the ground. "Listen you," She snapped, about to chew him out, but Obi-Wan cut in before she could finish.

"Anakin doesn't remember that bikinis are in style here," Obi-Wan said, and he gave Anakin a meaningful look that said, _this is not our galaxy, remember?_ "He hasn't seen one since his memory loss."

Padme's anger, thankfully, deflated. "Oh. Sorry." She sighed, picking back up one board. "A lot of women wear these to go swimming Anakin. You'll have to get used to it. Now pick up your board and let's go." She turned away without a word, Anakin watching her go.

He still wanted to argue. He didn't want other men looking at her like he used to. He wanted to be the only one to see her that way. But Obi-Wan gave him a pleading look, and with a sigh Anakin dropped the subject. It was not an argument he would win.

Still, how was he supposed to concentrate when she was wearing that?

He had a feeling he was going to go crazy by the end of the day.

He picked up his board however and followed her. She showed him where he could change into his unused swim clothes (they felt weird on his skin and he definitely felt weird walking around without a shirt on), and then they found a good spot on the beach where she modeled how to get on the board. When she showed him how to properly stand on the board, she apparently wasn't satisfied with his stance and helped him fix it by gently moving him to where he was supposed to be. Her contact on his bare chest sent his heart racing and he gulped to keep himself from losing focus.

When she was satisfied that he could get the basics on land, she led him into the cool water. He could feel Obi-Wan's eyes on him, just waiting to see how Anakin would fare against the waves. Anakin sometimes thought Obi-Wan was more entertained by the idea of the former Sith Lord doing mundane things than he was by anything else. He had stored away those Disneyland photos for 'future generations' or so he claimed. Anakin would not be surprised to turn around and find Obi-Wan recording this somehow.

He followed Padme's example, paddling out towards where the larger waves were. His instinct was to just try the first large wave that they came across, but Padme dunked the board and herself under it, and he followed suit. "It becomes an instinct to know when the right wave comes along," Padme said when she caught him giving her a weird look, "You'll develop that instinct the more you practice."

He didn't have the heart to tell her that he really didn't care to go to the beach often, but he remembered her telling him once that she loved the water. Naboo was a planet that was mostly covered by water, and therefore Padme had spent most of her childhood in it. It was the complete opposite of Tatooine, and Anakin had always envied her for that. So many times he had tried to talk her into going back there with him to settle down, or at least for a vacation.

But she had refused every time, and now here they were, on a beach, with her teaching him how to do something she loved. There was no war to worry about (other than Palpatine), there was no Jedi Code keeping them apart: they were finally together, having fun.

And yet…

"Now!" Padme whirled the board around and Anakin quickly followed suit, following her example. When she finally jumped up, he got up too, focusing on whether or not he was doing it right…

But that quickly vanished as the euphoria of actually riding a wave washed over him.

It was amazing.

He had loved riding his motorcycle. It had felt a lot like his speeder back in his galaxy. But gliding on that wave, being one with the ocean, it felt like he was flying again. He felt like he could do anything, be anything, as long as he was riding that wave.

And then he lost his balance and he came crashing down into the world again, salt water shoving itself up his nose and throat.

When the world stopped tumbling, he broke back up onto the surface, sputtering and gasping for air as he grabbed his board for support. Padme paddled back to him, having not crashed, a concerned look on her face. "Are you okay?" She asked when she reached him.

Anakin finished spitting out salt water before he answered her with a challenging grin. "Let's go again."

* * *

Padme continued to surf with Anakin until late afternoon, teaching him the basics and a few simple tricks she had learned over the years once he had mastered that. He progressed surprisingly quickly, and only wiped out three times total. When she had first started, she had wiped out multiple times a day. It had only been her determination and love for the ocean that kept her going. Yet Anakin didn't seem to necessarily love the ocean, but he picked things up quickly. It was as if he was a natural born learner.

He seemed disappointed when she announced it was time to head back in, but she knew that if they didn't join Mindy's volleyball game she would be pissed. She didn't feel like dealing with a passive-aggressive Mindy for the rest of the night, so she promised Anakin that they could go again sometime soon before it got too cold.

They returned their boards and Padme slipped on a lacey white swim cover up dress and Anakin, unfortunately, put a white t-shirt on. Although Padme had enjoyed sneaking peeks at Anakin's sculpted torso, Anakin seemed relieved when she put on the cover up.

Maybe Anakin was just really old fashioned, she thought as she led him to the makeshift volleyball court Mindy had set up. They were already splitting into teams, with Mindy taking charge. When Mindy spotted them, she waved them over.

"Have you ever seen volleyball before Anakin?" she asked pointedly when they approached. Anakin frowned at the net, shaking his head. Padme thought it was a little rude of Mindy to ask a question like that; she very well knew that Anakin didn't have his memories. Of course he didn't remember seeing volleyball.

"Well, Ben has informed me that he knows how to play. So he will teach you how to play. We're doing boys versus girls, so go to that side and talk to your volleyball master." She grinned as if she'd made some inside joke that only she and Anakin were privy to, causing Padme to feel a sting of jealousy.

She knew it was ridiculous to feel jealous, but Padme had noticed that the dynamic between Mindy and Anakin had changed in the past few weeks. Mindy always seemed to say things to him that he understood but Padme did not. She didn't think their relationship was in any way romantic, since Mindy was usually pretty open about her feelings, but it did make Padme wonder.

Anakin rolled his eyes though and ducked under the next and met with Ben, both of them talking in low voices. "Are you going to stare at Anakin all day or are you going to get into position?" Mindy asked pointedly.

Padme shook herself and got into place. "Sorry," She said, trying to focus her mind.

The game began. At first the girls were doing better, having gone to the beach as a group multiple times to play beach volleyball throughout the years. It was one of the few activities Padme would consistently show up to during the Spring Semester.

But that quickly changed. Anakin quickly figured out the rules of the game, and like some freaky magical turn of events, he and Ben were suddenly leading the men's team, working together so fluidly it was like they had worked together for years. They didn't even have to say anything to each other. It was like they could sense where they would be needed before the ball even went over to their side of the next.

Back and forth they went, Padme struggling to keep up, sweat beginning to break out on her brow. When the men pulled ahead, they cheered and clapped Anakin and Ben on the back. "Who's the volleyball champions now, ladies?!" One of the guys said, spreading his arms out teasingly.

"Those two," The girl, Sabe Padme thought her name was, said as she pointed to Anakin and Ben. The boy's ego deflated a little at that.

"I say cheater-cheater-pumpkin-eater!" Mindy said, pointing directly at Anakin, her eyes narrowed. Mindy took volleyball a little too seriously sometimes.

Anakin grinned, a competitive fire in his eyes. "You're just jealous," he said, approaching the net. He said it to Mindy, but he was looking right at Padme, his smile widening. Padme's heart sped up and before it she approached the net, standing _very_ close to him.

"The games not over yet," She said, grinning playfully.

"Oh, it will be soon," Anakin assured her, stepping even closer to her. She was so close to him, that she could see just how deeply blue his eyes were, how the scar over his right eye was beginning to fade, and suddenly she forgot what she was going to say.

"Can we continue our game, love birds?" Mindy snapped, and Padme realized that a lot of people were staring at them. Blushing, she returned to her spot, and they resumed the game.

In the end, the boys won by one point. There were lots of cheers and Mindy was demanding a rematch, but by then the sky was beginning to darken, so the match would have to be done some other time.

Padme helped take down the volleyball net and the boys began to set up a bonfire while the girls pulled out ingredients for s'mores. "You're going to love these," She told Anakin when he asked what they were for. "It's the perfect combination of chewy and chocolatey."

"I keep hearing about how wonderful chocolate is," He said, picking up a Hershey's bar to examine it, "But I've yet to actually eat it."

"WHAT?" Mindy exclaimed as she walked by, giving Anakin an incredible look. "We have failed you as friends. Quick! To the bonfire!"

"It isn't lit yet," Padme pointed out. Ben was currently in the process of trying to get the fire started.

"Well as soon as it's lit, I expect you to be making yourself a s'more." Mindy said before she continued over to the fire.

As soon as she left, Padme looked at Anakin. "Did something happen between you two?" She asked.

"No," He said, but he wasn't looking at her when he said it. "Why?"

"Because you two seem different. You seem a little tense." Her eyes narrowed, but he only shrugged his shoulders. She knew that she had no right to force him to tell her, but…

Why did she feel unusually frustrated by his response?

The bonfire was soon lit and Padme showed Anakin how to make the perfect s'more. Or attempted to, really. Anakin set every marshmallow he had on fire. Apparently he was not naturally good at everything. Padme made a mental note: Anakin was great at surfing, volleyball, and anything electronic. S'more making was _not_ something he was good at.

Eventually she just gave him her s'more, the chocolate slightly melting by that point. "Take a bite and tell me what you think," She said, and watched as Anakin bit into it.

At first he chewed without a reaction. Then slowly a smile lit across his face, and Padme couldn't help but smile back. "This is fantastic," He said even though he hadn't swallowed it all yet, "Can I hire you to keep making these for me?"

Padme laughed, "And what would you give me for them?"

Anakin thought about it for a moment and his grin widened. "The stars," He said.

"And just how would you manage to do that?" Padme asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"I don't know. I would figure it out."

Laughing, Padme shook her head. "You don't need to get me the stars, but I'll think of something else."

Ben suddenly cleared his throat, and both Padme and Anakin turned to look at him in surprise. How long had he been standing there? She wondered. "Hey Ben, what's up?"

Anakin snorted and mumbled something about the sky being above them, causing Padme to start giggling again. The first time she'd said that around him, he had been so genuinely confused that she would ask such an obvious question that he had blurted out, "The ceiling is above us Padme, what else were you expecting?" She had laughed for a good fifteen minutes straight before she could tell him what the phrase meant.

The corners of Ben's mouth turned upwards into a smile at Anakin's muttered comment, but he didn't remark on it. "I just wanted to thank you for inviting me out here tonight. I had fun, but I'm afraid I must be going back. I have business to take care of early in the morning." He flashed a knowing look at Anakin. "I'll tell you how it goes."

Anakin's face went serious as he nodded. "Call me as soon as you're done."

Ben nodded and bid them goodbye before he turned and walked off into the night.

"What was that about?" Padme asked before she stopped to think if it was something she should ask about. Anakin and Ben were always going off to do mysterious things. Anakin would never tell her the details of whatever it was they did, but Padme always suspected that it was something more than just a normal hang out. Perhaps it was some sort of weird best friend secret bonding time thing.

Anakin shrugged. "He's just looking into some opportunities." Again, a vague answer. Secret best friend bonding thing it was, then.

Deciding not to feel left out, Padme picked up the stick and stuck a marshmallow at the end of it. "Let's get making you those s'mores," she said.

The night progressed smoothly. Eventually some guys pulled out portable speakers and began to play music, and more college students began to show up. Padme explained to Anakin that locals highly enjoyed bonfires as it was a good opportunity to mingle and get to know people without the stress of a club environment.

However as the fire got bigger as the night wore on, Anakin seemed more and more uncomfortable around it, as if he were wary of it. The smoke began to thicken and the wind blew in his direction, pushing the smoke towards him. He attempted to move out of the way, but the smoke seemed to follow him wherever he went, and soon he had circled the whole group before he returned to her side, a scowl on his face. "Not enjoying the fire anymore?" She asked.

Anakin stared at the flames, the look in his eyes far away, as if he were remembering something unpleasant. "Not really," He said, his voice distant.

"Why not?"

He turned his eyes away from the flames finally, looking at her as if seeing her for the first time. He smiled a little, but the smile didn't touch his eyes. "It's too hot, I guess."

Padme frowned, feeling as if there was something else, something that made him uncomfortable. Perhaps it happened in his past and he couldn't remember it, but she wondered if he would tell her even if he did. "Well, in that case," She said, starting to walk away from the fire.

"Where are you going?" Anakin called after her.

She turned around, spreading her arms out. "I'm getting away from the heat!" She turned around without waiting to see if he would follow and began to run down the beach, the sand slowing her down.

She ran until she was far away from the rest of the group, and there were no other people standing around her. She would have kept running but Anakin, who had greatly improved during their morning runs over the past few weeks, caught up to her, his arms snaking around her waist, lifting her up from the ground.

She squealed happily as he swung her into his arms, and she heard his laugh, clear and beautiful and _happy_ in her ear. "You better be careful Padme," He teased in her ear, "You never know who's out here to catch you."

He set her back down onto the sand, and she turned to face him, giggling like a love-struck school girl. She sounded ridiculous—she had never acted like this around anyone, but being around Anakin was like she nothing she had ever felt before. It was like she already knew him, as if her soul called out to his and…

"I do know who is out here to catch me," She said, poking him playfully in the chest. They were so close, and Anakin looked down at her hand on his chest, as if he were realizing it too. But he didn't step away this time, and neither did Padme.

Anakin looked back up at her, his smile so genuine and heart wrenchingly beautiful that Padme's breath caught in her chest. "How do you do this to me?" He whispered.

"Do what?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

"This," he motioned around them. "Did you know that I hate the beach? I hate sand. It gets all over everything and it doesn't feel great." He pointed to his legs which were half covered in sand. "It's going to take multiple showers to get this off, and it's all your fault."

Padme laughed, "Such a burden." Her laughter died though when she realized that Anakin was serious. "Well you had fun, didn't you?"

"Of course."

"Well," She said, taking another step closer. They were practically chest to chest now. "What else would you do if I asked?"

"Name it." Anakin was still smiling, but she could tell he was dead serious.

"If I asked you to skydive?"

Anakin snorted. "Easy."

"Oh really?" She asked skeptically.

"Really."

"Okay then," she thought, "What if I asked you to swim with sharks?"

"I don't know what those are," Anakin admitted, "But I would do it."

"You might change your answer if you found out what they were."

"Never." They were so close now, their breath mingled.

"What if I asked you to jump off a cliff?" Surely she had him there.

"I would do it." His answer was so sure, and Padme's heart was beating faster. "And I would still find a way back to you."

"So that I could order you around some more?" she teased.

"Yes."

"That's not exactly a healthy relationship." She pointed out.

"If it made you happy," Anakin replied, "I would give you the stars."

She ran out of things to hypothetically tease him about. Even if she hadn't, she couldn't have thought clearly enough to say them. They were so close, her eyes meeting his clear blue ones, drowning in them, and all she was aware of was him and the way he made her feel, as if she was invincible, as if the whole world was hers just because he was there with her…

She kissed him.

She didn't think about it, she just…did it. She felt his surprise, but quickly the kiss melted and he was kissing her back, soft and sweet.

She had kissed boys before. She had thought she had good kisses before. But _this…._

She felt like she was on top of the world. She felt as if she could travel the universe and never find anything this wonderful, this good, this _pure._ Her heart beat hammered in her chest so quickly that she was sure that she could literally achieve flight if she wanted to. It felt as if her soul were joining his, as if they were two star-crossed lovers being reunited after a thousand years apart.

She wanted more.

She wanted him.

She wanted Anakin.

She moved to deepen the kiss, she began to reach up to link her arms around his neck…

And suddenly he pulled away from her, as if she'd stung him.

She stared at him in surprise, not quite comprehending that the moment was suddenly over, but he stood there, staring at her like a frightened deer in headlights. "I…" He opened his mouth, trying to explain, but he couldn't get the words out. In his eyes there looked to be an internal war ripping him apart from the inside. Finally he shook his head, turning away from her. "I…we can't." His voice, so tortured, and yet so final, immediately knocked the breath from Padme, causing her to crash back down to reality. "I'm sorry."

And then he swiftly walked away, leaving Padme standing alone on that beach, her heart plunging agonizingly into the depths of her soul.

She didn't know how long she stood there, staring after him even when he had disappeared. All she could think was _what happened?_ And…

 _What have I done?_

* * *

 **I TOLD YOU A MAJOR THING HAPPENED IN THIS CHAPTER!**

 **I have been planning this chapter for SO LONG. The song that inspired it was Rooftop Kiss by James Horner from the Amazing Spiderman soundtrack. If you can't tell, I had WAY too much fun writing that last scene. I think it's fitting though that in this world Padme is the one initiating the first move, because in this world there isn't any reason why they shouldn't. But for Anakin, he had plenty of reasons why he thinks they shouldn't, and he never would have initiated it in this world. So...reversal of roles.**

 **For those of you asking about Ashoka, she will appear not next chapter, but the chapter after. I have gotten far enough into the Clone Wars that I think I can write her now (I think). We shall see what role she will play!**

 **REVIEW! I really want to know if you loved it as much as I loved writing it. What do you think is going to happen? What do you think Anakin is thinking? Etc.**

 **I love you all!**

 **~Sarah**


	17. Rejection

_She was in a boat with a younger Anakin, and he was in the process of parking it next to a huge, gorgeous mansion on the edge of the lake. The sun shone brightly down upon them, but Anakin wore dark robes that looked like Anakin should have been sweltering, but he looked unfazed as he climbed out of the boat and turned to offer her his hand. She took it gratefully and allowed him to help her out of the boat._

 _They climbed the steps up towards a balcony. She glanced down at herself, seeing that she wore an absolutely gorgeous dress that was cream at the top and faded into pink and then a deep purple. Why on Earth didn't she have this dress in reality? Shame. "We used to come here for school retreats." She said to Anakin, looking off into the distance towards an island in the middle of the lake. "We would swim to that island every day." She smiled at the memory, "I love the water."_

 _Apparently dream Padme and reality Padme were very similar. They approached a balcony with a gorgeous view of the lake, and Padme leaned against the stone railing. "We used to lie out on the sand and let the sun dry us, and try to guess the names of the birds singing." Well Padme didn't know if she'd ever bother with guessing bird names._

 _Anakin also leaned against the railing next to her, fingering the patterns in the stone as he began to speak. "I don't like sand," he said, and Padme turned her full attention to him. "It's coarse and rough and irritating," Strange. Anakin had essentially said just that right before… "And it gets everywhere." He finally looked up and met her eyes, one side of his mouth quirked into a half smile that made her heart race. As quickly as he'd looked at her, he looked away, out towards the lake. "Not like here. Here everything's soft," he looked down at her intwined hands, "And smooth."_

 _His fingers gently brushed hers, and Padme looked away to hide the blush, to try to calm her racing heart. Anakin's fingers only moved to brush the exposed skin on her upper back. She let him do it for a moment, but she finally turned to look at him, meeting his eyes. Whatever she had been about to say vanished from her head as she got trapped in his gaze._

 _Anakin began to smile a little, encouraged by her look, but it soon melted into a nervous frown as their faces moved closer to one another—or rather, Anakin's face moved closer to Padme's. The next thing she knew she was closing her eyes and he was kissing her._

 _Again, she got that feeling like she was on top of the world, and nothing could stop their love. She wanted him to keep kissing her, and she hoped that for once she could live out a nice dream where she actually got what she wanted._

 _She suddenly pulled away though. "No." Her voice was slightly panicked, as if she was a child getting caught stealing from the cookie jar. She looked away from him, but Padme was screaming inside to turn back and keep kissing him. This was her dream, wasn't it? Shouldn't she be able to control what happened? She wanted more kisses. Now. "I shouldn't have done that." Are you STUPID? Padme inwardly screamed at herself. Why shouldn't she kiss him? He wanted to kiss her here. Let him kiss you woman!_

 _But Anakin had pulled away, stung. "I'm sorry," He sounded confused, which of course he would be—she had just made out with him and then all of a sudden cut it off for no reason. Padme herself was confused._

 _Then the scene was changing._

 _She sat on a couch in a luxurious sitting room, the fire crackling in the fireplace, sitting next to Anakin. She wore a leather black dress that hugged her body in just the right places. It was actually a very daring dress, and Padme knew that if she wore something like that in reality, she was probably on a very serious date with someone she really liked._

 _But again, why had she pulled away if even dream Padme totally had a thing for Anakin?_

 _"From the moment I met you, all those years ago," Anakin started, looking into her eyes, "Not a day has gone by when I haven't thought of you." Her heart was melting. Dream Anakin was so…so romantic. He shook his head, obviously frustrated. "Now that I'm with you again, I'm in agony." His voice was pleading, and his eyes…yes, he truly was in agony._

 _But why? Because she was refusing his attentions? She would be in agony too._

 _But dream Padme was shaking her head even as Anakin continued on, "The closer I get to you, the worse it gets. The thought of not being with you...I can't breathe." He paused, as if debating on whether or not to continue, but soon that determined look in his eyes returned. "I'm haunted by the kiss that you should never have given me." Well technically dream Anakin kissed her, but she could have stopped it if she didn't want it. So clearly dream Padme wanted him too." Padme looked away again, shaking her head slowly as if to convince herself. Anakin leaned closer. "My heart is beating, hoping that kiss won't become a scar." Padme met his eyes on that, and he was dead serious, more serious than she had ever seen him. "You are in my very soul. Tormenting me. What can I do?" He looked away. "I will do anything you ask."_

 _Padme didn't say anything. Even if she had control of her dream, she didn't know if she could have said anything. He bore his soul to her—that was not something to take lightly. But still, it was plain to see that she wanted him—why didn't she seal the deal?_

 _Her silence began to frustrate Anakin even more. "If you are suffering as much as I am, please, tell me." His voice was so raw, so desperate for her love._

 _"I can't." She finally whispered. Again, what on earth was Dream Padme saying?! Did she not realize her obvious feelings? Was that the issue? Dream Padme was shaking her head. "I…we can't, it's…just not possible." What, was she in an arranged marriage or something?_

 _Anakin was not happy with that answer. "Anything is possible, Padme, listen to me." Yeah, listen to him! Padme wanted to tell her dream self._

 _But of course Dream Padme was not happy about his response either. She stood. "No, you listen." She walked to the other end of the room, away from the intoxicating presence Anakin had. "We live in a real world," She turned back to face Anakin who stared at her, his breaking heart plain to see on his face. "Come back to it. You're studying to become a Jedi and I'm…I'm a senator." Okay, this had to be a dream since Padme was not old enough to become a senator and she hadn't even finished college or established herself yet. And besides, why did either of those reasons matter?_

 _Anakin looked away from her, and Padme continued. "If you follow your thoughts to conclusion, they will take us to a place where we cannot go." What was this, a weird Romeo and Juliet dream? She didn't even like that particular play. "Regardless of the way we feel about each other."_

 _Wrong thing to say. Instantly hope sprung to life on Anakin's face again. "Then you do feel something." He said, waiting for her answer._

 _She was already shaking her head. "I will not let you give up your future for me."_

 _But she had made the mistake of telling him that she had feelings for him. Padme wanted to shake Dream Padme by the shoulders—how could she crush his feelings even more like that? It was one thing to tell him she had no feelings and to move on, but it was another to tell him she did have feelings and still reject him. It was cruel and unnecessary. Anakin stood, clearly upset. "You are asking me to be rational. That is something that I know I cannot do. Believe me, I wish that I could just," He spread out his arms, "Wish away my feelings. But I can't."_

 _Still, Dream Padme held her ground. Padme had to give her credit for that. "I will not give in to this." Again, Anakin deflated and he turned to walk away._

 _Before he left, however, he stopped, turning back to look at her. "Well…well you know, it wouldn't have to be that way. We could keep it a secret." Yup. Totally Romeo and Juliet._

 _"We'd be living a lie." Padme said, "One we couldn't keep even if we wanted to." She shook her head. "I couldn't do that. Could you Anakin, could you live like that?"_

 _Anakin thought it over carefully, the hope leaving his eyes, crushing Padme's heart. "No," He said, "You're right. It would destroy us."_

* * *

Gasping, Padme jolted awake, startling Jedi who lay at her side on the giant bed. He looked at her in confusion and licked her arm as she struggled to calm her breathing. _Just a dream,_ she mentally reminded herself over and over again—that seemed to be her mantra every time she woke up now.

As soon as she was calm, she glanced at her clock. 2 AM, it read. She knew she should go back to bed—she had class the next morning—but the dream had left her wide awake. She knew there was no way she was going to get anymore sleep that night, and it didn't make sense to lay there uselessly, so she rolled out of bed and headed out into the dark living room, Jedi close at her heels.

She let Jedi out back before she curled up on the couch, pulling out her Surface Pro and began working on a project for school. Working felt good to her—it was natural. It distracted her from the horribly embarrassing reminder that she had kissed Anakin and he had totally rejected her earlier that night.

Remembering it, her fingers paused what they were doing on the tablet. She took a shuddering breath, trying to steady her nerves. What would she say to Anakin when she saw him? He been home when she returned, and she didn't need to be a genius to know that he hadn't come home since. Jedi would have woken her up with his barking if Anakin had returned. Anakin may have clearly disliked the dog, but Jedi seemed to love Anakin regardless of what Anakin did to get him to stop jumping on him whenever he returned home.

Maybe she would pretend that it never happened. In fact, that was her first instinct—move on like it never happened. Still, Anakin didn't strike her as the type to not want to talk things through. But she could also see him not wanting to talk about it too. It was all so confusing, and Padme replayed the scene in her mind for the thousandth time—his words to her, their closeness, that absolutely fantastic kiss, and then him pulling away from her like she had burned him…

The situation was embarrassing in itself. But what was worse was the more she thought about what happened, the more her heart broke. She had dated various guys over the years, but she had never dated anyone seriously. No matter how perfect they were, they just seemed…not right for her. Now here she was with this guy who made her feel like she was his muse and she knew, really _knew,_ for the first time in her life, that she was in love with him.

And it hurt. It really, really hurt.

"Padme?" Mindy's drowsy voice startled her and Padme looked up to meet her exhausted eyes. "What are you doing up this late?" She yawned, sitting down next to her.

"I couldn't sleep." Padme said, closing her laptop. She wasn't in the right mind to work anyway. "Why are you awake?"

"Jedi is barking. Can't you hear him?" Padme began to pay attention and sure enough she could hear Jedi yipping in the yard. "I thought it was odd that he was outside at this time."

Padme got up and let Jedi back in before he could wake the neighbors. He zoomed inside, zipping past them and into the kitchen where Padme could hear him slipping and sliding around. Padme sat next to Mindy again. "Sorry. You can go back to sleep if you want."

"I will in a second. First, tell me the truth: did you have another dream?" Mindy's voice was dead serious, and Padme couldn't help but wince. Understanding instantly lit Mindy's dark eyes and she frowned deeper. "What happened this time? What it just images?"

Padme couldn't help but notice that Mindy was now taking this much more seriously than she had in their previous discussion of her dreams. "It's just a dream," she said, but Mindy's frown deepened.

"Humor me." Mindy said.

So Padme told her, not leaving out any detail. It wasn't like normal dreams that began to fade when she woke up—in fact, it only seemed more vivid when she was awake. As she told her tale, Mindy's eyes grew more and more panicked, as if she was legitimately concerned that the dream was real. "How do you feel about the dream?" Mindy asked when Padme finished.

"How do I feel about it?" Padme echoed. What a weird question to ask. "I don't know. I guess I'm annoyed that these dreams keep happening. They keep waking me up and they make me feel as if," she paused, struggling to put words to what she was feeling. "As if this life we live in," she gestured around them with her hand, "Is the dream, and I'm supposed to wake up but I can't."

Mindy stood abruptly, looking like she was about to throw up. Padme opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, but Mindy cut her off. "Have you told Anakin about any of these dreams?"

"No," Padme started, "I don't think…"

"Don't tell him anything." Wait, what? Last time they had discussed her dreams, Mindy had suggested telling Anakin.

"Hold up, last time we talked…" Padme began, but Mindy cut her off again.

"I know what I said. I'm changing my mind. Don't tell him. I just don't think he would take it well." Mindy wouldn't look at her, and that feeling of Mindy hiding something grew even stronger.

"Mindy," Padme started, "Did something happen between you and Anakin?"

"No." Still, she wouldn't look at her. "I just think that most people probably wouldn't appreciate that you have dreams about them being totally desperate for your love and you crush them multiple times." Well, she had a point. Still, it was obvious that something had happened, but Mindy was clearly not going to tell Padme what it was.

"Well I wouldn't tell him anyway. Especially not now." Padme looked out the window at the darkened yard.

"Why especially now?" Mindy asked.

Padme hesitated—if something had happened between Mindy and Anakin, how would Mindy take this news? She didn't know, but Mindy was still her best friend. They had told each other almost everything in the past. Padme had no reason not to now. "I kissed him tonight."

" _ **YOU DID WHAT?"**_ Yeah, something was definitely up with them. "Are you two dating now? How did it happen? Why didn't you say something earlier? Out with the details, girl!"

"I would if you stopped asking questions," Padme pointed out before she took a deep breath. "We were talking on the beach. He said he would do anything I asked and I was teasing him a little. Then we were so close and the moment felt so right and I just didn't think. I kissed him." Padme let out the breath, yet again recalling that oh so perfect kiss. "Mindy, it was…it was _amazing._ I didn't know kissing could be so…so…."

"Perfect?" Mindy asked quietly.

Padme nodded. "Yes. It was that. Perfection. But…" Padme hesitated.

"But?" Mindy prompted when Padme didn't continue.

"But he pulled away. He said we couldn't, and that he was sorry, and then he left me there." The silence in the room was so thick that Padme was certain that she could cut through it with a knife.

"Well," Mindy began, trying to sound as bright as she normally did, "You're too good for him. He doesn't know what he's missing out on. Don't let it get you down, champ."

Padme attempted to smile, but now that she had verbally admitted what had just happened, she felt so….so lost. "Then why do I feel like I've just lost my other half?" She hadn't meant to say it, but she did, and watched as Mindy's face fell, a strange look in her eyes.

"I honestly don't know what to say other than to promise that there are other fish in the sea. And seriously, you are so amazing and beautiful, so many men would love to end up with you. You'll find someone." She sounded hopeful, as if she could convince Padme, but somehow, even though the logical part of Padme agreed with Mindy, somehow Padme didn't believe her.

"No," She said, looking away again. "I won't."

* * *

Anakin drove for most of the night, the wind on his face the only thing keeping him grounded in reality. He thought about everything _but_ that kiss. If he did, he knew he wouldn't be in any condition to drive his motorcycle anymore. Even at 2 AM the highways were filled with people. Although California was so different than Coruscant, this was an aspect that didn't change, and oddly it comforted Anakin.

Still, he eventually had to go to bed sometime. He had class the next morning, and he was still working on that project. But as he approached the exit to go back to his home—Padme's home—he couldn't bring himself to pull off. So he kept going, going until he had taken yet another familiar exit and was driving down the quiet residential streets that looked completely abandoned at that time of night.

He pulled over and parked, and before he could talk sense into himself, he was climbing up stairs to a familiar door. He didn't care what time it was. He knocked as loudly as he could and kept doing so until the door finally swung open and a very irritated, very confused Obi-Wan stood in front of him, rubbing sleep from his clear blue eyes. "What the Devil, Anakin?" Obi-Wan groaned, "Do you know what time it is?"

"2 AM," Anakin responded, not in the least bit embarrassed. "I'm surprised you don't have a lightsaber in your hand ready to use in case of an enemy being at your door."

"I doubt any of our enemies would have the courtesy to knock—or even knock in a very annoying manner." Obi-Wan moved aside nevertheless and let Anakin inside. "What's going on? Did something happen?"

"You could say that," Anakin grumbled as Obi-Wan turned on the lights. "I know you have a big day tomorrow, but I didn't…I didn't want to go home."

Obi-Wan stilled at those words and sighed, sitting down on the couch, motioning to the seat next to him. "Obviously you need to talk. So, talk."

Anakin sat, but now that he was actually here, about to begin talking about what happened, he hesitated. "You know, it was rude of me to wake you up like this. You should go back to sleep. We can talk later…"

"Oh no," Obi-Wan shook his head, "You're right, it was rude to wake me up at this awful hour, but you wouldn't have done it without a reason and I'm up now, so talk."

Anakin looked at his clasped hands, taking a deep breath. "After you left tonight, Padme and I split away from the rest of the group." He wasn't about to mention his fear of fire as being the reason why they had split off. He didn't want to share that very personal detail with Obi-Wan, especially since the older man had been the cause of it. "And…well we were talking and I couldn't help it, she was just so…so beautiful, and I let her get to close."

Obviously this was not the conversation Obi-Wan was expecting. He looked at Anakin with a confused look, but he waited for him to continue. When he didn't, he prompted, "Go on."

Anakin's hands clenched. "And…she kissed me." Now that he'd said it, he allowed himself to relive the memory. He had imagined kissing her again for so many years—he thought that he had remembered it pretty accurately.

He had been wrong. Very, very wrong.

Kissing her was like he had been united with the missing part of his soul, the part he had cast away the night he lost her. He didn't even think. He kissed her back, his whole being aching to let it last forever. He didn't need anything else except that kiss, to feel her in his arms, to taste her lips on his, to…

He shook his head. Just as he had then, his senses came back to him, and he remembered that he had sworn not to let something like that happen again. To go down that road again would only bring both of them ruin, and he couldn't do that to her again.

Obi-Wan, however, didn't understand. "And that's….bad?" He asked, clearly confused. When Anakin nodded, he asked, "I thought that was what you've wanted?"

"No. I mean, yes, but… I can't."

"You mean you were serious about not pursuing her romantically this time?" The skepticism in Obi-Wan's voice was so thick that Anakin couldn't help but feel annoyed.

"Yes I'm serious," Anakin confirmed, "I…I ruined her life. I didn't directly kill her, but I still helped fall into the trap that created the situation. I hurt her so badly that she _gave up on life._ How can I be with her and pretend like none of that happened? Because I can't tell her," He said when he saw Obi-Wan's mouth open to suggest what Anakin knew he would suggest: just tell Padme the truth. "She wouldn't believe me anyway. And even if she did, there is no way she could forgive me this time."

"You don't know that," Obi-Wan said quietly. "I have."

That stopped Anakin. "Really?" He asked, skeptical. "Last I heard, you weren't sure how you felt."

Obi-Wan shrugged. "I've had a lot of time to think," he said, "And I think it's time to forgive and forget. You're not the same person I used to know. You're not Darth Vader, but you're not the same Anakin that grew up with me. And…as much as I loved you before as a brother, I feel like that bond between us has been strengthened more than ever."

Anakin was speechless. Sure, he had apologized to Obi-Wan, but he never expected to actually be forgiven. How was that even possible? He had been a monster—he had become Obi-Wan's worst enemy. How could Obi-Wan look past all of that and still love Anakin even with his many, many imperfections?

If Obi-Wan could do it, a small voice whispered in Anakin's head, could Padme?

 _No._ Anakin wouldn't go there. He couldn't.

"I'm…not sure how you can do that," Anakin slowly said, "But thank you. You…you don't know how much that means to me."

A small smile lit across Obi-Wan's face. "I only speak the truth. And I want you to be happy." He paused. "I don't think ignoring your love for Padme will make you happy. I think it will eat you up inside. Besides, you fear losing her above all else and yet by rejecting her, as I'm assuming you did since you're here and not at home," He looked to Anakin for confirmation, and Anakin nodded, "Then I guarantee that you will lose her. She is a very special woman, a woman many men here would find desirable. It won't be long before…"

"I get it," Anakin cut him off, unable to stomach the thought of losing Padme to another man without feeling very Dark Side-like feelings. "But it's better this way. Besides, if Palpatine is the threat we suspect him to be, then it would be better for her to stay as uninvolved with me as possible. He used her against me last time, and if he remembers what I did to him, he will not hesitate to do worse this time."

Even Obi-Wan couldn't argue with that. Still, he didn't look fully convinced. "If that is your decision…"

"It is."

He nodded, but he looked at Anakin sadly. "Then I will support you."

Of course Anakin felt like his soul was ripping to shreds. He didn't want to push her away. He wanted to go home, pull her into his arms, and kiss her until the sun came up, but he couldn't. He wouldn't. He had to keep her safe, from Palpatine, and from himself.

"We should get some sleep," Anakin said, "You have to be alert if you're going to sneak into Palpatine's office."

Obi-Wan's expression darkened. "Indeed I do," He said, his voice far away.

* * *

Anakin tinkered with the circuit board he was working on for his project, mumbling curses to himself. This world had so many advances, and yet there were also so many drawbacks that forced him to get creative. He looked into getting materials to manually create what he would need to make the project easier, but he didn't have the money. Perhaps when he was a little richer he would upgrade it. Even now, when Rex had dropped by to take a look at his project, he had looked at the circuit board in confusion, claiming it wasn't anything he had ever seen before.

Anakin just hoped it worked.

It was late in the workshop, far later than he would have expected to be there, but he just couldn't find a good stopping point. Working on machines had always helped him calm down and forget the rest of the world. It was why he had immediately started working on his speeder right after his mother had died in his galaxy. With his decision to not date Padme, and the agony it caused him to make that decision, he was okay with not packing up and going home.

His phone buzzed on the table and he glanced at it. Obi-Wan. He stopped what he was doing and read the text eagerly.

 _Snuck into his office by sneaking away from a tour. I found nothing of use…at least Jedi-wise. If he has stuff, he may be hiding it at another location. Perhaps in his Washington D.C. office?_

Anakin scowled and turned the phone off. He had been hoping for something more workable. If he could at least feel like he was doing something productive towards the greater good…

But maybe that wasn't a bad thing. He had turned into a Sith pursuing the 'greater good.' Perhaps he was better off being a normal civilian in this world, especially if Palpatine wasn't up to anything.

"Knock knock," He looked up to meet Mindy's gaze. She leaned against the frame of the workshop door, her arms crossed as she observed what he was doing. "What on Earth are you building?"

Anakin cringed as he looked down at his work. "I'm attempting to make something that will remind me of home." He said, putting down the motherboard. He didn't think he would be able to concentrate anymore. "But it's proving more difficult than I anticipated." He looked back over at her. "What are you doing here?" He hadn't expected to be sought out by Mindy. Padme, maybe. Obi-Wan, maybe. But Mindy? Not necessarily.

She shrugged and pushed away from the door frame, coming to stand in front of him. "I came to check on you." When Anakin raised a skeptical eyebrow, she rolled her eyes. "Okay, that was only part of the reason. Believe it or not, I don't wish for you to lead a miserable life."

"Are you sure about that?" Anakin was only half teasing. His relationship with Mindy had reached a very uneasy truce, and he wasn't sure how she viewed him. He didn't think it was completely black and white.

"Yes, although I would prefer that you found happiness with someone else." She paused. "That's…actually what I came to talk to you about." She took a deep breath as though preparing herself to ask a difficult question. "Why did you reject Padme? Isn't that what you wanted?"

Again, this was not an expected topic Anakin would have expected from Mindy. Then again, most of Mindy's topics of conversation were unexpected. "Does Padme know that you're here?" He asked suspiciously. Honestly, he didn't think Padme would bring the kiss back up unless he brought it up first. Even in his world, he was always bringing things up first and often had to pressure her into talking about things she found uncomfortable. He doubted she would send Mindy to talk to him about it in this world.

"No," Mindy admitted sheepishly, "I came because when she told me what happened, I just thought…well, I just thought that you would have quickly sealed the deal between you two."

So Padme hadn't sent Mindy. He told her what he had told Obi-Wan, sticking just to the necessary details. When he finished, Mindy looked to be deep in thought. "If you love something, let it go. If it was meant to be, it will come back to you." She mumbled under her breath, almost to herself.

Anakin blinked in surprise. "What?"

She shook her head, seeming to come out of whatever deep thought she was thinking about. "Oh. It's a saying in our world. I just…thought of it when you were talking." Her eyes narrowed. "Not that I don't agree that you should go be happy with someone else. Even if…" she paused, seeming to think better of whatever she was going to say. "Well. Anyhow, I'm just impressed by the restraint you showed in doing that. It must have been difficult."

"Yes, it was, and talking about it just makes it worse, so can we drop it?" Anakin asked wearily as he began to pack up his things. "Actually, I have a favor to ask of you."

"Depends on what it is," now it was Mindy's turn to sound wary, but she said it so hesitantly that Anakin almost thought she expected him to ask her to become his Sith apprentice.

"Padme tells me that you're a historian." The confusion on Mindy's face was so obvious that it was almost laughable. Clearly whatever she expected him to say, it wasn't that. "Obi-Wan and Yoda said something once that made me start wondering just how similar this world was to our galaxy. What if there were Jedi here at one point, but that knowledge was lost to time?"

"Well…this sort of sounds like the plot to an "Ancient Aliens" episode," He didn't know what that was, but he didn't say anything. "But I'll bite. What does this have to do with me?"

"If I told you what evidence to look for, do you think that you could come up with a list of possible Force-related events in this world's history?" He wasn't sure just exactly what part of this world's history Mindy focused on (Obi-Wan told him most historians focused on a few major parts of history to be experts on), but he figured it was worth a try. And if Mindy couldn't help him, perhaps she could point him to someone who could tell him more…

Mindy mulled the question over carefully before replying. "I can try. I may need to do some digging, so it might take a while. Can you give me that list of things to look for by tomorrow?"

"I can give it to you by tonight." He replied with a smile. "Thanks for the help."

"No problem. Now we need to talk about that volleyball game…" She shot him a chilling glare.

At this point, he didn't have enough surprise left to be surprised by the topic change. "What?"

"You and Ben totally used the Force to play that game," She accused, "There's no way that you could have been that good that fast. I mean that was like Olympic volleyball good."

Whatever an Olympic was. "Actually I didn't. I don't think Obi-Wan did either." He laughed a little at the exasperation on Mindy's face. She clearly didn't believe him.

"Yeah. Right. You didn't even know what volleyball was at the start of that game."

He shrugged. "It wasn't hard to figure out. Besides, I'm a warrior. I've been out numbered on numerous battlefields with various terrains so many times, I lost count. I fought by Obi-Wan's side so often, I trust him to have my back. Plus, I used to be so good, I could literally slice a missile out of the air with my lightsaber."

He knew that he was bragging, and he shouldn't do that, but he couldn't help but feel satisfied from the cautious admiration and amazement on Mindy's face. "That's impossible," she insisted.

"Not when you're a Jedi. Some things a Jedi learns become instinctual, even without the Force." Still, if he could just regain full access to the Force….

She didn't look like she completely believed him, but she shrugged nonetheless. "Well. I demand a rematch."

That brought a grin to his face. "You're on."

* * *

 **AHHHHHHHH. I am SO sorry for the late update. As I said before, I have a new job now, so that means after school training that last super long, then I had to grade a bunch of papers before I had to turn them in today, and then I busted my laptop by dropping a bed onto it (long story) and had to get what I'd written off of it. Bah. But things are starting to calm down a little, so I don't anticipate late updates for a while.**

 **Anyhow, after careful consideration, I noticed that Padme isn't much of a talker when it comes to relationship stuff. She's more of a doer. So I realized that she would probably not mention it, and this time, with the way Anakin feels, he's not going to insist on discussing it if she won't.**

 **BUT HAVE NO FEAR. I will heat things up yet again next chapter, albeit in a different way, and things won't go completely to Anakin's plan. Anakin and Padme are my OTP. Have I made that clear yet? Because they are. Plus I eventually want Leia and Luke, and you can't have them without Anakin and Padme so... yeah. But I'll talk about those plans when we get closer, and we've still got a long way before that happens.**

 **Review! I do have yet another long training tomorrow, but I plan to spend quite a bit of time this weekend writing this story, so maybe we will have a chapter by Friday night, latest Saturday morning.**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**

 **P.S. The song that inspired Padme's part in this chapter is "Surround You" by Echosmith. Seriously, I have a giant playlist for this story.**


	18. The Halloween Party

"Your costume sucks." Mindy immediately said upon walking into Anakin's bedroom and seeing what he was wearing—just Spock ears, a black T-shirt, and jeans. "What are you even supposed to be? An elf?"

Anakin frowned. "No, I don't even know what an elf is. I'm Spock." It was the only movie so far that he had sincerely enjoyed (not that he had watched that many movies).

"Right, we haven't shown you that movie…anyhow, it still sucks. You're supposed to be wearing a blue uniform and your eyebrows…"

"I get it, okay?" Anakin interrupted. He didn't feel like listening to Mindy prattle on about the intricate details of how he should have dressed. "What are you supposed to be?"

That successfully distracted her. "Well, Space Boy, I'm the Mad Hatter." She twirled, showing off a very short black skirt made of tulle…but seriously not enough of it, and he averted his eyes to her black top but even that showed off way too much skin for his liking. So he just focused on her heavily made-up face framed by ringlets and a giant black hat. "Padme is Alice. They're characters from Alice and Wonderland. Not that you would know."

"You're right, I don't." Anakin said dryly.

Mindy rolled her eyes. "Whatever, be a party pooper. I can't complain that much since you're the reason this party is happening in the first place." The night that Anakin had returned home, he and Padme had talked about anything but the kiss. He'd worried that things would be awkward, but instead Padme had kept things relatively normal.

As Padme had been working on something on her tablet, Mindy had begun talking about how the club they had been to was putting on a Halloween party. Since Anakin had gotten them all banned (when she mentioned that she shot him a very nasty glare), Mindy tried to convince Padme to throw a party at their place.

"No," Padme had said without looking up from her screen. "The neighbors would hate us."

"But it would be so worth it. What's the point of having a house if you don't occasionally throw wild parties?" Mindy groaned.

"The answer is still no." Anakin remembered a time when Padme had been working on a report for the Senate and he had tried to convince her to go away with him for a few weeks. She hadn't even looked up from her work to tell him no and give a lame excuse as to why. It had frustrated him at the time, and he could see Mindy getting frustrated.

"Well," he said slowly, "I think it would be kind of fun."

Padme stopped typing. "You do?" She glanced up to meet his eyes. "I thought after last time…"

He shrugged. "I thought maybe I could prove to you that I can behave myself now." He really did mean that—he had been thinking about asking Padme if they could go out (as friends) to another club and try again. But it wasn't just about proving it to her—it was about proving it to himself that he could actually be a normal human being in a high-stress situation.

Padme went silent, and he could see her mind turning. "Okay," She said, "I'll make some calls."

Since then, Mindy had both been happy with Anakin and jealous that Padme had said yes to him and no to her. But now that the party was finally about to start, Mindy was of course focused on the fact that he'd convinced Padme to throw it.

"Your welcome," Anakin now said, his mouth quirking upwards a little in a smile.

Mindy waved it off and switched subjects like only she could. "I came in here to tell you that I found some stuff on the whole Jedi-thing."

Now this Anakin perked up at. "Oh?" He asked, trying not to sound too eager.

Mindy nodded and pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to him. "I found that in almost every ancient civilization, people of this world had some sort of group of 'magicians.' Egypt had magicians, Greece had Oracles, Rome also had seers and magicians… the list goes on. The Aztecs. The Chinese. In 1668 there were multiple reported sightings, including some from scholars, of what they described as a 'battle in the sky.' There are so many unexplained incidents throughout history that people in that time period could explain, but we can't because we tend to view things like that as fiction in this time period. But what if those people weren't crazy? What if those 'magicians' were actually Force users?" Mindy shrugged. "At least, that's what I think."

Hope soared within Anakin as he looked at the information. She had listed incidents and where to find more information on those incidents. When Obi-Wan showed up to the party, he planned on showing this to him. He hadn't exactly told Obi-Wan that he was looking into Force users in this world. Honestly, he wasn't sure where his research would lead him, and maybe Obi-Wan had already researched it and it was a dead end. Still, he couldn't help but feel like it would provide him with answers, or at least comfort.

Perhaps….perhaps they could start a Jedi Order here….

He had destroyed the Jedi Order in his galaxy. If he could bring it back somehow, maybe it would help him find a purpose for his life here. Maybe he could begin to atone for that sin by doing what he should have done all of those years ago.

 _One step at a time Anakin,_ he reminded himself as he pocketed the information. He only had a start. He would be interested to hear what Obi-Wan thought of all of this. "Thanks Mindy," He said, "You don't know how much this means to me."

"You're right, I don't." Mindy agreed, "Just like you don't understand how much it means to me that your costume sucks. This party is going to be off the hook and you, one of the hosts, aren't even dressed appropriately. What am I going to do with you?" She shook her head, her curls bouncing around her face. "Well at least come help me bring out the kegs."

He didn't understand how someone could love to party as much as Mindy did, but she made Padme happy, so he wasn't going to complain. He followed Mindy out into the garage and helped her carry the barrels of liquor into the backyard where other men in black clothing were setting up a stage for what Mindy called a DJ and tables for food and liquor. There were white lights strung up in the trees, and Padme had purchased some rather comfy looking patio furniture to place at the far end of the yard near the food table. It looked great without looking like too much effort had been put into it. For once Jedi wasn't running around barking at the strangers helping with the yard, but was hyper focused gnawing at a rawhide bone in the grass.

"See, you look like the 'Help.' Next time we throw a Halloween party, I am _so_ picking your costume." Mindy grumbled as they placed the kegs in the correct spot.

"Maybe next year," Anakin finally relented, knowing that he wouldn't hear the end of it if he didn't agree to her madness.

"I love the costume Mindy," Padme's voice caused Anakin to whirl around to face her, his heart speeding up. Even a week after he had decided to keep his relationship with her strictly friendly, she still made his heart race. And to know that she now wanted him as more than that—well, it was agony. So he had found excuses to work on his project until late at night, and he had barely seen her. He had seen the suspicion in her eyes: she knew that he was avoiding her, and he hated himself for it. But the more time he spent with her, the more his resolve began to melt.

And he couldn't do that.

But it was also really hard for him to act like he didn't want her when she was wearing _that._

She wore a light blue dress that flared out at the hips into a bustle, and a blue and white corset that accentuated her curves perfectly. The skirt ended just above her knees, and her legs were covered in white stockings and white knee-high heeled boots. Her hair was curled and pulled back by a black headband.

In this world, Padme did not dress up as often. She dressed nicely, of course, but it wasn't the elaborate dresses or hair styles of his galaxy. But when he looked at her now, he couldn't help but feel that ever present pull towards her grow stronger, and he gulped, trying to push away the feeling without much success.

Her brown eyes scrutinized him. "That's your Spock costume?" She asked skeptically—he had told her who he was going to dress up as, but she didn't look like she was all too impressed with the results. He was beginning to wish he had rethought his costume plan.

"I guess I'm not one to dress up." He replied, "But you look good."

A soft blush rose on her cheeks. "Thanks," She said, and thankfully dropped the subject. "Well people should be arriving soon."

"This party is going to be crazy!" Mindy all but squealed before she hurried off to catch Jedi and bring him inside, leaving Anakin and Padme alone.

Anakin shifted his weight awkwardly, clearing his throat. Padme seemed to sense that he wasn't sure what to say around her, so she helpfully said, "Ben said he's almost here."

"Oh," Anakin said, "That's good. I'm glad." Jeez, why was he so awkward? Darth Vader never would have been so…bumbling. Even when he had found out that Luke was his son, and Vader had internally worried about what he would do with Luke once he had him, Vader had always reacted with confidence. But Padme had always been able to reduce Anakin to a ranting mess or an awkward boy with just one look.

Her eyes turned serious though, and he knew that she was beginning to become impatient with the way their relationship was going. She opened her mouth, and Anakin braced himself to begin a discussion that he wasn't sure he wanted to have with her. How could he deny her, especially after he told her right before they kissed that he would do anything for her? His mouth went dry at the thought.

But the doorbell rang, and Anakin let out a relieved breath when Padme turned away. "I'm sure that's Ben now," She said, and he could detect a hint of disappointment in her voice. His heart clenched—he hated disappointing her. But what else could he do?

 _Give in and be with her?_ A small voice helpfully suggested in his head, and he growled, startling Padme into looking at him with wide, concerned eyes. "Um. Yeah. Ben. I'll be back." He said, clearing his throat as he walked past her.

He was such an idiot.

Anakin quickly headed into the house, trying to forget about his awkward relationship with Padme as he approached the door and opened it. "Obi-Wan, thank you so much— _what are you wearing?!"_ he cut off his original greeting as soon as he saw and registered just what Obi-Wan was wearing, and it was nothing like what he expected.

He wasn't even sure how to _describe_ what he was seeing. Obi-Wan was wearing some sort of giant yellow…thing. The body of it had fake bright yellow feathers, and his hands were hidden within fake wings. The legs were bright orange and he was wearing a hood that looked like the face of a really creepy bird with giant dead-looking eyes. It also had a bright orange Mohawk looking thing, and Obi-Wan's face peeked out from between the yellow beak.

Anakin could only stare, dumbfounded. He was truly, one hundred percent speechless. Obi-Wan looked very uncomfortable as he shifted his weight. "I lost a bet with Mindy. Now my costume this year is a," he paused, taking a deep, steadying breath, "chicken suit."

Anakin had eaten chicken since coming to this world, but he hadn't actually seen a live chicken. It was obvious though that they looked like ridiculous animals, and were obviously never meant to be turned into serious costumes. He tried to think of something to say, but he couldn't.

"Is that Ben?" Mindy's voice sounded from somewhere in the house, and shortly afterwards she appeared in the entryway. She took one look at Obi-Wan and began to laugh a hysterically loud laugh. "I DO NOT regret this bet!" She said between laughing, gulping for air. Anakin glanced at her to find that tears were streaking down her face, leaving marks on her make up. She appeared to be having trouble breathing.

"Yeah, yeah," Obi-Wan grumbled, letting himself inside. Numbly, Anakin shut the door behind him, still just staring at his mentor like he'd gone insane. It was very, very strange to see the great Jedi general in a…a chicken suit. Obi-wan glanced at Anakin, looking him over. "And where is your costume? Are you not finished putting it on yet?"

"Uh," Anakin finally managed, still unable to take his eyes off of the thing Obi-Wan was wearing. "No, this is, um, it."

Obi-Wan had to waddle to fully face Anakin, his eyes narrowed. Anakin knew that Obi-Wan was trying to look upset, but it was very hard for Anakin to take him seriously in that get up. "You mean to tell me that I'm going to be wearing a ridiculous costume by myself?" Obi-Wan asked incredously.

"Well," Anakin said, "There will be other people coming in costume."

"Yes, but I don't know them." Obi-Wan scowled, looking like the unhappiest chicken in the world, "I thought this would be somewhat bearable since I was sure Mindy forced you to dress up as well. Now I'm going to look like the biggest fool in this party." He tried to shake his head, but it didn't work out so well. "You have betrayed me."

Finally Anakin began laughing, really laughing, and as soon as he started he too found that he had a hard time stopping. It did not make Obi-Wan happy, and Obi-Wan waddled away, mumbling something about 'disrespectful Padawans' and disappeared around the back. With him out of sight, both Mindy and Anakin stopped laughing, Mindy wiping at the tears in her eyes. "I need to win bets more often," Mindy said.

"What did you two bet over?" Anakin asked curiously. She glanced at him, deciding. Finally she shrugged.

"Sorry, I can't tell you."

"What?" Anakin asked, "Why not?"

"Because I said so, and what I say goes. Now I'm going to go fix my makeup. Stand here and play host for people who are arriving." She turned and walked away before Anakin could stop her to demand an answer. He debated on going after her, but right then the doorbell rang.

He sighed, figuring that he could bug her about it later (their rooms were right across from each other after all) and opened the door.

There stood a girl that Anakin felt like he should have known from somewhere. He stopped, staring at her, trying to figure it out. She was shorter than him, even shorter than Padme, and her skin was light brown. She had black hair that was half pulled away from her face, and the tips ended in dreadlocks. She had steady, ice blue eyes, and she was wearing the uniform that Uhura wore in Star Trek.

She looked him up and down, her eyes settling on his ears. "Well those are Spock ears," she said, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow, "But is that what you're supposed to be?"

Her voice was so familiar. Was she from his galaxy? He tried to remember, and he felt like the answer was right on the tip of his tongue. It was frustrating. "Yeah. I'm not too big into costumes." He replied, narrowing his eyes. "Who are…"

"Ahsoka!" Padme's voice interrupted him, and she was suddenly at his side. He moved to make way for her skirt, but this time his eyes weren't drawn to Padme. They were drawn to the young girl standing in the doorway being embraced by Padme. "I'm so glad that you came," Padme was saying.

Ahsoka smiled, and now that Anakin knew her name, he could see that her facial structure was the same as his Ahsoka's. She looked about eighteen, older than when she first became his Padawan. How had he not seen it before?

 _Maybe because the last time you saw her,_ he thought to himself bitterly, _she was part of the Rebel Alliance and you were trying to destroy each other._ But here she was. She was happy. She had an innocent look in her eyes: she had obviously never seen battle. She had friends, including Padme.

Who was now introducing Ahsoka to him. "Anakin, this is my friend, Ahsoka. Ahsoka, this is Anakin."

Ahsoka focused on him again, her eyes narrowing as she looked him over. "The Hesitant Vulcan," she clarified, before sticking her hand out.

"Sure," Anakin began. He wanted to ask her so many questions, but it was clear that she didn't remember him. He wasn't sure he wanted her to remember. He had failed her, on so many levels, and although his failure to Obi-Wan had been awful, Ahsoka had been like a daughter to him. Just as he'd failed his own children, he had failed her.

He took her hand to shake it, but as soon as their skin touched, the Force flared to life within him, causing his entire body to quiver. Through his clasped hand, he could feel the Force flare within Ahsoka as well, but because her abilities weren't somewhat blocked, her reaction was stronger, and she gasped, dropping his hand to put a hand to her forehead. "What…?" She began, looking at him strangely.

Padme, who had witnessed the strange interaction between the two, frowned in concern. "What's wrong? Do you two…know each other?"

Anakin's heart was racing. Why had the Force reacted like that? Did it want for Ahsoka to remember him? "N-no," Ahsoka began, looking at Anakin like he was an alien who may or may not attack her, "B-but…should I?"

Yeah. The Force had done something. Anakin wasn't willing to stick around to find out. Still, running away would just reinforce that something fishy was going on, so he squared his shoulders and set his expression into a relaxed one. "No. We've never met." He looked to Padme. "How do you two know each other?" He tried to sound like he didn't particularly care, that he was just asking to be polite, but from the corner of his eye he could tell that Ahsoka didn't buy his act for a second.

Padme bit her lip, still unsure if things were really okay, before she answered. "Ahsoka was my neighbor growing up. We used to play together. Now she's old enough to go to college, and is attending Stanford to…what was it again?" She asked Ahsoka.

Ahsoka was still staring at Anakin, trying to figure him out. "I'm undecided right now. I'm thinking of applying to the College of Mechanical Engineering however." Anakin had to suppress a wince. He didn't know what he would do if he had to constantly avoid her in the hallways of his own college. He remembered a time when he would have been over joyed to work with her again, but just being around her even now caused him to feel an overwhelming amount of guilt.

"Oh that's what Anakin does," Padme was saying, "Maybe he could give you some tips…"

"Maybe. But not right now." Anakin interrupted, "It was nice to meet you, but I really need to be going." He didn't wait for the girls to say goodbye. He instead whirled on his heel and headed out into the backyard where Obi-Wan was filling a red cup full of alcohol. "Obi-Wan, we have an issue." Anakin said as he approached.

Obi-Wan scowled. "Does the issue have anything to do with the fact that I'm dressed up as a chicken for a costume party and my best friend isn't participating?"

"No," Anakin began, but he was cut off.

"Hey!" Anakin closed his eyes, groaning as he listened to Ahsoka approach them. Obi-Wan looked at the girl in surprise, but he didn't seem too bothered by her presence. He didn't have any reason to be however: he hadn't become a Sith Lord and fought with Ahsoka. "I think you owe me an explanation, Anakin." She stepped between Obi-Wan and Anakin, her hands on her hips as she glared up at him. "Or should I call you Sky Guy?"

Anakin closed his eyes, trying to breathe deeply to calm himself down. He could hear the doorbell ring and the voices of more people as they began to arrive to the party. Why did she have to confront him about this _now?_ But then again, Ahsoka had never been afraid to deal with something immediately in the past.

It was Obi-Wan who answered, his voice serious. "How much do you know?" He asked: he had set down his drink, giving the situation his full attention. It would have been comical to Anakin to see the great Jedi master dealing with a serious situation in a chicken suit, but Anakin was now much more concerned with the outcome of this situation than how ridiculous his friend looked.

Ahsoka glanced at Obi-Wan, looking him over. "Well I certainly don't remember you, but it could be the chicken suit that is confusing those memories." Obi-Wan scowled again, and he picked his drink back up and took a swig of it. "But I've always remembered bits and pieces of another life, and I've been aware of the Force for almost my entire life." She looked back at Anakin, her blue eyes narrowed in suspicion. "But when our hands touched just now, the Force showed me images. They don't make a lot of sense, but I know that you and I used to fight together. You were my Master, weren't you?"

Well. The Force did apparently want Ahsoka to know. Giving up, Anakin nodded. "I was. It's a long, complicated story though and now," He glanced around at the now rapidly filling party. The DJ was now up on the stage and was beginning to set up his music. "Now is not the best time to discuss it."

Ahsoka looked around, taking in the same information that Anakin had gathered, and hesitantly nodded. "Fine, but I want an explanation soon." She flipped out her phone and handed it to him. "Give me your contact info. Now."

Anakin almost opened his mouth to tell her that she shouldn't talk to her Master that way, but he didn't. He hadn't been her Master for a very, very long time. She could speak to him however she wanted. So he added his contact info and gave it back to her, and she nodded in satisfaction. "Good," she said, "I look forward to this discussion." She whirled and walked away just as the DJ began to play the music, the beat drowning almost everything out.

Anakin sighed, turning back to Obi-Wan. "I'm pretty sure the Force is out to get me," He all but shouted to be heard.

Obi-Wan shrugged. "Maybe, but you agreed to the Second Chance. You'll have to face the fact that you may have to deal with the repercussions of your life as Darth Vader for the rest of your life. There is no hiding."

Anakin knew that Obi-Wan was right, but he didn't like it. If he had known how hard this was going to be, would he have refused the Second Chance when he'd died?

Padme re-entered the yard, talking to a woman whose face Anakin couldn't see. At the sight of her, so beautiful, so full of life, his heart rate picked up, and he knew the answer to that question.

Yes. Just to be around Padme again, he would face anything a Second Chance had to offer him, no matter how difficult or painful it was. He would talk to Ahsoka, and if she found out about his life as Darth Vader, well… so be it.

"I know," Anakin said glumly, "And I'm sorry that I didn't dress up in a costume—although nothing in any galaxy could ever have made me wear what you're wearing. No offense."

"Lot's taken." Obi-Wan said dryly, but Anakin could see the teasing look in his eyes.

"I've been in a suit for half of my life. I did try to find a costume that I would feel comfortable wearing, but anytime I tried, I just felt so… confined. I decided that for the foreseeable future, I will continue to be myself. I should have given you a heads up before you came in, well, that." He gestured at the bird costume, and Obi-Wan sighed, letting go of whatever mini grudge he had developed since walking into the party.

"I understand," He began, "Honestly, I wondered if that was your reasoning for not dressing up. I'm not even really upset, but I had…Oh Force!" Obi-Wan suddenly cursed, whirling away from Anakin.

"What's wrong now?" Anakin asked, bewildered, scanning the crowd to see what had gotten Obi-Wan so upset.

"Don't look around!" Obi-Wan hissed, "You'll draw her attention!"

"Who's…oh." He spotted the woman in question talking to Padme. The girls had shifted positions so that Anakin could now see the woman's face. A smirk widened on his face. "Well. It looks like I'm not the only one who has a hard second chance at life ahead of him."

"Don't you _dare."_ Obi-Wan hissed, "Especially not now."

Although Anakin had only met the Duchess Satine a few times, he knew that Obi-Wan had previously had a rather involved relationship with the woman back on his galaxy, even if he had never actually acted on it. Anakin wasn't sure just how close they were, but he knew that Obi-Wan had feelings for her. After she had died in his arms, Obi-Wan had never, to his knowledge, fallen for anyone ever again, and had devoted himself completely to the Order.

But there she was. She was wearing what Anakin recognized as a Captain America costume, and her blonde hair fell to her shoulders freely. She smiled at whatever Padme was saying to her, and said something in return that made Padme laugh.

And Obi-Wan was not acting like a man who knew the love of his life was still alive and he was just finding out. He was acting like a man who knew she was alive, and was actively avoiding her.

"Obi-Wan," Anakin started suspiciously, and when Obi-Wan didn't turn back around to look at him, he walked around Obi-Wan so that he was facing him. "Have you known before tonight that she was alive?"

A sheepish look passed over Obi-Wan's face, and he wouldn't meet Anakin's eyes. "It's possible."

"Why haven't you said anything to her?" Anakin asked, glancing over Obi-Wan's shoulder to take a look at the woman again. She was still talking to Padme.

"Because."

When Obi-Wan didn't elaborate, Anakin sighed in exasperation. "Because _why?"_

Obi-Wan was quiet for a while before he answered. "Because Darth Maul killed her for what she meant to me. When I first got here years ago, she was one of the first people I looked up to see if she existed in this world. Besides you, she was the only one that I looked up that did exist. I went to see her, and I thought that maybe…maybe things could be different this time. But when I saw her from afar, and saw how happy she was, I couldn't…I couldn't bring myself to put myself back into her life. So I never said anything to her, and I've avoided her ever since."

Anakin couldn't help but feel bad for the older man. Right now, he completely understood where Obi-Wan was coming from. He had rejected Padme for the same reasons. But Obi-Wan was also a good person, and he had faced so much heartache in his previous life. He deserved to be happy. He deserved a second chance at life that wasn't just about helping Anakin or his children, as much as Anakin appreciated the help that Obi-Wan had given his family. Now it was Obi-Wan's turn to be happy.

"Palpatine will focus on me. Don't get me wrong, he absolutely hated you, and I think he feared you the most since he pressured me so much to find and destroy you. But after everything I've done, Palpatine will not focus on you as much, if at all." Anakin told him, trying to sound convincing, "You deserve a real second chance, way more than I do." He put a hand on Obi-Wan's feathery shoulder. "Don't push her away. If you do, you'll look back years from now when it's too late and regret it, and regret…"

"Is awful." Obi-Wan finished with a sigh. Anakin could see the torment in Obi-Wan's eyes as he tried to come to a decision. He could see the anguish of having lost her, but Anakin also suspected a major part of the reason why Obi-Wan hadn't approached her also had to do with the old rules of the Jedi Order. Obi-Wan had clung to those ideals even after the Jedi were destroyed. Old habits die hard.

Anakin realized, as he watched Padme say goodbye to Satine and disappear into the ever thickening crowd, that Obi-Wan needed a push.

So Anakin pretended to be waiting patiently as he watched Satine make her way over to the table with all of the kegs on it. He waited until Obi-Wan sensed her, and he felt Obi-Wan tense up. "I don't think now is the right time," He began, trying to shake Anakin's hand off of his shoulder. "I mean I'm dressed as a chicken and that's not…"

"Now is the perfect time." Anakin grinned. "I'll even help you. I'll be your," he paused, trying to think of the word that he had seen a character in a TV show that Mindy liked to watch had used, " _Wing man."_

Obi-Wan groaned at the unintentional pun Anakin had just made. "Please never say that while I'm in this thing…"

She was close enough. Anakin pulled Obi-Wan around, tapped the woman's shoulder, and when she turned to look at them in surprise, Anakin said, "Haaaaave you met Ben?" before he pushed Obi-Wan next to her and walked off. As he walked away, he glanced behind himself to see that his mentor was now stuck engaged in a conversation with Satine, but she seemed to be warming up to him despite the awkward way that Obi-Wan held himself.

With a laugh to himself, Anakin pushed himself into the crowd to begin really enjoying the party.

* * *

Padme knew that Anakin was avoiding her. She had hoped that if they ignored what had happened, they could forget about it. But she saw the tension in Anakin whenever they spoke. The only time he had not seemed tense was when he asked her to reconsider Mindy's idea for a party, and that was why she had accepted. She hoped that things would change, but they only seemed to get worse, and anytime she tried to talk to Anakin about it he seemed to find a way to leave or change the topic.

When the party started and Anakin had left Obi-Wan's side, she yet again tried to find ways to approach him and try to have a conversation, or at least have fun with him. But he seemed to know whenever she was coming, because he managed to disappear every time.

It was really starting to piss her off.

Still, she managed to smile and be the nice hostess that she was supposed to be. The music pulsed in the chilly night air, and people were wildly dancing to it on the lawn. Others sat on her patio furniture, enjoying a drink. In some of the darker corners, there were people making out, reminding Padme of the kiss she and Anakin had shared. She did her best to avoid those people.

"Padme!" She whirled aroundto find Mindy there, grinning like a mad woman. "This party is the bomb! Who knew that you had it in you to throw such an awesome party?"

Padme made a face. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Mindy shrugged. "Well, you can be a little stiff sometimes. Even now, your party is rocking, but you've spent the entire time acting like the perfect hostess, or the perfect chaperone." She gestured to the party around them. "Everyone is having fun. Even Anakin is off having fun being the random person that he is. Why aren't you having fun?"

Padme hesitated. She knew that Mindy was right, but she had so much to worry about. What if someone needed help finding something? What if someone went into part of the house that was supposed to be off limits? (She had already stopped a few couples from trying to find their bedrooms) And what if Anakin decided that he wanted to hang out with her?

Actually. She was the most concerned about that last one. She knew how pathetic it sounded, and it was very unlike her to think that way. But she still couldn't help but feel like there was something more to her relationship with him…

Mindy read her like an open book. "Padme." Her voice was serious, and she waited until she yet again had Padme's full attention. "Stop chasing him. Men want what they can't have. If you really want him, not that I'm encouraging that," Padme had also asked Mindy a thousand times why her opinion on Anakin had changed so drastically, and Mindy had been frustratingly silent on that topic, "then you need to show him that you don't care that he rejected you." She put a hand on her shoulder. "Show him that you're an independent woman who doesn't need a man."

Again, Mindy was right. If Anakin was going to continue to avoid her, that was his problem. She was a strong, amazing woman that any man would be lucky to have. If Anakin couldn't see that, he was a fool.

"Okay," she said, pouring herself a drink. "Let's do this."

A feral grin spread across Mindy's face. "Now you're talking."

Padme drained the cup in one go, ignoring the fact that this particular drink was straight up Vodka. It burned her throat, and when she finished she coughed a bunch, but that didn't stop her from getting another glass.

Tonight, she was going to have fun.

A few glasses later, she was out on the dance floor, dancing like she hadn't done since her freshman year of college. She felt wild. She felt free. Everything blurred together, and all she could feel was the pulsing of the music through her veins.

Why didn't she party like this every night? She wondered. Maybe this was why Mindy loved to party so much. Who needed responsibilities? She had the rest of her life to worry about that.

For most of the dance, she was aware of Mindy dancing beside her. Soon though they were joined by other people. Padme recognized their faces, but at that moment she couldn't remember their names.

One of them seemed particularly interested in Mindy. Padme wondered if the guy didn't know Mindy's reputation for going on one date before dumping her men, or if he knew but didn't care. Mindy, sensing his interest, began to dance with him, and about three songs later she'd disappeared with him.

As soon as Mindy left, the crowd dancing with them began to move on to other places. Padme wasn't offended, mostly because she was drunk, but also because most of the people here were Mindy's friends.

"Hey," She whirled around, coming face to face with a very handsome man. He was taller than her, and broad shouldered. He had spiked blonde hair and baby blue eyes. His skin was perfectly tanned, and something about him screamed 'surfer dude' to her. In fact, all he was wearing were board shorts and flip flops, showing off a very chiseled chest. Still, he had an intelligence in his eyes, and the way he looked at her made her blush. "What's your name?"

"Padme," She tried to keep her voice from slurring, but she didn't quite succeed.

He raised an eyebrow. "It seems, Padme, that you are very drunk."

"So?" Padme shrugged, and one of her favorite songs to dance to came on through the speakers. "OH!" She gasped happily, "I love this song!"

"Do you?" the man laughed. Goodness, even his laugh sounded beautiful. "Well, let's dance then." He held out a hand to her.

She hesitated. Even in her drunken state, her mind flashed back to Anakin. It felt…wrong to accept a dance from another man.

But she wasn't Anakin's. He had made that clear.

So she took the offered hand and let herself be drawn even further into the dancing crowd. She began to dance, feeling the man's hands on her hips as she did so. She locked her arms around his neck, throwing her head back to laugh. She felt like she was in a movie. She didn't want this night to end.

They danced song after song together. She lost track of how many songs they danced to, but by the time they stopped, people were beginning to leave the party. She breathed heavily, her vision swimming, and she placed a hand on his bare chest to keep herself from falling.

"Are you okay?" he asked, and his voice was just as breathless.

Padme nodded. "I…didn't get your name." It was a struggle to get that sentence out. Her brain was feeling sluggish, and all of a sudden she felt like the energy had left her.

"Finn." He said, "I actually do need to head out. Maybe we could exchange numbers and do something some time?"

She paused. Was he asking her out on a date? She knew the answer should have been obvious, but as soon as she thought the question, her mind lost it, and she couldn't remember what it was that she was trying to find an answer to.

"Sure," she said with a shrug, giving him her phone and taking his. She entered in her contact info, and once they were both done they gave their phones back to each other.

"It was great to have met you." He said, and leaned down. Even in her drunken state, she realized that he was about to kiss her. Again, her mind flashed to Anakin, and she turned her face so that his kiss landed on her cheek.

"Nice to meet you too." She said, her words slurred. Finn grinned and left her standing in the middle of a thinning crowd, staring after him.

Once he was gone, she put her phone away and headed back towards the drink table, swaying as she went. When she reached it, she attempted to get an empty glass to fill it, but only succeeded in knocking the whole stack over. She cursed and began to try to clean it up, but she ended up making an even bigger mess.

"Padme." Anakin's voice stopped her, and his hand gently took hers and pulled her away from the table. "I think you've had enough."

"Oh, NOW you talk to me." She swayed as she turned around to face him, trying to pull herself out of his grasp. He was surprisingly strong however, and he didn't budge. "Don't tell me what to do."

Anakin didn't seem phased by her behavior, but he did look a little incredulous. "I've never actually seen you drunk. I'm not sure that I like it."

Padme snorted. "I do what I want." Again, she tried to pull herself away.

Again, Anakin didn't budge. "Who was that guy?"

"Who, Finn?"

"Yeah." He looked like he was calm, but she could see the jealousy in his eyes.

He didn't get to be jealous, she decided: he had his chance, and he killed it.

"Finn is a hottie." She said, her words totally slurred. "And an awesome dancer. And really hot." She didn't know a whole lot about him other than that. "We're probably gunna go on a date."

She watched Anakin's jaw clench, but unlike last time, he stayed in control of himself. Still, he was silent for a very long time. "That's…great." He said through clenched teeth, "But like I said, I think you're done with the drinks."

"No," Padme said, even as she began to yawn. She did feel tired all of a sudden…

"Okay then," Anakin said, letting her hands go, "Be my guest."

Again, Padme tried to go for an empty cup, but the stupid cups fell off the table. With a sigh, she straightened up. "Okay. I think I'm going to bed."

"I think that's a good idea."

She rolled her eyes and began trying to make her way towards the house, but apparently she was going the wrong way because Anakin's hands suddenly appeared at her hips and he gently guided her back towards the house. "Thanks," she grumbled.

"Anytime." He stayed at her side as they crossed the lawn to the backdoor. A few times Padme stumbled, and each time Anakin steadied her. When they reached the door, he opened it for her and helped guide her over the step and into the house. "Watch your step," he said.

She nodded in thanks and let him guide her around the furniture and into the hallway leading towards her room. "Jedi…is in there," she said slowly. She wasn't sure he even understood her. She was _that_ incoherent. But he nodded, and right before he opened the door, he positioned his body so that the dog wouldn't run out.

Jedi did attempt to run out, but Anakin stopped him and helped Padme into the room, closing the door quickly. Padme could still hear the music pounding through the walls, but she was too tired to care. The whole room was blurred and dizzy, and she collapsed face first onto the bed, not bothering to dress out of her costume.

"You're going to be sore if you sleep in that position," Anakin warned, and she felt his hands gently move her so that she was in a better position. "Are you going to get out of those clothes?"

She was too tired to answer, so she shook her head. Or she thought she did. She was already drifting off. She heard Anakin sigh and felt him pull the covers over her. "Goodnight Padme," He said, and she heard him turn and start to walk out of the room.

"You're….a good person." She said slowly, and he stopped in his tracks, silent.

"Thanks but," he paused, "You don't know that."

Her eyelids fluttered open just barely, just enough to see his silhouette in the darkness. "Yes," she said, beginning to fall asleep, "I do."

* * *

 **That was SUPER long. I did NOT expect this chapter to be this long, but a lot of important things happened. It was also way harder to write, and I'm not 100% sure I pulled it off. First, Anakin is starting to find answers to how the Force works in our world. Second, he meets Ahsoka. YAY! She will be in the next chapter. It's kind of frustrating though because her story isn't over in the TV show so I have no idea if Darth Vader ended up killing her or what happened to her, so I haven't yet decided how bad I'm going to end her previous life. There is no way Darth Vader would have let her live in peace though. Third, Satine is introduced. YAY! You will see more of her in upcoming chapters. I decided that since what is and what isn't cannon is still pretty confusing, I decided to go with Satine since she's in the Clone Wars and I can use some of those scenes for later if I need to (I have no idea if I will though, their relationship is still in the rough draft mode in my head). And fourth, Padme is getting frustrated with Anakin and has found a new man...don't stress out too much people. I have a very specific reason for introducing this guy.**

 **Next chapter is going to be SUPER MAJOR. It may also be a really long one since a lot needs to happen in that one as well. This is a half week at work though, so guess who is going to be doing a lot of writing? ME! WOOHOO!**

 **To those of you who asked about Luke and Leia: yes. I will bring in Luke and Leia. What I WAS going to do was have a second story that focused on Anakin's relationship with them, since they're part of his Second Chance, but then I realized that to have a whole seperate story that relies so heavily on what happened in the first story... I don't really feel like going through the hassle of doing a whole separate sequel. So I've figured out a good transition, and it will all be one gigantic story. I think it works better for the story arc that I'm planning anyway.**

 **Ventress will be in the story. She's too cool not to be. But I'm changing her timeline around a bit, so she won't appear until later.**

 **Also, someone who was a guest asked me this question, but I can't reply to people not logged in. Will this story be appropriate for young teenagers? Well, if you had an issue with the above chapter, then no. But I won't write anything explicit since I did rate this Teen. I may make things obvious though for your own interpretation, and I don't have swearing either. So I leave it up to you to decide what you're comfortable with, because I know people who are even uncomfortable with Teen ratings. I hope that helps.**

 **Anyhow, review! I got some awesome reviews last chapter. It was nice to read them on a day when I was having a really awful time. They really brighten my spirits.**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	19. A New Ally

"It's so good to hear from you Ani," his mother smiled at him from the screen. Mindy had shown him how to use something she called "Face Time." Turns out this world's Anakin had an account already, and although he didn't know most of the contacts on it, he did know his mother. So early the morning after the party, Anakin sat on his bed, looking at his mother's smiling face.

He had talked to her numerous times since he'd come to this world. She called him quite often, but it was the first time he was actually seeing her since she'd visited. Every time he saw or heard from her, his throat tightened as he held back tears. "It's good to _see_ you." The picture was so clear, Anakin almost felt like he was sitting in the same room with her.

She smiled, and yet again Anakin noted just how carefree she seemed in this world. He wished that he could have seen her like that in her old life. He wished that he could have given that to her. But he couldn't change the past, so he made himself smile back. "And how was the party?"

He shrugged. "It was wild. If I hadn't known that Padme was the one who threw it, I would have thought Mindy did."

His mother laughed. "Mindy doesn't exactly come across as calm, does she?"

"Not at all."

"And what about Padme?" He tensed. His mother had asked questions about Padme before, but she hadn't done so since that kiss. He hadn't told her about the kiss, but he had been dreading this question. "How are you two doing?"

"We're just friends." He blurted it out before he could stop himself, and once he saw her raise her eyebrows, he knew that he should have thought before he spoke. Now she would never leave him alone about this.

"What happened, Ani?" She asked, using that tone that said that she expected an honest answer.

He thought about lying. He was much better at lying now than he used to be, back when he was a Padawan. Years of hiding a marriage, and then even more years of being a Sith Lord had trained him to become a very good liar.

But he couldn't lie to his mother. He had already lied to her about being the son she had raised in this world, and he couldn't lie about anything else with her.

"About a week ago, Padme and I kissed." He said, and watched as his mother's eyebrows shot up in interest. "I…I rejected her."

"You did?" He could hear the surprise in her voice. Were his feelings for her that obvious? "I just thought…well, when I was there, you seemed like you really liked her."

How could he explain things to her without telling her everything? "I do mom," He slowly started, choosing his words carefully, "But I can't be with her."

A puzzled look crossed her face. "Why on Earth can't you? You're a good man, you're getting a degree from Stanford in Mechanical Engineering, and you are a good looking guy." He couldn't help but blush a little at that. "As far as I'm concerned, any woman would be lucky to have you."

He looked down. He was getting what he was told was a good degree in this world. He was…at least from what he'd been told, good looking. But a good man? No. He wasn't. "I'm not the man that you think I am." He looked up to see his mother's reaction to that, but he couldn't read her expression. She was waiting for him to continue before she made any further comments. "I…I can't tell you exactly why, but I… I think I've done horrible things. Awful things. Padme deserves someone better. Even if I was a good man, she deserves someone who will keep her safe from harm and I just can't do that." He wasn't about to tell his mother that the evilest man to ever exist was potentially targeting Anakin for what he'd done in his other galaxy. He didn't want to worry her more than he already was.

His mother leaned closer to the camera, looking at him right in the eye. "I don't know what you think it is that you've done," she started, her voice firm and unyielding, "But you are not a bad person. You're a good person who has made mistakes. Anyone can see that plainly. Have you told Padme any of this?"

"No," he admitted.

"You should. Part of being in love is accepting your partner for who they are. You accept the good, and the bad things in their past, and focus on what currently lies in their hearts. I may be biased because I'm your mother, but you do have a good heart, and I know that whatever it is you're struggling with, you're trying to become better. If she can't accept you for who you are now and who you're trying to become, then maybe she isn't the right one for you." She let out a breath. "And you know that you can talk to me about anything, right? I'm your mother. I will always love you for who you are."

Not this time, he thought glumly. Still, as much as his mind rejected what his mother was saying, he could feel the Force warm within him, confirming the truthfulness of her words. But even with the confirmation of the Force, he couldn't accept it. "Thanks mom." He didn't say anything else. He couldn't without breaking down, and with his meeting with Ahsoka tonight, he didn't want to waste more energy than he knew he already would.

She seemed a little disappointed that he didn't immediately open up to her, but she smiled nonetheless. "Just think about what I've said. For now, I need to start working on breakfast before Cliegg and Owen get back from the field."

Anakin nodded, already hating to see her go. "Okay. I love you mom."

She smiled. "I love you too." She paused. "Have you remembered anything?"

She ended every conversation with that question. There was so much hope in her voice that it crushed his heart. That was the reason he hadn't told her. He couldn't crush that hope. "No mom," He said somberly, "I'm sorry."

She attempted a smile, but he could see the concern in her dark eyes. "You'll remember someday. I'm sure of it."

They disconnected the phone, and Anakin sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. Obi-Wan had said Second Chances weren't supposed to be easy. He knew that his master was right, but that didn't mean that he didn't hate it and wish it were easier.

He heard Jedi begin barking outside, signaling that Padme had just gotten up. Speaking of hard second chances, he thought bitterly as he climbed off of the bed and headed out into the kitchen.

"I think you should totally accept," Mindy was saying to Padme. One look at Padme and Anakin knew she had a major hangover. She already had a bunch of scrambled eggs and toast piled onto her plate, and she was drinking orange juice. She had showered and changed into a black Nightmare Before Christmas T-shirt and gray sweats, her wet hair thrown up into a bun. He could still see bags under her eyes. "You may end up liking him."

"I barely remember him." Padme grumbled, "Drunk me apparently gives out her phone number way too easily."

"No, drunk you gives it out just enough." Mindy seemed to notice Anakin for the first time. "Oh. Hey. Just so you know, we've totally ruined our relationship with the neighbor next door. They were kind enough to yell at me when I got the paper this morning."

Anakin somehow didn't care what the neighbors thought about him. He had bigger problems to worry about, and he usually ignored the neighbors anyway. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Just in case they start yelling at you when you go outside. I wouldn't want you getting upset because you were surprised at their anger." He sighed in exasperation. Sure, Anakin felt anger occasionally, but he hadn't acted on it since that night at the bar.

No, his issue was acting in fear. That was what he was doing by pushing Padme away, wasn't it? Giving into his fear that he would lose her?

He shook the thought away and sat down. "Thanks for the warning. Now what should Padme do?"

Padme groaned, but Mindy, as he predicted, was all too happy to tell. "Padme got a text from that hunky guy last night. He wants to take her out on a date tonight." She grinned knowingly at Anakin, and Anakin clenched his jaw in frustration as he pushed back a wave of jealousy. Mindy knew what telling him that would do to him. He could see the challenge in her eyes.

"Is that so?" Was all he said, his voice forcibly neutral. In his head, he reminded himself that this was bound to happen sometime. He needed to accept it. He had to, even though he hated it.

Do it for Padme, He thought, for Padme.

"Yeah," Padme said, rubbing her temples. "Mindy thinks I should go. I'm not sure though. I hardly remember what happened last night."

"Well I saw him. He was totally shirtless and hot. Bow Chika Wow-Wow!" Mindy oh so helpfully said, and Anakin clenched his fists underneath the table.

"It doesn't matter how hot he is. He could be a total jerk."

"She's got a point," Anakin blurted out before he could stop himself, earning a knowing grin from Mindy. If she was doing this while he was Darth Vader, he thought darkly, she would no longer be living.

You aren't Darth Vader, he reminded himself, and you sort of…put up with Mindy. Don't do anything brash.

"But how will you know for sure if you don't go out with him? If he screams stalker-killer, you don't have to go out with him again. In fact, I will help you get rid of him. But you should give him a chance before he's done anything to not deserve it." Mindy also had a point. That, however, Anakin was not going to say.

Padme looked down at her plate, moving the eggs around with her fork. "What do you think Anakin?" She looked up and met his eyes, and when she did he could see the hope in them. His heart clenched and his throat tightened as he realized she was still hoping that they could be together. More and more he hated himself for what he'd done. Why had he been so stupid? Padme wanted him, and he wanted her, but he was a monster. She would understand that if she knew. If she had just died from childbirth and he'd received this second chance with her over that, his answer would have been easy. But his second chance at life was given to him because he had screwed up everything, not just her, so awfully, and he couldn't risk giving her that life again.

The words felt like acid in his mouth. He felt his heart tearing to shreds. He felt like he was casting his soul into the lava of Mustafar. But he opened his mouth and said, "I think Mindy is right. You should give him a chance."

"I am?!" Mindy asked, looking genuinely shocked that Anakin had said that.

Padme, however, was crushed. He could see the hope die in her eyes, and even more he wanted to somehow go back in time and stop himself from ever becoming Darth Vader. Even as Anakin, he kept hurting her. Could he never win?

Still, she pulled out her phone and texted something. "Okay," she said, "It's done."

Done. Just like they were done. Anakin suddenly wasn't hungry anymore. "I, um, had better get ready. Ben and I have some things to get done today." Like go talk to Ahsoka. He didn't want to do that either, but it was better than sticking around here.

"Have fun," Padme said, trying to sound upbeat. Anakin couldn't respond any longer. He got up, turned, and left the room.

* * *

Anakin and Obi-Wan sat down together at the diner, waiting for Ahsoka to arrive. "Have you decided what you're going to tell her?" Obi-Wan asked, picking up the menu to look it over. Anakin still didn't feel very hungry, but he picked up the menu anyway. He didn't feel like telling Obi-Wan what had happened at breakfast yet. He would, eventually, but not until after their conversation with Ahsoka.

"The truth, I guess. She already knows part of it. Ahsoka is smart too—she would likely recognize my lie a million miles away. Did you know that she knew that I was with Padme in our galaxy?"

Obi-Wan sighed. "Of course she did. I was too focused on what needed to be done for the Order to see it."

Anakin shrugged. "I won't tell you that you weren't, but you did do what you thought was best at the time. You obviously know now, and it doesn't even matter anymore." He must have let some bitterness seep into his voice, because Obi-Wan looked at him suspiciously.

"Something happened, didn't it?" Obi-Wan asked, but right as he did Ahsoka appeared, wearing a pair of blue jeans and a red and gold top. It was still strange for Anakin to see her as a human and without her head dress and markings, but the way she moved and her expression was still so Ahsoka that he again felt that pang of guilt.

She sat down across from them. "Sorry I'm late," she said, dropping her purse into the seat next to them, "Traffic was awful."

"I believe it," Anakin said, trying, and failing, to smile.

They made small talk while they picked out what they wanted to order, and as soon as the waitress had taken their order and left, Ahsoka got right down to business. "So. How did you become my master?" Her voice was loud, and Anakin glanced around to be sure no one was listening. It wasn't a busy hour, so there weren't other customers sitting at the tables around them, but he still couldn't help but be paranoid.

"Keep your voice down." He said, his voice lower. "I'll answer your questions, but unless you want us to get thrown into a mental institution, you'll keep your voice down."

She raised her eyebrow. "How long have you lived in California?" Anakin frowned: what did that have to do with anything? He opened his mouth to ask, but Ahsoka turned to face the rest of the restaurant. "Hey everyone! We're Jedi from a different galaxy! We're reincarnated into this world for no apparent reason other than the Force decided to do so! Send us to a Looney Bin!"

Mortified, Anakin tried to shush her, but all of the other customers just gave them annoyed glances and went back to eating. "See?" Ahsoka said with a smirk, "Californians are used to crazies. They don't care." She paused. "But Floridians are worse. But I'm sure you already knew that."

"I didn't," Anakin hissed, resisting the urge to scold her as he used to when she did something brash as his padawan. He was no longer her master though, and he didn't think she would take it as well if he treated her that way now. "I also don't appreciate you shouting our business to the world. There may be dangerous people watching."

If he had talked to anyone else, they would have called him paranoid. Ahsoka, however, got serious. "Obviously there is a lot you need to tell me. So again, we'll start with how we met."

Anakin sighed, looking at Obi-Wan for support. "Obi-Wan was supposed to get another Padawan after I became a Jedi Knight. I never wanted to teach anyone. I'm not much of a teacher," He scowled, remembering how he'd not only failed Ahsoka as his Jedi Padawan, but also Starkiller as his Sith apprentice. "However, you were assigned to me instead, and we eventually came to accept one another."

Ahsoka nodded thoughtfully. "I remember battles. A lot of battles against some sort of robot."

"Droids." Obi-Wan corrected her, his eyes never leaving her. Anakin had told him of the fate of his former Padawan before this meeting, and Anakin suspected that Obi-Wan had a lightsaber somewhere on him just in case this meeting went south.

"Okay, we were battling droids. Why?" She asked.

"There were many reasons for it," Anakin answered, "But it all boiled down to a man named Palpatine. He was a Sith Lord who wanted to rule the galaxy. We didn't realize that was the heart of the issue until it was too late and the Sith Lord had already won."

Ahsoka seemed familiar enough with the term 'Sith' not to need an explanation. Her face, though, paled as she began to put two and two together. "This Palpatine…he's not the same Palpatine as Senator Palpatine, is he?" Anakin gravely nodded in affirmative. She slumped against the back of her seat. "Well. That really sucks. My parents voted for him last election. It's not every day that your parents vote for an apparently psychopath killer."

It was just like Ahsoka to take the news that one of her elected leaders was an evil mastermind as calmly as she was. Most people, like Mindy, would not have taken it so well. But Ahsoka was always taking news in stride and finding a way to solve it. He missed that about her. "We don't know yet how much he knows," Obi-Wan said, answering Ahsoka's next unspoken question, "But we're trying to find out. Hopefully he doesn't remember anything and we can move on with our lives."

Ahsoka looked at Obi-Wan for a moment, processing his words, before she looked at Anakin. "I sense that you don't view the situation as optimistically as your friend."

"I don't." Anakin confirmed, "You and I…we had a falling out. It wasn't anything that you or I had done, but rather the Jedi Order. You left and I fell into a depression. I was never good at letting things go. When my wife…"

"Padme." Anakin stopped, surprised at her interruption. "It wasn't hard to put two and two together in that world. I figured out that you two were at least involved somehow."

"Yes," Anakin responded, his voice hollow. "She was my wife. She got pregnant, and I had visions that she would die. Palpatine told me that he could save her with the Dark Side, and I foolishly believed him and turned to the Dark Side. I became Darth Vader." He clenched his fist. "She died anyway."

Ahsoka looked down at her hands, and this time Anakin couldn't tell what she was thinking. It made him very nervous. He hadn't even gotten to the part where she became involved. "Did I know about who you became?"

"You did."

"And?"

This was it. Anakin took a deep breath. "We fought. You were helping the Rebel Alliance. I thought that I could use you to find major Rebel leaders. I… I ended up killing you in the end."

Ahsoka's gaze snapped back up to Anakin's. "So it was you then." She said, and he could detect no malice in her voice.

He frowned. "You're not angry?"

"That depends," She said, "I've had dreams about my death in your galaxy multiple times throughout my life. I'm about to kill someone in a dark mask, but for some reason I can't bring myself to do it. The next thing I know, I have a glowing sword in my gut and I collapse, feeling the life draining out of me." The server arrived carrying their food, cutting off Ahsoka. They waited in a sullen silence as the waitress placed their food before them, trying to bring the mood up with her chipper demeanor. Anakin found it more annoying than anything else, and he was glad when she left them again. "The man in the mask…that was Darth Vader, wasn't it?"

"It was." Anakin confirmed.

"And that really is how you killed me."

"It is." The words tasted sour in his mouth.

She was silent for a long time. "And who are you now? Anakin Skywalker, my master, my friend? Or are you Darth Vader, my enemy?"

Anakin took his time formulating an honest answer. "I'm not Darth Vader. I am Anakin Skywalker, but I'm not the same man you knew. I'm still working on figuring out who I am now. I wish that I could give you a more firm answer, but right now I can't."

Ahsoka glanced at Obi-Wan. "And what do you think of this whole situation?"

Obi-Wan didn't hesitate. "I was skeptical at first as well. However, Anakin doesn't give himself enough credit. He has changed a lot since you last met him, and I believe that his heart is in the right place."

Anakin's throat tightened at hearing those words. He wasn't sure if he fully believed them, but now wasn't the time to debate that. Instead he waited in anticipation as Ahsoka continued to debate internally what she would do with the information that he had given her. Anakin could feel her using the Force to search out her feelings, and he wondered what the Force would tell her.

Finally she nodded. "I understand. Well, I don't understand everything just yet, but…I feel like we're still supposed to be on the same side. If Palpatine really does remember who he is, then we Jedi are going to need to stick together to defeat him, especially given our limited resources here in this world."

Anakin released a breath that he hadn't realized that he'd been holding. It wasn't exactly an offer to be friends again. Like his relationship with Obi-Wan, his connection with Ahsoka was unpredictable, and he wasn't even sure if he could handle getting close to her again only to have something or someone (including himself) rip them apart again. "I understand," was all that he said however. He didn't quite trust himself to say anything else without breaking down.

Ahsoka leaned forward, a grin spreading across her face. "Now let's talk about the New Jedi Order."

* * *

Padme shifted uncomfortably in her black mini-dress. Even though Finn was taking her out to a nice bar to get a drink, she didn't quite feel comfortable wearing something that revealed so much of her legs. It had been Mindy who had picked this dress out for her. Mindy insisted that in order to move on from Anakin's rejection, Padme really needed to put herself out there.

Still, Padme had not been comfortable with the hungry look that Finn had given her when he picked her up that night.

Sure, he was beautiful. He may have been dressed as a surfer at the party last night, but even in a black t-shirt and blue jeans, he still looked like a surfer boy to her. He claimed, however, that he had never been surfing in his life. Other than the hungry look that he had given her at the beginning of the date, he had been a perfect gentlemen. He helped her into and out of the car, he opened doors for her, and he hadn't asked questions when she told him that they couldn't go to the first club they'd driven by (the same one she had been banned from almost two months ago).

Now they were at a tiny, yet tasteful bar in downtown, and he was listening intently as she told him of her plan to become a defense lawyer after she got her doctorate. He asked questions where appropriate, he laughed at her jokes (his laugh was deep and hearty, the kind of laugh most girls would fawn over), and he kept casually touching her skin playfully. It was almost too perfect.

And it wasn't what she wanted.

But she couldn't have what she wanted.

Sensing that he was losing her attention, he asked, "Do you want another drink?" He asked. On the other side of the room, couples began to dance on a makeshift dance floor.

She shook her head. She wasn't interested in getting as drunk as she had the night before. She had woken up that morning with a killer headache that took hours to go away. With school in the morning, she didn't want to take any chances. She glanced over where couples were dancing, swaying clumsily to the music. Most of the people in this bear were Latina, and therefore the music matched the overall atmosphere.

Noticing her glance, Finn cleared his throat and held out a hand. "Then would you care for a dance?"

She blinked in surprise. She had merely been curious about the dancers. Sure, she had taken some Latin dance classes for fun in high school and in her first semester of college, but she had never actually put those skills to use in a situation like this. Plus, even though Finn was nice, she wasn't sure that it was going anywhere with him and she didn't want to lead him on.

But he was being so kind, and he'd already gone out of his way to make a good impression on her. Even if it didn't go anywhere, they could be friends, and friends danced, right?

"Sure," she found herself saying, and despite herself, she smiled as she took his hand. He led her out to the dance floor, and she frantically tried to recall everything she learned. Maybe she'd forgotten and would look like a fool. Or maybe it didn't even matter: she didn't even know if Finn knew how to Latin dance.

But a fast song began to play, and the next thing she knew, Finn was expertly spinning her around the dance floor. Her hips swayed to the music, and soon enough her tension began to melt away as she let herself flow with the music.

As the dance continued, she felt Finn draw closer and closer. His hands were around her hips. His breath ticked her ear. She should have pulled away, but in the heat of the moment, her mind began to wander. Finn was obviously a good dancer. Was Anakin a good dancer? She remembered that night at the club, when she had tried to dance with him. He had been stiff and awkward, but she'd found it endearing.

As Finn dipped her backward expertly, she realized with a pang in her chest that she missed Anakin's awkwardness. She missed his smile. She missed the way he looked at her when he saw her in the morning. She missed being around him, and she hated that he was pushing her away.

As Finn pulled Padme up to standing again, she pressed a hand against his chest, stopping him. "What is it?" he asked breathlessly. She looked up at him, trying to form the right words. This wasn't working. Her heart belonged to another. Her feelings would apparently never be reciprocated, but she still…she still…

She still loved him.

She didn't know when she'd started to fall for Anakin. She knew there was no logical reason why she should fall in love with him. Clearly there were things that Anakin was dealing with that she could never fully comprehend. But that hadn't stopped her from falling in love with Anakin Skywalker.

And it felt right. Her entire body warmed at the realization, and she knew, without a doubt, that Finn's hands should not have been touching her the way they had. Only Anakin had that right, and she didn't even fully understand why she had suddenly decided that when he clearly didn't want her that way.

"I'm sorry," she said, pulling out of Finn's grasp. "But I'm suddenly not feeling well. Could you please take me home?"

Something passed through Finn's eyes, but before Padme could determine what it was, he was smiling again. "Of course," he said, leading her off the dance floor. "You may have anything you desire."

She felt guilty that she had come to that revelation in the middle of her date, but as Finn talked, it became clear that he obviously cared more about her well-being than the outcome of the date. She wished things could have been different. Finn really was a nice guy.

They exited the bar, her arm on Finn's. She expected him to lead her straight to the parking lot where they had parked, but he suddenly stopped. "Oh, I forgot. I'm actually supposed to pick up a prescription from the CVS around the corner. Could we drop by there really quick?" He flashed her a blinding smile. "Maybe you could grab something to help you feel better while we're there."

He was so thoughtful. Perhaps she would try to hook him up with Mindy…but then again, Mindy didn't exactly treat nice guys kindly, so perhaps she wouldn't. "Okay."

He turned them down the alley between the bar and another darkened office building. There was hardly any light, but Padme didn't feel worried. She wasn't alone. Finn was a buff looking guy. She doubted anyone would try to mess with them with Finn around.

"Crap," Finn said, stopping abruptly and leaning down. Padme stopped. "My shoe is untied. You can keep going if you'd like. I'll meet you at the end of the alley."

Padme hesitated. She didn't like the idea of being alone. Somehow, she had a feeling that if she told Anakin that she'd wandered off alone on a dark night in a blackened alley, he wouldn't be happy with her. "No, it's okay, I'll stay…"

Finn straightened back up as she spoke, and before she could finish her sentence, his entire demeanor changed. Gone was the kind, sweet, seemingly perfect surfer dude. The man that stood in front of her was stiff, ready for a fight, and he had a cold look in his eyes that sent a chill down her spine. She glanced behind her to see if some sort of threat had entered the alley, but she saw none. She turned back around to ask what was wrong…

Only to find Finn shoving the barrel of a gun into her face.

* * *

 **CLIFFHANGER!**

 **I actually had hoped to post this chapter on Thursday night, however right as I was about to start writing, my parents called and told me that they're putting my dog down. He's 16 years old, so he's had a good, long life, but it's hard to lose a friend that's been there over half of your life.**

 **Anyhow, I do hope you enjoyed the chapter. I will be continuing Ahsoka's conversation with Anakin and Obi-Wan next chapter, because now that they've established that they are allies, they have to start getting some organization. That, and of course I'm going to resolve the above cliffhanger.**

 **Also, if you have a chance to go to Disneyland, do it. I went on Saturday with a friend. They turned Tomorrowland into a temporary Star Wars land. Space Mountain has been converted into Hyperspace Mountain, and it was so amazing I fangirled. You legit feel like you are in a battle against the Empire. There are Tie Fighters flying at you, you're 'shooting' lasers at Star Destroyers, and narration and epic John Williams music plays in the background. The new Star Tours is also pretty cool, AND I GOT TO MEET DARTH VADER. I was so happy. I was probably the happiest adult woman there. He started chewing me out and poking me like he does in the movie, and I was just like :D YES I WILL JOIN YOU I LOVE YOU CAN I HUG YOU?! (Note: He does NOT like hugs). I also met Chewy and Boba Fett, which was also pretty freaking awesome. So. Long story short. Get yourself to Disneyland. I felt like I stepped into a galaxy far far away and they haven't even started building Star Wars Land yet (they start that in January).**

 **Anyhow. SONGS.**

 **From last chapter:**

 **Heads Will Roll-Yeah Yeah Yeahs**

 **Mad Hatter-Melanie Martinez**

 **Last Friday Night-Katy Perry**

 **From this chapter:**

 **The Way I Loved You-Taylor Swift**

 **Review! I'll try to update soon since that's a mean cliffhanger. But as last week proved to me, anything can happen. But I can promise to do my best.**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	20. Survival

She had always wondered what she would do if someone pointed a gun in her face. It had always been a stronger possibility for her than her friends because she was the daughter of politicians. In fact, her parents had strongly cautioned her as a girl to be extra safe when going out by herself. But nothing had ever happened, and she began to view her parent's concerns as paranoid.

They didn't seem paranoid anymore.

"You'll do exactly as I say," gone was the voice of the kind Finn she had been with only minutes before. His voice was hard, unforgiving. It was the voice of a ruthless killer.

She began to imagine what he would do to her. As a law student, she had studied all too many situations like this, and to think that it would actually happen to her…

 _No._ A hard, determined voice said in her head. It sounded like her own thoughts, but somehow it was…different. _Not today._

Then she moved. She moved so quickly, so confidently, it was like she had entered someone else's body.

With one hand, she grabbed the muzzle of the gun. At the same time, her other hand flashed out and struck Finn right on the inside of his wrist hard enough that he gasped in pain, his grip on the gun loosening enough that she was able to rip it from his grasp. Just as efficiently, she put a bit of distance between them, flipping the gun so that it was now pointed at Finn.

She should have been terrified. She had never held a gun in her life, and yet as she stood there, she felt confident, in control, and as if she had been in this position before. "I'll do no such thing." Her voice held no quavering.

He looked surprised, but he quickly recovered. Padme didn't know how, but she recognized the way he was standing, with his feet apart and knees slightly bent, as the stance of someone who would launch an attack at any moment. She didn't know how she knew that. She didn't know why she was doing it, but she found herself looking at him and _analyzing_ where she could shoot him that wouldn't kill him, but would cause quite a bit of pain.

How did she even _know_ that?

"I didn't think you were a fighter." He said.

She didn't think so either. At least, not this kind of a fighter. "It's not too late to turn around and go." Surely he would see that she had the advantage. She was not within his reach. She had the gun. Her finger was on the trigger, ready to shoot.

She was wrong. He moved, faster than she realized someone could move. She pulled the trigger out of panic. There was a burst of blood, and he cursed right as he collided with her. Her knees buckled under his weight and she collapsed backward, her head hitting the pavement so hard that her vision blacked out for a moment and she only saw stars. She heard the gun clatter across the ground. As her vision cleared, she felt him trying to crawl over her. She could feel blood dripping onto her skin, and her vision finally cleared.

She'd shot him in the shoulder, and it was bleeding profusely. It didn't seem to matter to him. His face was twisted in pain, but he was still moving to get the gun while still trying to keep her pinned under his weight.

Again, she moved without thinking. Her knee came up and she dug it into his shoulder. She didn't care that she was wearing a tiny black dress. At this point, she was fighting for her life. She would do anything for that.

He groaned, but he didn't stop. Instead he pressed more of his weight into her, making it hard for her to breathe.

She still didn't stop. She bit his arm hard, so hard that she tasted blood. He yelped in pain and she felt him smack her hard against the face. She felt the sting, she knew that it would leave a mark, but she didn't stop fighting. She began kicking, biting, screaming, pulling…anywhere that could hurt him, or at least stop him from getting the gun.

She could hear sirens in the distance. Someone had called the cops. She supposed she was grateful for that, but they sounded so far away. A lot could happen between then and now.

He heard the sirens too. He cursed again and stopped trying to hold her down as he leaped for the gun. It clattered just out of his reach, and she used that opportunity to gather all of her strength and get to her knees before she leapt onto him, knocking him flat to the ground.

She wasn't as heavy as he was, and he began to move to buck her off. She ignored him and scrambled over his body, going for the gun. Her fingers just barely touched it when his hand grabbed her hair and yanked. She cried out, but she managed to wrap her fingers around the hilt of the gun.

She didn't hesitate. She whirled around just as he lunged for her, his hands going for the gun in her hands, and she pulled the trigger, shooting him right in the face.

Thick red blood sprayed everywhere. The air was coated with the smell of it. Finn's body slumped lifelessly into her lap, the liquid rapidly filling her lap. She dropped the gun harmlessly to the cement, propping herself up on her elbows, unable to tear her eyes away from the body on top of her. The body of a man who not that long ago had taken her out on a date. The body of a man that she had allowed to touch her intimately as they danced. The body of a man who had tried to kill her.

All at once, what had happened hit her. Gone was the confident woman who had fought for her life. She began to shake uncontrollably, and sobs tore from her chest. She was too numb to move, and soon the red and blue lights of police cars filled her blurred vision.

She killed a man.

She _killed_ someone.

And she didn't even understand fully how she'd even accomplished it.

Distantly, she was aware of men in police uniforms approaching her, asking her questions that seemed too garbled to understand. She couldn't look at them. She could only look at the body in her lap.

She felt hands on her shoulders. She watched someone pull the body off of her. She felt someone pull her to her feet and lead her away on shaking legs that could hardly support her weight. As they left the alley and she saw the horrified, but curious, looks from the patrons who had been in the bar, she finally threw up into the street.

* * *

"But there's only four of us," Anakin said for the thousandth time. It was a few hours later, and they were still discussing the fate of the Jedi in this world. They had talked for so long that the restaurant had kicked them out. So now they sat at the pier on a bench, trying to ignore the chill that the wind blowing from the sea brought. "And I can't do much with the Force right now except block some fruit."

Ahsoka frowned. "That's oddly specific."

Obi-Wan grinned. "But it's really fun."

Anakin rolled his eyes. "My point is, there are really only three available Jedi in this world…unless we can get Yoda back into this, but even though he's a Force wielder, he doesn't remember anything about the past." He glanced at Ahsoka. "Do you remember him?"

She thought for a moment. "Was he green?"

"Yes."

"Then yes, I do remember him. He could be useful if we could convince him." She paused. "But we agreed that the old Order wouldn't work here on this world. The Order that Yoda was a Master in was…rather flawed. Would he try to bring the Order back to those rules?"

It was a good point, and Anakin didn't like the thought of it. Still, it was odd to think of a Jedi Order without Master Yoda. "I don't know. But I don't think it's fair not to give him the option." He shook his head. "But even with Master Yoda, I don't think that we could really establish an Order here. In our galaxy, people knew what a Jedi was. They were likely to trust the Jedi to do what they needed to do to train Force users. But here? People don't even believe in life outside of their own world here. How could we convince people to join what they would likely see as a cult?"

"Anakin does have a point. Still, Anakin, Luke likely had to rebuild the Jedi Order in our galaxy by himself. If he can do it," Obi-Wan began, but was cut off by his phone going off. He pulled it out of his pocket, frowned at the caller ID, and stood. "Excuse me. I need to take this call." He moved away to answer the phone. Anakin longed to call him back. It had been a while since Obi-Wan had talked to him about his children. Suddenly he very much wanted to hear another story about both of them, even if he would never see them again.

"Who is Luke?" Ahsoka asked.

Oh. He hadn't told her of that part. "He's one of my children." He looked at her. "Before Padme died, she gave birth to twins: Luke and Leia." He sighed longingly, looking out towards the darkened sea. Even in the dark, he could still see the waves breaking against the shore. "Luke became the Jedi that I never was. He…he believed in the goodness in me even when no one else would. He saved me." His throat tightened. He couldn't say any more about his son. He realized, suddenly, that he still terribly missed him. Perhaps he would always miss his son achingly.

Ahsoka was quiet. "You really are proud of him, aren't you?" When he looked at her quizzically, she clarified, "Just now, when you spoke about him, I could hear pride in your voice." She smiled a little. "I'm sure he misses you too."

Did he? Anakin wondered. Luke had spent the majority of his life away from him. With a sinking heart, Anakin was certain that Luke had moved on to bigger and better things. Anakin didn't deserve more than that, but it still hurt.

"I'll talk to him," Obi-Wan's voice reached Anakin's ears, and instantly Anakin became apprehensive. "Let me know if you hear anything else." Anakin watched warily as Obi-Wan hung up the phone and returned to the group, his face gravely serious.

"Who was that?" Anakin asked suspiciously.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath, closing his eyes, as if he were preparing himself for something. That only made Anakin worry more. "Something happened."

Anakin instantly stood, his nerves electrified. "What?"

Obi-Wan looked Anakin in the eye. "I need you to stay calm." Oh great. Anakin almost asked not to know, but he knew that Obi-Wan wouldn't tell him unless it was important. "Padme's date attacked her."

The world began to shift from under Anakin's feet. His vision began to swim as a wave of anger and worry washed over him, warring with the lightness within Anakin. It took all of his strength to keep standing there, listening to Obi-Wan continue. "She's alive. She killed him in self-defense, so we don't know too much information. Mindy is there with her, and her parents are on their way."

The words sounded hollow to Anakin. He had let her go on that date. He had _encouraged_ it. And now she was hurt, perhaps scared, and…

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan's voice sounded far away.

"Anakin, I'm sure she's okay," Ahsoka said. He looked at her, unseeing. She couldn't know for sure. If he lost her again…

Panic took hold. He whirled and ran, ignoring his friend's cries for him to stop and wait. He was too far gone. He had to be sure. She had to be okay.

He would make sure of it.

* * *

Anakin rushed through the sliding doors of the emergency room, headed straight for the receptionist desk. A tired nurse sat behind it. "Where is Padme?" He demanded in a booming voice before he'd gotten to the desk.

She looked up, startled. "Who?"

"Padme. Padme Amidala." He was frustrated that she didn't immediately know who he was talking about. Logically, he knew that the hospital had literally hundreds of people just in the ER department, let alone the rest of the hospital. It wasn't logical for her to know who he was talking about right off the bat.

But he wasn't thinking logically. He had sped through the streets on his motorcycle like a madman to get there, and now that he was finally here he wasn't going to let anything or anyone stop him from getting to his beloved Padme.

So he shifted his weight impatiently while the nurse slowly looked up her information. "Ah. She's in room 174. She's being interviewed by the police right now, so she can't have any visitors."

Not good enough. He couldn't wait any longer to see her. "I must see her," He growled.

She gave him a hard look. "No one is allowed to see her, I said. Wait patiently, and you'll see her soon."

He didn't have time to debate this. Had he been Darth Vader, he would have choked her and thrown her lifeless body out of his way. But he wasn't Vader anymore. Instead, he raised his hand. He didn't think about what he was about to do. He just…did it. "You _will_ let me see her." He said, and for the first time, the Force was behind his words.

He saw her tired eyes dull as the Force took hold of her mind. "I will let you see her," she repeated emotionlessly.

Even in his panicked state, Anakin did feel a twinge of guilt for his intrusion into her mind, but he was also proud of himself. He hadn't been able to do that since he'd arrived on this world. It was some progression, which was always good to see. Still, he knew that had Obi-Wan witnessed it, he wouldn't have approved.

Anakin didn't care enough at that moment. He nodded his head in thanks and rushed through the swinging doors of the ER, doing his best not to flat out run towards room 174.

He walked through the cluttered hallways without being stopped. He wasn't sure if the Force was helping him, or if people were staying out of his way because they could tell that he was not a man to be messed with at that moment. But soon enough he was walking down the correct hall. At the end, two officers left the room Anakin supposed was Padme's, and they began to talk to a frazzled-looking Mindy.

"Is she in there?" He didn't bother to wait for the officers to be done with talking to Mindy.

Mindy blinked in surprise. "Anakin?" She asked, "What are….how did you get here so fast?"

"Do you know this man?" One of the officers asked.

Mindy glanced towards the officers, as if debating. Anakin felt a surge of anger. If she tried to stop him now… "Yes I know him. He's Padme's boyfriend. He has more of a right to be here than I do."

Wait. What? He would have asked Mindy that, but his mind was still largely focused on one person. "I need to see her."

The officers exchanged looks. "She's going to be okay, son." One of them said, trying to calm Anakin. Anakin would have objected to being called that, but again, he didn't give a crap about anything at that moment except Padme.

He looked at the officer that had spoken. " _I need to see that she is okay for myself."_ All three of them, Mindy and the officers, took a step back. Anakin didn't know how he looked at that moment, but he sounded desperate, and quite frankly, scary. It was a miracle that he wasn't trying to Force push everyone out of his way.

The officers looked torn. "We need you to calm down before we let you in there," The one officer began to say, but Mindy cut him off firmly.

"He's not going to calm down until we move out of his way and let him see that she's okay. He won't hurt her. The man is crazy for her." She paused. "It might be good for Padme to see him too."

He could hardly process the meaning behind her words. His breathing picked up, and he felt like he was about to have a meltdown right there. But finally, the officers looked at each other, as if silently communicating, and stepped aside.

Anakin didn't wait for them to change their minds. He pushed past them and stormed into the room.

Padme sat alone on the edge of the white bed, still wearing a ridiculously short black dress. Her hands clutched an empty paper cup, and she looked down at the sterile white floor beneath the bed, her body shaking.

But Anakin hardly noticed that. What immediately drew his attention was the massive amount of blood that splattered her dress and had dried on her legs. He saw her hair askew, falling out of the updo that she had put it in. One side of her face had a nasty bruise beginning to form.

It was very, very good that he did not have full access to the Force. Looking at her that way, understanding that she had almost lost her life, that she looked injured to him…

He felt white hot _rage._

It was also very, very good that the man who had done this to her was dead. Otherwise, Anakin would have turned and walked out of the room to hunt him down.

She looked up when she heard him come in, her dark eyes reflecting a look that he'd seen all too often in the battles that he had fought. It was the eyes of someone who had seen something so awful that they couldn't quite comprehend it.

He hated the man that put that look in her eyes. He clenched his fists so hard, his nails cut into his skin. He tried to speak, to ask where she was hurt, how bad it was, anything, but his voice was strangled.

But as soon as her eyes met his, they began to clear. "Anakin?" She asked, as if she wasn't sure he was really there. He tried to speak, but the anger was so close to the surface, he knew he would start yelling if he spoke. So he nodded. "How…how did you get in here? They haven't even let Mindy in, and…"

He had to know. He took several deep breaths to calm himself enough to ask, "Where are you hurt?"

She blinked in surprise and really looked down at herself. "Oh. Anakin, this isn't my blood." She looked back up at him. "I'll have a bruise on my cheek, but…"

He cut her off. " _Are you sure?"_

"Yes. I…I killed him before he could do anything else to me." Her voice shook when she said that, but she didn't cry. "Anakin…"

Anakin ignored her. He had to see for himself. He approached her and began to study her. She quieted, as if sensing that he needed to be sure, and allowed him to look her over.

Sure enough, he could find no open wounds. He only found the bruise on her cheek.

Just like that, his anger melted into concern and relief, and he let out a shaky breath. She was okay. She was alive. The threat was already dead and gone.

 _She was still alive._

"Anakin," she began again, but trailed off as his eyes met hers. Slowly, gently, he touched her bruise. She winced a little, but she didn't stop him from gently running his thumb over it.

"I thought…" he started, his voice breaking, "I thought I was going to lose you again."

"Again?" She echoed, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion, "Anakin, you never lost me."

But he did. And now she was alive, she was safe, and...

He kissed her. He kissed her hard, his hand leaving her cheek to tangle gently into her hair, bringing her face even closer so that he could really, truly kiss her. He kissed her the way he'd wanted to since he woke up to find that she was dead, supposedly by his hand, all those years ago. He kissed her the way he wanted to every day since that day. He kissed her the way he wanted to when he woke up on her couch in this world and saw her standing before him, alive and breathing.

After a brief gasp of surprise, Padme kissed him back just as hard. It was as if she was clinging to him to keep herself grounded, to keep herself from the painful memory of what had just befallen her. Oh Force, he had _missed_ these kisses.

Soon though, they had to break for air. Anakin pulled away, resting his forehead against hers, looking into her beautiful eyes. "I won't let anyone hurt you that way again," He whispered. Part of him recognized that he had made that same promise before, and he had been the one to break it by choking her.

 _This time, that promise includes from myself. I will not hurt you again. I will not leave you again._

Padme's answer was to kiss him again, gentle this time, but sweeter. He closed his eyes, savoring every moment of it.

He would not lose his Padme again.

* * *

 **WOOHOO! Anakin and Padme love time in this chapter! A lot of you were getting anxious about it, but have no fear, I had a plan. You were all right. Anakin needed something to push him back to her. Well. Here was the push. It was so hard not to say anything about these plans. Muahahahaha. But they aren't out of the hot water yet. Anakin and Padme never are. We will see how this changes their relationship. AND how it changes Mindy's relationship too. You have to remember, Mindy is not a Jedi. She is a normal human being who is thrown into the lives of very different people. So that's why she's only just now starting to come to terms with Anakin's relationship with her best friend. This is the chapter that will really start to change Mindy's outlook as well. Hurray!**

 **I just wanted to say thank you to all of your condolences. I did not expect so much heartfelt love for my loss. I only mentioned it to explain the late update, as I've done other stories for other genres where people would get really mad for late updates. It just reaffirms the fact that all of you are so amazing, and frankly, that the Star Wars fanbase really is one of the best fanbases out there. Star Wars fans tend to be really kind and understanding, and it warms my heart. You guys are the best!**

 **Anyhow. Review! I've got over 200 reviews now, which is totally crazy, since I've never had that many before. But again, you guys are the best. You always brighten my day!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**

 **P.S. The song that inspired that last scene is Heart By Heart by Demi Lovato. And of course, Across the Stars (Anakin and Padme's love theme) by John Williams. (Is it possible to make John Williams immortal?)**


	21. The Aftermath

It felt so good to be clean again. As soon as the doctor had come back to her room, Anakin had insisted that she needed to clean off. She knew that he had done it for her sake—the smell and crusty feeling of the dried blood on her had been stressing her out—but she suspected, from the way he'd looked at her the first time he'd walked in, that he needed it to be off of her as well. Thankfully, her sister Sola had arrived right at that moment with a change of clothes, so Padme now had a light blue t-shirt on with a sailboat on it, and a pair of black sweats and fuzzy, warm slippers.

Although Padme was grateful for the change of clothes, she did wish her sister was less perceptive when it came to her love life. As soon as she'd walked into the room, her gaze zoomed in on Padme's hand in Anakin's, and a massive grin of triumph spread over her sister's face.

Talk about embarrassing.

Still. Padme was quite happy, if not totally surprised, with this turn of events. She didn't realize that Anakin had felt so strongly for her. They had kissed and kissed and kissed until the doctor came in and had to clear his throat to get them to pull away. Padme kissed him back because she knew now that she loved him, and he grounded her in reality with his presence. But the way he kissed her, especially that first kiss, it was as if he were half-starved, and only her kiss would right things again.

She had thought the kiss on the beach was the best of her life. She was wrong.

When Padme went back into the hospital room, the only one there was Mindy. She tried not to be too disappointed, but she smiled anyway for her best friend. "Hey."

Mindy looked up from her phone and smiled back. "Hey." She said, looking her over with a critical eye. "It's good to see that you can still smile."

Padme nodded and sat back down on the bed. They were just waiting for the doctors to give her the okay to leave. She had already given everything to the police for their investigation. They were supposed to show up at her house to discuss it further the next day, meaning that she would have to email her professors and get the work she would miss from them. "I'm just ready to go home and go to sleep and pretend that this never happened."

Mindy sat down next to her, putting her phone away, but not before Padme was able to glance at the time. 2 AM. Yeah. There was no way that she was going to be able to go to school. "Can you pretend that it never happened, though? I don't think that I could do that." Mindy's voice was quiet in the empty room. Padme wondered where Anakin was. They weren't even together for an hour and all she wanted to do was be with him.

It was pathetic. Somehow, she didn't care.

"Do you know what's sad?" Padme asked.

"What?"

"I know in my heart that I should be torn up about killing someone. And at first, I was pretty freaked out." The doctor had said that she was in shock when she'd come in. She had remained that way throughout her explanation to the doctors, and then the police. It had taken her a long time to get the full story out without repeating the same thing over and over again. She stayed that way until Anakin had charged into the room, looking like a man ready to take on the world to protect her. "But now…I don't know. It's strange. It's like I feel bad that I had to do it, but the guy was trying to _kill_ me. I don't feel bad about killing him."

What she didn't say was that it was like she had done it before.

She was _much_ more worried about that feeling.

Mindy already seemed troubled though. "Maybe the media has desensitized you so much that it doesn't feel real yet. There are studies on that, you know."

"Maybe." She didn't think so, but she didn't want to worry her overprotective friend more than she already had.

"How did you do what you did anyway? I had no idea that you could do that. Did you take self-defense classes or something and you just never told me about it?" Mindy asked.

"No, I never did." She said. This was the other thing that troubled her. There was no logical reason why she should have been able to disarm Finn. She didn't know what Finn's motives were yet, but he'd obviously had at least some more experience than she did. She should be dead right now. Or kidnapped. Or…

She didn't finish that thought.

"I don't understand how I did it," she continued, "One moment, he was about to take me home. He was sweet. He was kind. He's not my type, but he didn't seem like a crazy person. The next thing I know, I have a gun in my face. I thought I was done for. The next thing I knew, though, I had disarmed him. It was so swift, it was like I had practiced it a million times." She looked at Mindy. "But I swear, I never have. Tonight…tonight I was a different person. And that is what scares me."

Mindy shifted uncomfortably, unable to meet her eyes. It was as if Mindy had some answer to what had happened to Padme, but was keeping that information for herself. Padme knew that was ridiculous though. Mindy couldn't explain what had happened any more than Padme could. "Maybe you saw a YouTube video and you just subconsciously picked it up." Mindy suggested.

Padme shook her head. She didn't think so. Sure, she had seen maybe one or two videos, but she'd never really paid attention to them. No, something was going on. Padme just wasn't sure what.

"So. You and Anakin. You're finally a thing?" Mindy changed the subject so quickly, but unlike Sola who would have done it in a teasing way, Mindy was serious…which was actually rather uncharacteristic of her.

"I think so." Padme looked down at her hands. It really was a sudden thing. Perhaps she should ask Anakin about it…but she was afraid. If she mentioned it, would it shatter their blossoming romance? Perhaps it would be better to just bask in the moment and take it one step at a time. Yes. She would do that.

"Do you love him?" Again, Padme was caught off guard. Mindy was always concerned with the amount of guys she could date. She had never heard Mindy ask anyone that question.

"I know it sounds crazy. It sounds like I'm a lovesick teenager who doesn't know better, but yes. I love him." Padme replied honestly. She half-expected Anakin to walk in then. If her life was a movie, he would have. But he didn't. Seriously, where was he?

Mindy sighed. "Okay." She said, as if she were coming to terms with something. "I support you. You're my best friend. What makes you happy, makes me happy." The door finally did open then, and Anakin walked in, followed closely by Sola. Mindy, seeing him, got up and approached him, head held high. He looked at her warily. He knew by now that when Mindy looked like that, she was about to lay down the law (or the law at least according to her). "If you hurt her, I'll find a way to rip your head off." Padme knew that it was a joke, but Mindy sounded serious.

"I basically just told him the same thing." Sola said, amused.

But Anakin didn't take it as a joke. He looked dead serious as he nodded. "I won't."

Padme's heart warmed. "Leave him alone you two," She said. She could feel a blush beginning to flush over her cheeks. "Jeez. You're both worse than my parents."

"Well _someone_ has to look out for you." Sola grinned. "Come on. The doctor released you. I just signed the papers and I'll take you home."

Padme opened her mouth to object. She wanted to go home with Anakin. She wanted to spend every moment for the rest of her life with him. But Anakin only had a motorcycle, and Padme was too tired to go through town on a motorcycle. So she closed her mouth and nodded.

Mindy gave Anakin one last meaningful look before she walked out of the room, followed by Sola. Padme began to follow, but Anakin gently wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her to him. "I'll see you at home." He kissed her forehead. She wanted more than just a kiss on the forehead, but she knew that if she kissed him right now, she wasn't going to stop for a while. She did not need Sola to walk back in wondering where she was to find her making out with Anakin.

So instead she looked up at him and smiled softly. "Okay. And Anakin?"

"Yes?"

"Be safe."

Anakin hesitated, his grip on her tightening. Before she could protest, he leaned down and planted a soft kiss on her mouth. "I'm always careful." He whispered against her lips, making her heart melt into a puddle in her chest.

Oh man.

Just as she predicted, she leaned in to kiss him again, but he laughed softly and pulled away. She sighed. "Fine," she grumbled, and Anakin began to laugh harder as he followed her out the door.

* * *

"Oh Padme!" Her mother, Jobal, gasped as soon as Padme walked through her door, and Padme was enveloped in the comforting embrace of her mother.

"Hi mom," Padme said, hugging her back tightly. With the next few days so uncertain, Padme was grateful to have her parents with her again. She rarely got to see them since she had moved away from home due to both of their busy schedules, so Padme always treasured the few moments when she could see her parents again.

Both of her parents were in the kitchen. Her father, Ruwee, stood up from the table, his arms crossed over his broad chest. They still wore their office suits, which seemed out of place at 3 in the morning, meaning that they had left straight from their office. Due to being completely across the state, they had opted to go straight to her house instead of going to the hospital as originally planned.

Padme could see the worry in both of their faces. "I'm sorry," she began to say, aware that the door behind her was opening again. Mindy was saying some nonsense to Anakin, but at the moment Padme didn't care. She hated it when her parents were worried. They had so much to be concerned about anyway. "He honestly seemed like a nice guy. I tried to avoid…"

"Don't you dare apologize," Her father sternly interrupted, crossing to his wife's side. "I know my little girl wouldn't hurt someone unless she had to. I'd rather that you were alive than anything else. Bugger the elections."

Padme paled. She hadn't thought about that. Her friends and family, and even the police, seemed to be on her side, but would the media? With elections coming up, the media was analyzing every little detail of all of the candidate's lives. Having a daughter who killed a man in an alley in a skimpy black dress was not going to look good for her parents.

She really wished she hadn't listened to Mindy this time.

"Are you really okay, sweetheart?" Her mother asked her, touching Padme's bruised cheek very lightly. Padme held back a wince. She wouldn't give them more to worry about.

"I'm fine," she said, "I promise."

Her parents glanced at each other, doing that silent communication thing that couples did after they had been together for so long. Distantly, Padme wondered if she would ever get that way with Anakin. Her heart soared at the idea of it.

Finally her dad sighed. "You need to get some sleep. Dr. Organa will be paying you a visit early in the morning before the police arrive, so get some rest."

Fantastic. It sounded like Padme had a rather busy day tomorrow. Sola had also wanted to go dress shopping for the Gala, but now Padme wondered if the Gala fundraiser would help her parents' election at this point.

She didn't complain though. She nodded, gave both of them hugs goodnight, and headed off to her room. She heard Anakin excuse himself to his room, and she slowed her step a bit to allow him to catch up if he desired.

She didn't have to wait long. He was by her side again, his hand intertwining with hers. "Your parents seem nice." He whispered.

"They are," Padme agreed as they reached her door. "They'll probably start asking a bunch of questions about you tomorrow though, when they're fully awake." She had forbidden Sola to tell their parents anything about her relationship with Anakin. Padme wanted to do that herself, and not right off the bat when her parents were still reeling from the news that their daughter had been assaulted.

"That's to be expected," Anakin said as they walked into her room. Jedi, who had been lounging on her bed, perked up when he saw them and bounded across the room, practically jumping on Anakin in greeting. Anakin let go of her hand to get the dog off of him, making a face. Padme laughed and helped him calm Jedi down. "Anyhow," Anakin said once Padme was stroking the dog's golden fur gently, "If I had a daughter, and she was sharing a house with a guy, I'd want to know what their relationship entailed."

On the surface, he sounded like he was kidding, but there was also a sort of wistfulness that Padme didn't quite understand. "Probably," she said. Once she was sure that Jedi was calm, she sat down on her bed. She was sure that Anakin would join her, but he only moved to stand in front of her. Was it too soon for that, she wondered? "And what will you say if they ask you that question?"

Anakin thought for a moment, glancing away as he did so. The gesture was so innocent, so boyish, that it was rather adorable. "I guess I'll tell them the truth." He said, still not looking at her.

"And what's that?" She asked.

He looked at her, his blue eyes serious in the lamplight. "That I intend to court you."

Her heart sang at those words, but he said it in such a way that she couldn't help but laugh a little. "Court me?" she teased, "So formal."

His lips quirked into a half grin. "You're making fun of me."

She laughed, taking his hand again. "Never. It's just that sometimes I wonder if maybe you're from a different time and you time traveled here. Maybe that's why you lost your memories."

She was still teasing, but Anakin lost that grin, and something passed through his eyes that she couldn't identify. "Maybe," He said, but he had lost the moment. He shook his head. "We can talk more tomorrow. Your parents are right: you need to sleep."

Padme playfully rolled her eyes, "Yes _dad."_

That did get Anakin to laugh again. "I'm younger than you, you know. That isn't possible."

"Only by a few years." She grinned. "Maybe I should be the one to put you to bed."

Anakin laughed again, the sound so pure and heart wrenching, and he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight Padme." He said. Before she could try to kiss him, he pulled away from her and went to the door, keeping mindful of Jedi who eyed the door like he was going to attempt an escape.

"Goodnight Anakin." He threw a smile back at her and left. As soon as he was gone though, she felt as if part of her had also left with him.

Even with Jedi in the room, she suddenly felt very alone.

* * *

 _Her dreams were filled with her carrying a strange gun. Instead of bullets, it shot lasers, and she seemed to always have it on her, for whenever she got into trouble, she pulled it out. She saw herself storming what looked to be a palace. She saw herself fighting robots, thwarting assassination attempts, leading attacks._

 _She always killed in defense of herself or others, but she still did it so efficiently that it scared Padme. She could feel her real body tossing and turning in the bed, and she tried multiple times to wake up, but she couldn't._

 _Soon, though, the scene melted away into a new one. She was talking to a bearded Ben in strange robes, but her attention was quickly drawn to the young man beside him. "Ani?" Padme asked in surprise. He stepped forward, and she looked him up and down. "My goodness, you've grown." She sounded surprised…and pleased. Padme couldn't blame herself. Anakin was very attractive._

" _So have you," Anakin responded, and then seemed to catch himself, "Grown more beautiful, I mean," He was like a love-struck schoolboy, and it made Padme smile, "And much shorter…for a senator, I mean."_

 _That caused Padme to laugh, although Obi-Wan looked disapprovingly at Anakin. "Oh Ani, you'll always be that little boy I knew on Tatooine."_

 _Ouch. Even she saw the excitement dim from Anakin's eyes._

 _And the scene changed again._

 _She was sitting in a beautiful, grassy field filled with wildflowers and surrounded by gorgeous waterfalls. Anakin sat next to her, talking to her about…something. By the time she was able to focus in on the conversation, Anakin was smiling mischievously at her while she accused him with a laugh, "You're making fun of me."_

" _No, I'd be much too frightened to tease a senator," His smile was blinding. There wasn't any trace of darkness. He was purely happy, and he looked away from her, embarrassed. She continued to smile at him, enjoying the serenity of the moment. In many ways, this Anakin was so young, so innocent to the real world. She wondered what had happened to make him change…_

 _Don't be stupid, she thought, it's just a dream._

 _A herd of what looked like a cross between a cow and a giant tick waddled through the field. Seeing a challenge, Anakin suddenly leapt to his feet and ran into the thick of the herd without warning. Padme struggled to her feet and began to follow after him. She followed after where she thought he'd gone, but as she reached the top of the rise and looked around, all she saw were the grazing creatures._

 _A distressed wailing reached her ears, and she watched as one of the creatures ran and bucked as Anakin struggled to hang on. Normally, Padme would have suggested getting off of the strange creature, but he looked so funny that she began to laugh. He tried to do it without hands. "Whoa!" He laughed, reaching down to steady himself. The creature was not happy, and it ran past Padme, still bucking._

 _Padme continued to laugh at Anakin's antics. Yes, in many ways this Anakin was still very boyish, and somehow it only made Padme love him more._

 _With one large heave, the animal finally tossed Anakin off. Anakin rolled, and the animal stepped over him, stopping nearby to go back to grazing. Padme expected Anakin to get up, and he began to, but then he collapsed._

 _Terror gripped her heart, and the smile dropped from her face. Oh no, she thought as she began to race towards him, he's been hurt. How bad was it? What was she going to do if he was seriously injured? What would she tell Ben? What about his mother?_

 _She finally reached him, cursing her limited movement in the dress she was wearing, and sank to her knees. "Ani!" She cried, grabbing his shoulder, "Ani, are you alright?" She pushed him over onto his back…_

 _And found him laughing hysterically._

 _At first she just sat there, staring at him dumbfounded. Once it registered in her head that he was teasing her, she smacked his shoulder, about to scold him…_

 _But his laughter was so infectious. She began to laugh too. The next thing she knew, they were rolling over each other in the grass, laughing like children, until they finally came to a stop. Padme looked down at Anakin, her hands on either side of him. If she had control of herself, she thought, she would have leaned down and kissed him. It was the perfect moment. But…_

 _The scene changed again._

 _She was in that strange chariot again. She had dreamed about this before. It had ended in her getting scratched across the back and waking up still feeling the pain. She suddenly really wanted the dream to be over._

 _They weren't in the arena. They were being chained up by those weird aliens, and Anakin turned to her. "Don't be afraid."_

 _She looked at him, unsmiling. What she wanted to say was, "Dude, I'm totally afraid, I don't know what's going on and I really would rather not get scratched by the weird cat alien thing again!"_

 _But she didn't say that. Dream Padme was eerily calm. "I'm not afraid to die."_

 _Well. That was happy. And totally not how real Padme felt._

 _Anakin got that desperate look in his eye, as if he were trying not to imagine her dying, but he couldn't think of anything to say. So Dream Padme continued. "I've been dying a little bit each day since you came back into my life."_

 _Where had she heard that before? Oh yes. Dream Anakin had said that to her, right before she'd heartlessly rejected him._

 _Now Anakin was just flat out confused. "What are you talking about?"_

 _She didn't hesitate. "I love you."_

 _Well, FINALLY, real Padme wanted to scream at Dream Padme. Took you long enough!_

 _Anakin's eyebrows shot up in surprise and he began to try to turn his body to face her more, but he was prohibited by the chains. "You love me?" He clarified. When she didn't correct him, he turned away with a sharp breath. "I thought we had decided not to fall in love." He looked at her again, his eyes searching. "That we would be forced to live a lie, and that it would destroy our lives."_

 _Obviously Dream Anakin and Padme lived in a very different world. This wasn't Romeo and Juliet. As far as Padme was concerned, they should just get together and live happily ever after. But these two seemed like that was impossible._

" _I think our lives are about to be destroyed anyway." Dream Padme pointed out. Internally, Padme added, yeah by a weird alien cat monster._

 _Anakin still looked too shocked to respond. So Padme leaned forward. "I truly," she paused, moving closer, "Deeply, love you, and before we die, I want you to know."_

 _Finally, Anakin closed the distance between them. The kiss was not the deep passionate kiss that they had shared in the hospital, but it was long and sweet._

"Padme?"

 _The alien bug men began to move the carriage forward._

"Padme, wake up."

 _Slowly, reluctantly, Anakin and Padme pulled away as they entered into the arena…_

"Padme." Someone shook her shoulder, and she opened her eyes with a jolt, her mind still swirling with the images of the sweet, yet rather strange, love scenes. At first, she felt like she should still be in that situation, preparing herself to fight the strange alien creatures. But when she blinked, she was in her bedroom again, and her sister Sola was sitting on the bed, giving her a strange look. "I don't know what you were dreaming about," she said, "But you kept saying 'I love you' so I assume I interrupted something nice."

Slowly, achingly, Padme sat up with a groan. Jedi shifted in his spot on her bed, not yet ready to get up himself. "It was just a dream," she said, but it sounded to her like she was trying to convince herself rather than Sola.

Sola shrugged. "Well, dream later. Doctor Organa is here." She smiled grimly. "Your busy day is about to begin."

* * *

 **So shorter chapter than usual, I know. But it was needed. I'm kind of establishing their new relationship in this chapter a little more. I'll write a chapter tomorrow that establishes Padme's legal status a little more, and we'll have more Obi-Wan/Satine interaction. Plus, Anakin and Padme need to go on a date soon. ;)**

 **Review! I'm super tired, so I can't remember if there was anything else that I really wanted to say. Oh well. I'll probably remember in the morning. I always do.**

 **Love,**

 **~Sarah**


	22. Visitors

"Dreams?" Bail repeated, his brow furrowed with concern. "What sort of dreams?"

Padme sat in the living room by herself with Doctor Organa. Her family, to give her privacy with the doctor, had gone to get donuts. Mindy and Anakin, to her knowledge, were not yet awake. Still, Padme glanced around and lowered her voice as she responded to Bail's question. "They're obviously dreams, but they're also scarily realistic. I wake up having a hard time distinguishing reality from dreams, and some nights it's hard to sleep."

Bail looked like he was at a loss for what to say. "I expected you to be more upset about what happened last night," He finally said.

"So did I. And I am upset, but he was also trying to kill me and at the end of the day I would rather be alive than dead." She didn't feel like telling him what she'd told Mindy. Bail may have been a family friend, but he was still a doctor. Her parents didn't need to have their daughter put into a psych ward on top of the scandal she had already created.

Bail studied her closely for a long time before he sighed, shaking his head. "You're stronger than I realized, Padme. Seriously, though, if you feel like you need to talk to someone about it…"

"You'll be the first to know." She promised.

Bail seemed satisfied by that answer. He cleared his throat. "Now as for the dreams, it could be that your body is stressed from everything that's been going on lately and that's its way of releasing that stress."

"I don't feel overly stressed though." Padme mused, biting her lower lip. "Not until recently, that is. The dreams have been going on for longer than that though."

Bail frowned, his eyebrows furrowing as he thought for a solution. "Well, I have medication that is used as a sleep aid. Most people who use it report that they have had few if not no dreams at all when using it." He hesitated. "But it can be very addictive. If you use it, you must use it exactly to my specifications."

Now it was Padme's turn to hesitate. Could she really risk taking a potentially addictive substance just to stop some vivid dreams? Sure, the dreams disturbed and scared her, but she didn't want to risk becoming addicted to something that would have longer reaching effects on her life. "Could I take a few days to think it over?"

Bail seemed to relax a little. "I think that would be a smart thing to do. Whatever your choice, do what is best for yourself."

She nodded, opening her mouth to thank him, when a furry creature bounded into the room, wagging his tail so hard, he thumped it loudly on all of the furniture he passed. "Well hello," Bail laughed as Jedi approached him, tongue lagging happily as he sought attention from the doctor. Bail reached down and rubbed Jedi behind the ears, and Jedi's tail wagged harder.

Anakin appeared around the corner a moment later, breathing hard. "Sorry," Anakin said, "I didn't realize he was in the bathroom." Sola had put Jedi in the hall bathroom to keep him from disturbing Padme while she and Bail talked. Jedi looked back at Anakin and barked, as if to say, _in your face human,_ and turned back around to get more attention from Bail.

Padme began to laugh, getting up and going to the back door. "He needs to go out anyway." She opened the door, instantly grabbing Jedi's attention. The dog bolted, out the door in seconds.

"And how are you doing, Mr. Skywalker?" Bail asked, his voice friendly, but Padme could hear the interest in his voice. "Have you remembered anything?"

Padme paused at the door, looking back to hear Anakin's answer. Anakin rarely talked about his memory loss, but it was still obvious whenever he came across something that he didn't recognize. She supposed Anakin viewed it as an embarrassment, and maybe that was why he chose not to talk about it.

"No," Anakin replied, his face unreadable, but she could see that his body tensed. Yeah, he definitely didn't want to talk about it.

"I see," Bail seemed troubled by this, but he didn't comment. "But have you adjusted well? Are you still going to therapy?"

"Yes." Anakin kept his reply short, his tone clipped, and Bail seemed to get the message: I don't want to talk about this.

"Well, both of you call me if you need anything else." Bail said slowly when it was clear that Anakin was not wanting to talk more.

"Thank you for coming." Padme said earnestly, hoping that Bail didn't take Anakin's aloofness as an offense. If Padme hadn't been around Anakin for the past few months, she would probably have taken his behavior as an offense. However, she had noticed there were some things that Anakin just didn't like talking about, and no amount of pushing would get him to talk. So instead she showed Bail out, promising to call him if anything changed.

Anakin followed her, waiting as Bail walked down the path towards his car. "Did he say that you were going to be okay?" Anakin asked as they stood at the open doorway together, watching the older man get into his car.

Padme nodded, looking up at Anakin. "He said I'm probably a little too okay, considering what just happened." She tried to make it sound like a joke. Anakin, however, couldn't manage more than a small smile. Clearly, he was still very worried for her condition.

He reached up and gently lifted her chin so that he could get a better look at the nasty bruise that had blackened overnight. She knew make up would just make it look worse, and from the throbbing it caused her face, she figured hiding it would cause her more pain anyway. But she reconsidered when she saw the worry in Anakin's eyes flare to life. "And this?" he asked quietly.

"It looks worse than it really is," She assured him, "And Bail said that if I iced it, it should help with the swelling."

Anakin still looked unconvinced, but he dropped his hand from her chin and let the subject go. "I'm going back inside," He said, "I'm glad everything went well." He turned and left before she could say a word.

Note to self, she thought, don't make jokes about my personal safety around Anakin.

She hadn't even closed the front door when another car pulled up. It was a familiar silver colored Lamborghini, and she smiled when its occupant parked and got out. "Satine!" She cried, causing the blonde-haired woman to look up and meet her eyes.

Satine did not smile like she normally did when they got together. "Have you seen the news yet?" Satine asked, walking up the driveway. She was wearing her best business suit, and her heels clicked purposefully as she walked up the sidewalk.

Padme frowned. "No, my doctor just left."

Satine paused at the doorway. "And _are_ you okay?" She asked earnestly.

Padme nodded. "Just a little shaken, that's all."

Satine took a deep, calming breath, and nodded. "I'm glad. I have news, however, that may change that."

Padme's frown deepened. "Do I want to know?" She asked, already feeling enough dread that she considered asking not to know.

"Yes." Satine confirmed. "You need to know."

Padme let her into the house and they headed for the living room. As they passed through the kitchen, Anakin was rummaging in the fridge, likely for bacon. "Anakin my parents are getting us breakfast. They should be home soon." She glanced at the timer on the stove. The police should be coming by soon as well.

Anakin stood up, frowning and obviously debating on whether or not he would make bacon anyway, when he did a double take. "Satine?" He blurted out.

Satine stopped in her tracks, taking him in. "Do we know each other?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

Anakin cleared his throat. "Um. We sort of met at the Halloween party." He said.

Satine squinted her eyes, trying to remember. Suddenly she gasped. "Oh! You're Ben's 'Wing Man.'"

Both Padme and Anakin couldn't help but start laughing. The night of the Halloween party, Ben was wearing a chicken costume. If Anakin had indeed tried to set Ben up with Satine, technically he would be Ben's wing man in more ways than one. "Yeah, although he didn't like that phrase when I used it." Anakin laughed.

"He didn't like it when I asked him if you were supposed to be his wing man, either." Satine grinned briefly before she frowned again. "I gave him my number. He hasn't contacted me."

A peculiar look crossed Anakin's face. "Did you now?" He said, digging into his jean pockets for his cell phone. "Say, why are you here anyway?"

"She's my lawyer." Padme answered. Satine was older than Padme, and when Padme had first started college, Satine had been halfway through getting her Doctorate. Satine now worked as a defense lawyer, and so far had been quite successful. Padme had insisted that Satine be her lawyer when her parents asked. "She needs to be here when the police show up."

Anakin scowled. "Can't the police leave you alone? Obviously you didn't kill the guy because you're a murderer."

"It may be obvious to you, and even to them, but the police need to be thorough." Satine responded. "Now. I need to show Padme the news. We can catch up later." She pulled Padme's hand and led her into the living room. She turned on the TV immediately and switched the channel until she found what she was looking for.

Padme sat down on the couch and watched apprehensively. At first, it was hard to understand what they were talking about since it was in the middle of a story, but then she heard her parent's names, and her entire body tensed.

"…Ruwee and Jobal Amidala have already taken a hit in the polls. The poll is still open, but as of right now their 'family' image seems to be ruined with the scandal of their daughter killing her date." The newswoman was saying. Padme's heart sunk—this was exactly what she'd feared would happen. "Senator Palpatine made a statement about the incident."

The camera cut away to Palpatine's face. He looked like the perfect concerned man for a misguided child. "I am deeply sorry for the tragic turn the Amidala family has taken. I hope that Ms. Padme will recover from her traumatic experience, and I hope that in the future she is more careful about the men she dates."

The camera cut back to the newswoman, still going on about how her parent's numbers had fallen while Palpatine's had risen, but Padme could hardly hear what was being said. She was literally shaking with anger. " _That snake!"_ she hissed, turning the TV off. She had seen enough. "How dare he use this as an opportunity to make himself look good!"

"That's what politicians do," Satine pointed out.

Anakin walked in at that moment with a plate of bacon. Apparently he had decided to go with bacon anyway. If Padme wasn't so upset about what her stupid decision had done to her parent's chances of ever getting elected again, she may have smiled or laughed. "What do politicians do?" Anakin asked.

Padme put her face into her hands, taking deep breaths to calm herself. "People voted for my parents in the past because they represented the ideal American family. Whether that's true or not, it was still an important part of my parent's image. Now their numbers are falling in the polls, _and_ Senator Palpatine is using it to make himself look like the good guy."

Anakin growled at the mention of Senator Palpatine. Padme remembered that despite her dislike of the Senator, Anakin _really_ hated the man. Still, he refrained from launching into a rant, and instead sat down next to her, putting his plate of beloved bacon on the coffee table. "What can we do?" He asked instead, his voice tight.

Padme thought for a minute, trying to decide what the best course of action would be. "Maybe I can convince my parents to make a statement." She said. "Especially once we get it cleared up by the police, I'm sure that we can turn this around. Somehow." Politicians always seemed to be able to talk themselves out of big holes. She could list a few presidents who talked themselves out of rather big holes and still got re-elected.

"It might work," Satine tried to sound optimistic. "Once it's widely known that you did act out of self-defense, I'm sure people will sympathize." Satine made it sound easy, but Padme knew that many people would condemn Padme for even going out with Finn in the first place, as if Padme could have known that he was a crazy killer before she'd gone out. It wasn't like he'd had a sign around his neck that said, _Hi my name is Finn and I'm a potential serial killer!_

But the media wouldn't see it that way. Eventually it would blow over, but in the meantime Padme suddenly felt like hiding in her room to avoid making anything worse.

She wouldn't though. She would face the issue head on with her head held high.

She felt Anakin lace his fingers through hers, bringing her back to reality, her breathing immediately calming some. "We'll figure this out." He promised quietly, his voice firm. She looked up to find him watching her carefully, his blue eyes shinning with an emotion she couldn't quite place. Affection for her? Hatred for Palpatine? Worry for her precarious position? Perhaps it was all three of those.

She didn't respond. She just leaned her forehead against his shoulder, taking a deep breath, letting his presence wash over her. She barely noticed the sound of her front door opening.

"Padme," Her father's voice called, and Padme reluctantly pulled her forehead away from Anakin. She kept her fingers tightly enclosed in Anakin's hand however. "The police are here." He appeared around the corner, a box of doughnuts in his hand, and stopped at the doorway, his eyes zooming in immediately to her hand in Anakin's.

Padme blushed, but she didn't pull away. Of course her father would notice. It was the sign of a good father, even if the way his eyes narrowed at Anakin was a little embarrassing. Still, Anakin was her first real boyfriend, and this was the first time her father had to deal with something like this. But as an adult, she wasn't going to hide or act like she was ashamed of her relationship with Anakin either.

A small part of her, for some odd reason, found that to be a major relief.

"Padme, you didn't tell me you were dating anyone." Satine slowly said, her eyes on their hands as well.

"There wasn't much to tell until last night." Anakin answered for her. He didn't sound like he was bragging. He sounded matter-of-fact.

"I see." Satine said. "Well, I can't have the entire house snooping around while the police talk with us. Take your bacon and go somewhere else for now. I doubt the police will arrest anyone now if they haven't already."

Anakin hesitated, and Padme gently kissed his cheek in assurance. "I'm going to be fine. They just want to discuss the incident further." She whispered.

Anakin's eyes roamed over her face, deciding. Finally, he nodded. "Okay." He said. "If you need me, I won't be far." He sounded so serious, as if he really thought that the police could actually try to hurt her. She supposed they could try to arrest her, but that was what her lawyer was for.

Still, she didn't object as he softly kissed her lips, stood, and left the room, followed shortly by her father.

Satine smiled as soon as they were briefly alone. "When we're done with this police investigation," she said, "You're going to need to tell me how you landed yourself a guy like _that."_

That did make Padme blush.

* * *

Anakin headed straight to his bedroom. His wall was shared with the living room, and this was not a fortress. If you were quiet enough, you could hear whatever was happening on the other side. He sat at the top of his bed and pressed his ear against the wall.

"Are you eavesdropping, young man?" An older voice asked, and Anakin jumped a little to find Ruwee standing in his doorway, his arms crossed over his broad chest.

Anakin cleared his throat in embarrassment. If he'd had the Force, he would have sensed Ruwee still following him and saved himself the embarrassment. Anakin wondered if he never fully got the Force back, if this sort of situation would become typical. He hoped not, but with his luck lately…

 _No,_ he reminded himself, your luck is turning. _Padme…Padme is yours again._ And this time he could actually be open with his relationship with her. The thought made his heart soar. He struggled to keep a straight face as he replied. "Would you care to join me?" Eavesdropping was not the advised thing to do with the man who was technically, even if he didn't know it, his father-in-law. Because had Anakin ever stopped being Padme's husband? Anakin hadn't decided the answer to that question yet.

At first Ruwee tried to maintain the stern expression, but it soon crumpled and he sighed. "I'm only joining you on this because I want to make sure that my daughter will be okay. However, I hope that eavesdropping is not something that you regularly do." He pulled up a chair from Anakin's cluttered desk. He eyed the mess as he did so. "Do you like mechanics?" Anakin's desk was covered with various tools and parts that he had been fiddling around with whenever he wasn't working on school work or trying to remaster the Force. It was the only place in his room that was cluttered.

"I do sir," Anakin responded. "I'm studying to become a Mechanical Engineer." He waited with anticipation, hoping that Obi-Wan was right and it was indeed a career that Ruwee would find fitting for someone dating his daughter.

Ruwee raised an eyebrow, and Anakin thought he looked at least somewhat impressed. He silently reminded himself to thank Obi-Wan later for insisting that Anakin follow through on this school thing.

Quietly, they both pressed their ears to the wall and listened.

"…No charges against you." A male voice was saying.

"That's good news," Padme said, and Anakin instantly recognized it as her 'Senator' voice. He smiled with pride. That was his wife…uh girlfriend. Whatever she was to him.

"What have you found on the attacker?" Satine asked, also using that commanding voice that she'd used as a Duchess. It was only fitting that she be a lawyer in this world. She was suited to the role, just as Padme was. Together, the women would be a fearsome team.

There was a pause. "Well, you won't believe it, but Finn was actually a wanted assassin named Rueben. He's a wanted criminal internationally. His primary targets are women, especially women who have high connections. Being the daughter of two politicians, Ms. Padme is a prime target for a man like him."

Anakin sucked in a breath, trying to control the wave of anger than washed over him. He wanted to believe that it was just the fact that Padme was the daughter of politicians in this world, but he knew better. Padme's parents had worked as politicians for years without Padme ever getting hurt (to his knowledge). It couldn't be a coincidence that she was attacked soon after Anakin had run into Palpatine.

He didn't have any solid proof however. According to Obi-Wan, the law would not look kindly on them if they attacked the Senator without proof of his murderous ways.

So instead he held his tongue as he listened to Padme ask, "Do you know who hired him?"

"Unfortunately not." The officer said. Typical. If it was Palpatine, he would not leave behind evidence so readily. It had been the precise reason why it had taken them years to find out who Palpatine really was. During that time, Palpatine had used Anakin and manipulated him until when he finally revealed himself, Anakin was conflicted enough that it turned him to the Dark Side. "We are currently trying to trace the information on his computer, but I can't guarantee that we'll find anything. Everything we've found so far has led up to a dead end. Whoever it was, they aren't messing around."

"So you're saying that my client is still in danger." Satine said it not as a question, but as a statement. Of course she was in danger, Anakin wanted to say, she would continue to be until Palpatine was dealt with.

"Yes," The officer confirmed.

"She needs protection then." Satine's voice was firm. She has protection, Anakin wanted to say, I'll protect her. I made a vow!

But unlike his galaxy, he couldn't exactly follow her around 24/7 to make sure that she didn't get hurt. He didn't think this Padme would appreciate it for very long, just as she hadn't exactly loved being followed around back in his galaxy.

"We'll have officers watch the house," The officer replied, "And we've contacted Stanford to discuss increasing security around the school." He sighed. "With all of the shootings going on lately, it isn't bad for Stanford to increase security anyway." He cleared his throat. "Anyhow, you can also look into getting a bodyguard. I've already taken the liberty of drawing up a list of good ones."

"Wait, I don't…" Padme began to say, but Satine cut her off.

"Thank you. We'll look into it. Now, is my client free to go?"

"Yes," the officer said, "But I recommend staying out of the public eye as much as possible for a while."

"I understand," Padme said, but he could tell that she wasn't happy. He knew that she hated feeling cooped up or powerless to take action. He continued to listen as she thanked the officer and escorted him out.

"Well." Ruwee said, leaning away from the wall. "I'm glad at least that part is settled. Still, I must…" he began to mumble things as if making a list of things to do as he turned towards the door. He paused after taking a few steps though and looked back at Anakin. "That's right. You."

Anakin blinked. "Me?" He echoed.

"Yes, you. You're dating my daughter, aren't you?" Ruwee was serious, and Anakin could detect the worry in Ruwee's eyes. No doubt Ruwee worried that Padme was jumping into a relationship so soon after a traumatizing event. Normally, Anakin would have agreed with Ruwee. He knew from experience that making major decisions right after something awful has just happened was not an advisable thing to do for anyone. However, Ruwee didn't know the complicated history between Anakin and Padme. He never had, in any universe. He wondered if Ruwee had ever been told the truth of Anakin and Padme's relationship after Padme's death. Anakin knew that Palpatine had kept the identity of Darth Vader and the fate of Anakin Skywalker as strictly secret, but had Obi-Wan ever told them? Anakin somehow doubted it.

Now, though, was Anakin's chance to do things right. "Yes I am, sir." He replied. He figured throwing in the word 'sir' would be a good way to earn points with Ruwee. Had things been different and Leia had brought home a potential husband for Anakin to meet, Anakin would have liked to have been addressed with respect.

The thought caused Anakin to suddenly feel…unsettled. He did _not_ want to think about that at the moment, so he pushed it aside.

"She's never dated anyone seriously before," Ruwee said, his voice distant as he clearly began to think of something. "I'm…I'm happy for her." He shot Anakin a glare then. "However, if you hurt her, I can promise you…I have no problem going to prison."

To anyone else, that might have been a joke. But Anakin could tell that Ruwee was serious, and again Anakin's throat tightened as he remembered how much he had failed Padme before. He had never fully considered how he had ultimately failed her family as well.

But he had promised to actually, truly protect her this time. He had to 'man up,' as Mindy would say, and live up to that promise. "I won't, sir." He said, his voice firm.

Ruwee stared at Anakin for a moment longer, as if deciding, before he finally nodded. "Okay." He said. "Now, I need to go speak with Satine on what needs to be done next." Again, he said this more to himself as he turned and walked out of Anakin's room…

Just as the doorbell rang.

Anakin grinned. He knew _exactly_ who that was.

When Anakin reached the front room, Padme was already at the front door letting in a very concerned looking Obi-Wan. "Anakin should be….well he's right there, actually." Padme finished, flashing a tired smile at Anakin.

Obi-Wan, seemingly forgetting what Padme had no idea about…well, a lot of things Obi-Wan and Anakin were doing, whirled on Anakin, a panicked look on his face. "What happened? Has Palpatine made a move? Are you hurt?" He whirled on Padme. "Did he hire…"

"BEN." Anakin cut him off, seeing the confused and suspicious look on Padme's face, "No one is hurt." He didn't directly answer his question on Palpatine, not with Padme standing right there. He felt bad courting her and keeping secrets from her at the same time, but he didn't have proof. Perhaps when he did have proof, he would talk to her about what was going on…the parts she would believe, anyway.

"Then what's the emergency?" Obi-Wan demanded, turning back to Anakin cautiously.

"I'm confused," Padme said, "What's going on?"

Anakin grinned, crossing his arms. "The emergency is that Satine gave you her number, and you have yet to contact her." Obi-Wan went from very confused and concerned to annoyed and baffled at the same time. If Padme hadn't been standing right there, he may have started lecturing Anakin on the spot. "We need to rectify that."

"Your definition and my definition of what counts as an emergency are two very different things." Obi-Wan grumbled, and Anakin's smile grinned. He could see that Obi-Wan was trying bvery hard not to start chewing Anakin out right then and there.

"What?" Anakin shrugged. "The happiness of my friend is very important to me. I'm not going to let him blow his chance with the girl of his dreams just because he's too _chicken_ to ask her out on a date." He had recently found out what it meant when someone called you a chicken, and he was very proud that he had found a very fitting situation to use that reference in.

Obi-Wan scowled at Anakin's intentional chicken-reference, while Padme bit her lip to keep from laughing and making Obi-Wan's humiliation worse. "I'm never going to live that down, am I?" Obi-Wan asked dryly.

"Not until you tell me what the bet you lost was about." Anakin jabbed his thumb over his shoulder. "Stop trying to change the subject. Satine is in the living room talking with Ruwee. Go ask her out on a date."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and sighed. "I wouldn't even know what to do on a date before." He didn't elaborate too much on that—he had never, ever been on a date. He had been the faithful Jedi, and the closest thing he had to a date was protecting Satine from would-be assassins. It wasn't exactly romantic.

But to mention any of that in front of Padme would have sounded odd. "You could take her out to dinner," Padme suggested, as if Obi-Wan just wasn't creative enough to think of something to do. She didn't understand that he literally had no dating skills whatsoever. "Or you could take her to the ice skating rink." She glanced at Anakin. "Actually, that would be fun for us to do too."

"Ice skating?" Anakin asked, his eyebrows furrowing. There had been a few ice-skating rings on ice planets that he'd heard about in his lifetime, but he had never actually tried it before. Still, Padme looked enthused about the idea…

"It's really fun." Padme assured him, "And we could double, so that it wouldn't be super awkward for Ben and Satine."

"Wait, go on a double? As in, a double date?" Obi-Wan clarified, looking between Anakin and Padme. "As in you and Anakin going as a date?"

Oh crap, Anakin thought as he realized he had neglected to tell his master a very important bit of information: he hadn't told Obi-Wan that he was dating Padme.

Anakin cut in before Padme could answer. "Obi—Ben," Anakin started, and Ben turned to Anakin with an eyebrow raised. Anakin remembered how often Obi-Wan gave him that look when he was waiting for Anakin to tell him unexpected news. "Padme and I…well, since last night, we've decided…I've decided…" Now both of Obi-Wan's eyebrows were raised. This was not going as smoothly as Anakin would have liked. He just…wasn't sure, though, of how Obi-Wan was going to react, and that worried him. He didn't want to get into an argument with his friend and have their still preciously fragile relationship be destroyed. "Padme and I are dating." When Obi-Wan didn't immediately respond, Anakin added so that Obi-Wan knew that he hadn't intentionally hidden anything from him this time, "Since last night."

Obi-Wan was silent for a long moment. Finally he let out a breath. "Well. I guess I didn't lose that bet after all."

That was not the reaction Anakin was expecting. "Wait, what? You mean the bet you had with Mindy?" Anakin asked incredulously.

"Hold on," Padme interrupted, "Do you mean to tell me that you and Mindy bet on whether or not Anakin and I would start _dating?"_

Obi-Wan glanced at her, then back at Anakin, his face going red. "Maybe." When Padme looked rather put off by that, Obi-Wan hastily added, "I wasn't the one who brought it up. And…well, you two seemed like you liked each other. At the time, it seemed like a harmless bet. I didn't even think that she was serious."

"And when we didn't start dating after we kissed," Anakin finished, "Then Mindy demanded that you follow through on your end of the bet." He didn't know what he was more surprised by—the fact that Obi-Wan had bet that Anakin and Padme would start dating, or the fact that Obi-Wan didn't seem upset that Anakin and Padme were dating.

"Precisely." Obi-Wan looked rather embarrassed.

"And you didn't tell me what the bet was about because…?" Anakin probed.

"I didn't want to make either of you upset." Obi-Wan replied, and now his face was bright red.

Well. Anakin wasn't sure how, exactly, he felt about the bet. If he had found out about it before he started dating Padme, he probably would have been upset. But now that he was dating her, it did seem pretty harmless.

"I think I'm going to need to have a word with Mindy about this," Padme said with a frown. "In any case, I think it would be fun, and a very nice, casual first date. For both of us." She added, looking tentatively at Anakin to see if he liked the idea.

Well, Anakin had already gone to the beach and dealt with the sand for her. He wasn't going to say no to something he had never tried before. "I'm open to trying it." He said, giving her an assuring smile.

She relaxed a little and turned to Obi-Wan, waiting for his answer.

Obi-Wan hesitated, and Anakin knew what was going through his head. "Things are different now, remember?" Anakin softly reminded him. Padme looked confused by that, but she didn't say anything—yet, at least. Even in this world, she chose carefully when she should say or ask things. Anakin had always wished that he had that patience.

Obi-Wan still looked like he was warring with himself, but finally he nodded. "Okay," He said, "I'll go ask. But if this ends badly, I'm blaming you." He looked pointedly at Anakin.

Anakin half grinned at that. "By all means, go ahead."

* * *

 **So I'm going to be really honest, this chapter was really hard for me to write. The past few weeks have just been absolutely awful. My dog died, then I got WAY sick (sicker than last time), then my car broke down and I still have yet to get it back (I'm supposed to drive cross country at the end of this week) and that's going to cost way more than I expected, plus some other random crap that really was just not nice. So it was VERY hard for me to get into this chapter. I sat down multiple times to finish it and I just...couldn't. So if it seems a little off... you know why. I'm hoping the worst is over though, and I have high expectations for next chapter!**

 **So last chapter, when I first posted it, I accidentally switched Padme's parent's names. As soon as I got a review alerting me to that, I fixed it. So thank you for pointing that out to me. The more characters you have, the harder it is to keep track of everything. I probably won't be adding too many more new characters for a while...although I'm finishing season 4 of Clone Wars right now and I'm totally shipping Lux and Ahsoka... so idk if Lux will make an appearance. It might be too much for me to handle and I might give in to temptation and add him...but probably not for a long time. I pretty much have the rest of the Anakin/Padme story arc completely mapped out. After that, when it comes to Luke and Leia, I am still figuring those ideas out. I have lots of ideas, but they need some organizing. I'll worry about that as we get closer though.**

 **Speaking of which... next chapter is going to be another rather action-packed chapter. There's the 'first date' and stuff happens...**

 **JUST A FEW MORE DAYS UNTIL THE FORCE AWAKENS. I'll be waiting to see it in IMAX with my family, because the experience of watching it with them is much more important to me than seeing it on the first day. Still, I will probably only get on the internet to post a chapter until I see it. I do NOT WANT SPOILERS. I will be VERY upset if I get spoilers. Like... I don't even want to know if it's good or not until I go see it. So I'll let you know when I see it, but until then, DON'T SAY ANYTHING. I may post another chapter between now and then, but just in case I don't...just...no spoilers please.**

 **Anyhow. Review! Your reviews brighten my day!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	23. The First Date

"Watch out!" Padme cried as Anakin crashed face-first into the wall of the ice skating rink for the tenth time. She couldn't help but laugh as he peeled himself from the glass, rubbing his nose which, due to the cold and constant hitting the sides of the rink, had turned a deep red. On most people, it might have been unflattering. On Anakin, it was quite adorable and it made Padme just want to kiss it better.

She refrained, however. "You're not supposed to crash," she teased as she grasped his arm to give him support. Anakin had insisted that he didn't need beginner ice skates, saying that he was sure that he would pick it up quickly. He had sort of gotten the balance down, but he had yet to figure out how to stop or take sharp turns.

It was a few days after the incident with Finn. She had returned to school the following day, much to her parent's chagrin. Other than a few sideways stares from her classmates, for the most part people left her alone and she was able to get her work done. She had thrown herself into her work to keep herself from thinking about it, and when she wasn't working, she was with Anakin. In fact, whenever she felt like she needed him or wanted to see him, he was there practically right when she turned around.

He was unbelievably sweet to her. He was gentle, and he was interested in what she cared about, and yet sometimes when they kissed, she felt a wildness coming from him that she didn't think she could ever contain. There were times, sitting on her couch, kissing him deeply, that she wondered if he wanted more. But he never made a move like that.

That was fine by her. Tonight was their official first date, and she had looked forward to this night, more so than she had ever looked forward to any other date. That day at school, she had hardly paid attention in any of her classes, and rather than work on homework, she had spent her afternoon getting ready. She had torn her entire closet apart looking for the perfect outfit, and had finally settled on a white knit sweater, light blue jeans, and a plaid scarf to tie the look together. She had also spent a long time flat ironing her hair so that it fell in soft waves down her back. It was a relief that the bruise on her cheek had faded enough to be successfully covered by makeup.

Her fretting had caused Mindy quite a bit of entertainment, but Anakin hadn't quite understood it. "You're beautiful no matter what," he'd said. It was very sweet, but he had it easy. His natural curls always looked good, and he already looked good in a dark blue sweater and black jeans. It had taken him probably five minutes to get ready.

It was sort of a relief that he hadn't already mastered ice skating. She was beginning to wonder if he was good at everything he touched. "You're not supposed to be perfect at this," He teased back, but his voice was strained as he glared down at the skates, his eyebrows furrowed, trying to figure it out.

It was just so cute, Padme couldn't resist any longer. She leaned up and kissed his cheek tenderly, startling him into giving her his full attention. As a result, he slipped, and because she was holding him, they both crashed to the ice, her on top of Anakin. She clenched her teeth, waiting to feel pain, but she didn't. Slowly, she let out a breath. "Anakin, are you okay?" She asked, looking down at him.

At first, he looked a little stunned. Then, slowly, a smile spread across his face and he began to laugh heartily. The sound was infectious, and soon Padme was laughing with him. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and she was suddenly reminded of the dream she had where they had rolled through the grass after he had faked being hurt to scare her…and her laughter died. It was just a coincidence, she told herself, but she couldn't make herself believe it fully.

Anakin didn't seem to notice her change in mood. When he finished laughing, he smiled so warmly at her, her heart began to melt. How did he do that? She wondered—one look from him, and she was falling under his spell.

Not that she minded.

"Stop smooching on the ice!" Satine called, causing both Anakin and Padme to look up.

Satine and Ben were together on the ice. Unlike Anakin, it seemed that Ben had some experience on the ice. He glided easily next to Satine. They seemed to be hitting it off—at least, they had slipped into an easy banter—but there was still a physical gap between the couple as they skated. Padme had noticed Satine try to close the gap, but Ben had always widened it again. It was as if Ben were afraid to date women in general. Or maybe he wasn't into women at all.

Still, Ben seemed happy to be there. He approached Padme and Anakin with a smile, holding his hand out to help them up. Padme graciously accepted the hand, but naturally Anakin insisted on getting up on his own.

After a brief struggle, Anakin managed to stand upright, brushing off the excess ice shavings that had covered his clothes. He had a bunch in his hair, but it was still so adorable that Padme didn't bother mentioning it.

"I thought this would be easy for you to pick up," Ben said, his voice light and teasing, but she could see genuine surprise in his eyes. "You're usually good at, well, almost everything." So it wasn't just her that had noticed.

"Almost," Anakin agreed with a sheepish smile, "Except ice skating."

"I don't know how Padme has the patience to put up with it. She's a fantastic skater. She took figure skating lessons in high school. She must really like you to slowly bumble around the rink with you." Satine said, and Padme noticed her casually move closer to Ben. This time, Ben stayed put. She wondered if Anakin would tell her what Ben's deal was with dating later.

"Are you now?" Anakin cast a curious glance at Padme, causing her to blush.

"I haven't done it in a while," She admitted, "And there are a lot of people to witness it if I wipe out." Anakin didn't look quite familiar with the term wipe out, but he seemed to understand the gist of it. Sometimes it was like she was talking to someone who was from another planet, not someone who had lost their memory. But what did she know? She wasn't a doctor.

"I'm sure you'll do fine," Anakin assured her, "Besides, it's not like you can get worse than me." She opened her mouth to assure him that he wasn't the worst skater out there, but he put up a hand to stop her. "At least show us one move." He looked at her with those gorgeous, heart melting eyes of his, and she couldn't resist.

With a sigh, she caved. "Fine, but if I fall and break my arm, I'm blaming you." She was teasing, but she caught the panicked look Anakin got when she said it, and he opened his mouth to stop her.

Too late, she thought as she easily skated away from him. She glided around other skaters who skated around in a giant loop around the large indoor rink. A few experienced skaters were in the center, doing various maneuvers. She heard Anakin call her name, but she pretended like she couldn't hear him. It wasn't like she was going to die.

She picked up speed, her mind reviewing what she had done as a teenager multiple times, and smoothly launched herself into a triple loop.

It felt good to be in the air—it felt as if she were flying. It wasn't quite the same thing as surfing, which was why she had dropped ice skating in favor of surfing, but it still filled her with a rush of adrenaline. But all too soon it was over and she was landing back on the ice. For a split second she lost her balance and she held her hands out and bent her knees, expecting to fall, but she quickly regained her balance and she stood up again, gliding easily back over to her group. "There," she said when she approached, "Now you can't say that I'm too chicken to show you."

Ben narrowed his eyes at the phrase, but when he spoke, he said, "Very well done Padme."

She nodded her head in thanks, but her eyes naturally drifted back to her boyfriend, her stomach doing nervous flips. What would Anakin think? She knew it was silly to worry about what others thought, but she wanted her boyfriend to be proud of her abilities, even the silly, rarely used ones.

He looked relieved, as if he really had been worrying that she would fall and break something, but she could see the look of pride in his gaze as he looked at her. Her heart swelled as he took her hand in his. "Beautiful," He said simply, but just that one word meant the world to her.

"Let's go get some pretzels from the snack bar," Satine suggested after a brief silence, "The soft pretzels here are actually pretty good."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," Ben said, and if Padme wasn't mistaken, he seemed relieved, as if Anakin's brief moment of affection towards her had made him feel uncomfortable. Surely she was mistaken though—hadn't Ben gone on double dates before? Was he uncomfortable whenever he saw any sort of affection?

Carefully Padme helped Anakin skate back around the rink until they reached the exit. Multiple times Anakin almost slipped face-first onto the ice, but each time he was about to lose his balance, she stopped to make sure that he regained his balance. Once they were off the ice, Anakin practically raced/hobbled (he was trying to race but his awkwardness in his skates prevented him from doing so, and it was quite a comical sight) back to their shoes.

As soon as they had swapped their skates for shoes, Padme and Anakin followed hand in hand after Ben and Satine. Satine still walked close to Ben, and again, Ben didn't move. In fact, as they approached the counter, Padme was pleased to see that Satine casually reached out and intertwined her hand with his.

Ben stiffened, but he didn't move away. After a second, his shoulders relaxed, and he asked Satine if she wanted anything else at the snack bar.

Perhaps he really was just very shy around women.

"You have no idea how much progress that is," Anakin whispered to her.

She looked up at him in surprise. "Is he really that shy?"

"I guess you could say that." Anakin smirked, as if he were in on some private joke that Padme was not privy to.

She glanced over at the couple again. "Well, I'm glad. Satine seems to really like him."

"I wouldn't be surprised," Anakin muttered, and if Padme hadn't been so close, she might not have heard it. "Do you want anything other than the pretzel?" He asked louder before she could ask what he meant by that.

Slowly, she turned her attention away from him to look up at the menu. "Um, maybe a Coke." She said.

"Coming right up." He kissed her cheek, and for a moment she forgot Ben's odd dating behavior and Anakin's possible secrets. She watched him as he stepped forward into the line to order. Seeing that Satine was still holding onto Ben as if letting him go might scare him away, Padme turned to look out the window to the ice rink beyond, watching the few hundred people skate clumsily by.

A young couple with a little blonde girl skated by, the girl's hands in her parents, and she was smiling ear to ear as they skated. A pang of longing filled Padme's heart, and she almost wished…

But that was a dumb wish. She had barely started dating her first boyfriend. She wasn't even ready to start thinking of marriage, let alone children.

Still, looking at the child, she felt like she was missing something important…no, not something, someone….

"Padme?" Anakin's voice brought her back to reality, and she looked at him. She must have had a strange look on her face though, because instantly Anakin became serious. "What's wrong?"

She opened her mouth to tell him that she was fine, but right then an explosion from the ice rink rocked the building, knocking her and Anakin and just about anyone in the building to the ground.

* * *

Anakin instinctively tried to throw up a Force shield…however, it only went up around himself. In the split second that he was falling, he launched himself over Padme, shielding her from what he could as a result.

They hit the floor, and he covered her with his body, his teeth gritting as he struggled to maintain the Force field, his arms on either side of her. He felt the searing heat of the blast at his back. He heard people screaming in terror and panic. He expected Padme to be screaming, but she was strangely silent, her body tense, as if she were experienced at waiting out disasters.

Eventually the blast faded, and all Anakin could hear was a familiar ringing in his ear. It was almost as if he were back on the battlefield, but this time when he slowly raised his head, he saw only innocent people struggling to get back up, dirt and blood on their faces.

Once he fought to protect people from this sort of thing. Once he was the cause of this sort of thing.

But he wasn't a soldier anymore. He also wasn't a Sith Lord, terrorizing the Galaxy. So what was his role now?

 _Help._

Slowly, stiffly, he raised himself up to a kneeling position. "Are you okay, Padme?" He asked, already checking her for injuries. Her hair was tangled, but otherwise she looked fine.

She groaned though as she sat up, rubbing her temple. "I think I bumped my head, but I'm okay, thanks to you." She eyed him, looking for injuries on him. When she found none, she frowned. "How on Earth are you not injured?"

He didn't bother telling her about the weak Force field he had constructed, and instead shrugged his shoulders and helped her stand before surveying the damage.

The blast had come from the ice rink. The window separating the rink from the snack bar had shattered. The ice rink was covered in smoke, and he could dimly make out that most of the ice had completely melted to reveal a cement floor. On the floor, he could see bodies, most of which weren't moving.

He heard Padme gasp from beside him. "Anakin, we have to help." Anakin hesitated, his first instinct to tell her no, that she needed to get herself to safety. But he knew she wouldn't listen to him, and a large part of him agreed—these were innocent people, and until more help arrived, it seemed like they were the only ones able to begin helping these people.

He looked around for Obi-Wan and found him and Satine already up and helping the people who had been knocked over in the snack bar area. "Obi-Wan," he called, forgetting to call him by this world's name for him. Obi-Wan instantly responded without comment however. "Padme and I are going to look for survivors in the rink."

Obi-Wan nodded, his expression serious, calculating, as if he were expecting droids to come bursting through the door at any second. "Be careful, Anakin. We don't know if the building is structurally safe anymore."

"We will be," Anakin assured him before he took Padme's hand and carefully led her into the rink, stepping over shards of glass.

"Do you think this was an intentional act?" Padme asked as they gingerly stepped over the collapsed rink wall.

"It's very likely," Anakin responded truthfully, already going into General-mode. His mind was sorting everything that needed to be done—the dead needed to be separated from the injured, the severely injured needed to be tended to first, the least injured needed to be led out of the rink….

"But why?" She asked, "I mean there isn't really a good reason for terror, but what is the purpose of bombing an ice skating rink?"

"Sometimes," Anakin said absently, not realizing that he wasn't filtering the information coming out of his mouth, "It just serves as a demonstration."

Padme paused, and Anakin realized that he'd said something that, although true, was something that was rather dark, a side that this Padme was not accustomed to. Before she could ask questions, Anakin said, "I'm going to start moving the bodies. Find anyone who is able to walk and lead them out of the rink."

He didn't wait for her to acknowledge what he'd said before he began to act, letting go of her hand to start sorting.

He didn't know how long he worked. His body went into auto-pilot, and he detached himself emotionally as he moved the bodies of women, men, teenagers, and even children into a line at the edge of the rink after confirming that there was indeed no pulse. Every once in a while he stopped to check on Padme, expecting to find her breaking down like any other normal civilian would in a situation like that. Instead he found her comforting those who were too injured to be moved, and leading others with confidence out of the rink to safety. She didn't even complain when one person left a large stain of blood on her white sweater that he knew she loved.

Watching her work, it was almost like he was watching his Padme work in his galaxy—she too would have handled the situation calmly, and would have led instead of waited around to be told how she could help.

Pride swelled within him. That was the woman he loved.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan called, and Anakin stopped what he was doing to slowly make his way over to his master. Obi-Wan looked at Anakin grimly, but he didn't look injured at all. Anakin was sure that Obi-Wan had an easier time throwing a Force shield around he and Satine.

Instead of getting frustrated like he wanted to, Anakin focused on the task at hand. "What is it?"

"I broke into the security room," Obi-Wan said.

"Oh, turning to a life of crime now, are we?" Anakin blurted out, just as he would have done had this been a battlefield and he were fighting side by side with Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan blinked in surprise, but slowly a small smile crept across his lips. "Be that as it may, I found security footage confirming that this was an intentional bombing."

"Of course," Anakin agreed. "Did you find anything that might lead us to who the bomber might be?"

Obi-Wan hesitated, as if he were reconsidering telling Anakin the information. "You're not going to like it."

Instantly Anakin tensed. "Palpatine?"

"No," Obi-Wan said, "That would give us easy proof for the authorities. But the bomber may be working for him, considering he has before."

Anakin's heart sank. "Count Dooku?"

"No." Obi-Wan took a deep breath, and Anakin could see that Obi-Wan was deeply troubled. "Darth Maul."

Anakin froze. Darth Maul. Darth Maul was in this world? "How can you tell?" He asked through numb lips. Yoda didn't look like his other self in Anakin's galaxy—how would Darth Maul look in this world?

"He tattooed those same markings on every visible part of his body." Obi-Wan said grimly. "It could be that he's after me and Satine. I was his primary enemy in our galaxy, and if he remembers his past self, he could be attacking us…"

"He would have done it directly." Anakin interrupted. "Darth Maul, at the end of his life, would have taken you on directly, regardless of who was around. He wouldn't have done something so simple as planting a bomb unless he were ordered to…" Anakin knew that he was jumping to conclusions, but very quickly he was losing control of himself. He whirled around and, ignoring Obi-Wan as he called for him, rushed back to Padme.

She was helping a little girl out of the rink when Anakin reached her. "Padme." He said, his voice rough and desperate even to his own ears. His whole body was shaking.

Padme took one look at him and quickly ushered the little girl to safety before turning her attention back on him. "What's wrong?" She asked.

He didn't answer, not verbally, at least. Instead, he grabbed her hand and began to lead her to the locker room. "Anakin?" Padme called, trying to get his attention. "What's going on? I thought we were…"

"We've done all we can." Anakin cut her off. He could hear the fear in his voice, the fear of losing Padme to a mad man controlled by a bigger, meaner mad man. "We have to get out of here." He reached their locker and opened it, grabbing the keys to Obi-Wan's truck before he began dragging Padme out.

"We can't just leave," Padme began to insist, "We have to stay and at least talk to the police about…"

Anakin stopped and whirled, grabbing Padme firmly by both shoulders, looking into her beautiful brown eyes that were still full of life. " _We have to leave. NOW."_

He wasn't in control. Distantly, he knew that. He wasn't quite as far gone as going back into Darth Vader mode, but he was…well, the only time he was this desperate was when he had raced across Tatooine to save his kidnapped mother.

And look how _that_ turned out.

Padme must have seen something in his eyes, something that made her pause, rethinking her strategy to talk sense into him. "Okay." she finally said, "Let's go."

Anakin didn't wait for anyone else to try to stop him. He didn't wait to collect Obi-Wan and Satine. At the moment, he was so focused on getting Padme to safety, that he didn't even care that he was leaving the two of them behind in Obi-Wan's truck.

All he knew, all he cared about, was that he had to get Padme far away from here, somewhere she would be safe forever.

He would not lose her again.

* * *

"Where are you taking us?" Padme asked for about the thousandth time. They were heading, from what she could tell, out of the city, and from the way Anakin gripped Obi-Wan's truck wheel with a white-knuckled grip, she was beginning to become very worried. At first she had gone along with him because she could see that something had unbalanced Anakin, and she thought that he needed some air. But now they were leaving the city limits and she was beginning to wonder if he'd completely lost it. He had handled those bodies so calmly, she had thought that he was impressive in his ability to be so calm in the face of danger. But now…

She supposed everyone had their breaking point. Anakin had clearly reached his.

"Somewhere safe." He had responded with this every time she asked where he was taking her. It was beginning to get frustrating.

"We can't just abandon everything." Technically, they could, but they would run out of money and her parents would worry and…well, there were a lot of reasons why they couldn't just abandon everything and run away. But Anakin did not seem like he was in a reasonable mood.

"I have to make sure you're safe, Padme." His voice…it was so broken. And when she looked at his eyes, there was a desperate pleading there that made Padme wonder if Anakin had lost something or someone important to him in his past. Did he remember it? Or was it perhaps his body acting on the trauma of the past event?

"I am safe." She tried to use a reasonable voice, but it didn't seem to be getting through to him. Perhaps a firm tone would work. "Anakin Skywalker. Turn this car around and take me home. NOW."

That did snap him out of it…at least his panicked state. Instead of listening, however, he snapped at her. "You do _not_ order me around! I'm done with being ordered! I can't lose you again! You may be a senator…"

"A what?" Padme interrupted: she could feel a headache coming on. Anakin's eyes were wide, wild, and she was really starting to get scared, not only for her safety, but his as well. "Anakin you're talking nonsense. Please at least pull the car over…"

"NO."

He wasn't listening. Fine. Anakin was a man of action. Maybe action would work.

She unlocked her passenger door and threw it open, the wind whipping her hair in her face as she unbuckled her seat belt. She looked uneasily at the road speeding past her, but she didn't have to go further with her crazy, ambitious bluff, because a split second later, Anakin took the bait.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Anakin yelled as he swerved the car to the side of the road, throwing the breaks on, but not hard enough to cause her to lose her balance in her seat. As soon as he pulled to a stop, Padme jumped out of the truck and moved away from it. She heard Anakin get out as well, slamming the door behind him. "Are you CRAZY?" He was yelling, and it might have scared her, but at that point she couldn't find it in herself to be scared of him, but rather scared for him.

She whirled around to face him. "I'm not getting back in that truck until we talk this through." Her voice was firm, leaving no room for negotiation. It was the same voice she used in the court room, and yet she saw familiarity flash across Anakin's face, as if he'd heard her use that voice before. That wasn't possible, however. He hadn't ever been to one of her classes where she practiced using it.

"There's nothing to talk about." He said through clenched teeth, but she could see that he was starting to go on the defense. Yeah, he could tell that she wasn't just going to go with whatever he wanted to do.

"Yes there is." She motioned to the truck. "Where are you taking us?"

"Somewhere safe."

"Not good enough!" She barked, "Do you even know where we're going? Are we driving around at random until you decide to calm down?!"

Anakin was silent for a moment, and grudgingly he finally replied, "No."

"Then we aren't exactly safe, are we? We could get lost and if we got hurt, no one would know where to find us. This behavior isn't going to protect either one of us, so calm down and talk to me!" She stepped forward. "Does this have something to do with your past? Do you remember something that makes you afraid you're going to lose me somehow?"

Anakin opened his mouth to reply, then closed it, as if he were at a loss for words. "I can't…I'm not ready to talk about this." He finally said, and his voice…his eyes…it was as if he had seen things. Things that were so horrible, she could never fully comprehend the evilness of it. But it was more than just that. She saw a need to be free of those horrors, whether they were imagined or real, and she realized that despite his strength, despite the confidence that he often exuded, he was still very, very lost in this world.

But he wasn't done talking. Even as cars zipped by, she could still hear his voice, low and vulnerable and desperate. "I'm afraid." He admitted, looking down. "I'm afraid that I'm going to lose everyone I care about. I'm afraid that I'm not going to be able to keep the promises I've made. Most of all, I'm afraid that I'm going to lose you before I get the chance to prove to you that things will be different. I want so badly to let go of that fear, but I just…can't."

She sensed there was something else that he wasn't saying, something so huge, that it would possibly change her world. But she could also see that just telling her that information was hard enough for him. She let out a sigh and closed the distance between them, looping her arms around him. He tensed for a moment, but he eventually relaxed and wrapped his arms around her. Being in his arms, she felt as if nothing could ever hurt her, and yet she could still feel that insecurity wrapped around him like an inescapable blanket.

"I can't promise that you'll never lose me." She had to be honest with him. If there was anything you learned in the movies, it was that you never promised the impossible. "But you also can't promise that I won't lose you."

She pulled away from him just enough to look up into his eyes. He still looked so scared, so unsure. "There's a saying that says that if you love something, let it go. If it was meant to be, it will come back to you. I know that sounds like a really cheesy Hallmark card, and to be honest I probably saw it on one, but I do think that there is such a thing as fate. Regardless of what our fate will be, Anakin Skywalker, I think that you and I were meant to meet." She took a deep breath. "You need to let go of your fear of losing me. I know it's hard. But loss is a part of life, and," She touched his chest with her hand. "If we're meant to be, you need to trust that I will always come back to you."

"And if you died?" Anakin's voice cracked.

She reached up and took his face in her hands, her eyes holding his. They were probably a strange sight on the side of the road, and she was glad that it was dark outside. "Then I will find you again in the next life, even if I need to rip open the gates of Hell to do so."

He still looked unsure, and slowly she reached up and kissed him tenderly. He deepened the kiss, as if he were afraid she would disappear. When they broke apart, both of them gasping for air, he seemed much more in control. Still, he did not let her go. "Can we go home now?" She whispered.

He looked back at the truck, as if deciding to force her back in there to take her someplace else, but finally he nodded. "Let's go home." He said.

* * *

 **This was a fun chapter to write. If it hadn't been the last week of the semester, and I wasn't driving across the country, I would have had this uploaded sooner. However, those things did happen. But the semester is done, I've got a few weeks of vacation, and I'm safely at my destination! YAY!**

 **Speaking of the last week, my students saw the new Star Wars trailer, and they told me they wanted to see it. They've spent the entire semester making fun of me for having a Star Wars-themed classroom, but now all of a sudden they want to see it. I pointed out that they won't understand anything since they haven't seen the original movies. So the last two days of school, since grades were done on their part, I let them watch the original movies (yes, all episodes 4-6). Now they love Star Wars! Let's hope they love their work when they get back from break...**

 **I haven't seen the new movie yet. My parents got tickets for Christmas Day. So I'm off of Facebook until then, which is hard since I'm sort of a Facebook addict, but I REALLY don't want spoilers. So no spoilers. I also REALLY want to listen to the new soundtrack by John Williams, but I can't because...spoilers. I normally don't care, but...this is Star Wars. It's not the same as other movies.**

 **I got a question about what happens to the Force Ghosts for Obi-Wan and Anakin in the original galaxy. When I watched the end of Episode 6 (again, I haven't seen Episode 7, so I could totally be wrong), I got the impression that Luke is a full Jedi and no longer really needs the Force ghosts. Hence, the Force Ghosts were given their second chance at life, and put into this world...at least in this story.**

 **Anyhow. Review! Next chapter is a SUPER MAJOR CHAPTER...actually for the next few chapters, they're all pretty major. So get ready for feels.**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	24. The Gala

"You will not be running off again like that!" Obi-Wan was saying through the door to the dressing room. Anakin was currently trying on some suits for that night's Gala, and since Obi-Wan had also been invited, Anakin had dragged him along thinking that he was being helpful. Apparently, Obi-Wan was very upset that Anakin had taken his truck the night before and left Obi-Wan and Satine to give their statements to the police by themselves. The police had evidently given them both rides home, and Obi-Wan was not happy. "Do you know how embarrassing it was to have Satine get taken home in a police car like some delinquent teenager?!"

Anakin sighed as he finished putting on the pants of a dark blue suit. "No, I don't know, but I'm sorry anyway. I wasn't thinking. Now can we drop this subject?"

"Not until you promise not to run off like that again—especially in _my_ truck!" It had been a while since Anakin had heard Obi-Wan this angry, but Anakin supposed that had he been in Obi-Wan's place, he would have been upset too. "You have to learn to face your fear, and running off with Padme to who knows where is not doing that! Do you want a repeat of last time?!"

"No," Anakin ground out through clenched teeth. He took a deep breath, willing himself to remain calm. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I won't do it again. I promise. Even if I'm going completely insane, I won't run off…and if I do, I'll use my own motorcycle to do it."

For a moment, Obi-Wan was silent, but eventually he sighed. "What am I going to do with you?" he asked.

"You could lock him in a dark basement and throw away the key." Mindy's voice suggested helpfully from outside the fitting room.

He'd also brought Mindy along…not because he wanted to, but because she insisted that he wouldn't pick the right suit, as if he hadn't picked his own outfits for the majority of his life.

Actually, most of his life had been spent in the same suit, so perhaps she had a point. He wasn't going to admit that, however.

"No," Obi-Wan answered. "To be honest, Anakin pulls stunts like that a lot. Are you finished getting dressed, Anakin?"

"Done." He pulled on the coat and stepped out. He had to admit, Obi-Wan looked good in his black textured suit and white dress shirt and matching dress pants. In fact, Anakin was certain that if Obi-Wan wore things like that all the time, he would probably get a job as one of those models Mindy was always looking at.

"I need to see them, come out of there." Mindy called.

"Why did you bring her again?" Obi-Wan asked, and he could see that Obi-Wan was losing patience with Mindy's constant chattering. Honestly, it was a miracle Anakin wasn't more annoyed. Maybe he was just getting used to hearing her voice.

"She would have followed me anyway had I tried to ditch her." Anakin said honestly before they stepped out of the fitting room.

Mindy was lounging on a plush chair in the waiting area of the fitting rooms, her cell phone in her hand. She peered at them closely when they stepped out, putting her phone down. "Well. I'm going to certainly vote yes on the suit for Ben. Anakin…" she frowned. "Well, you look really good in it, and you should totally buy it, but Padme's dress is blue and you two will just be the blue twins at the party and that's dumb. You're a couple, not twins."

Anakin's throat tightened at the mention of twins, thinking of his own children he had left behind. He didn't say anything about them though—he doubted Mindy would want to hear about them. "I'm only going to get one suit."

"Then try on the other one." Mindy ordered. "Bengie, wait with me here."

"Bengie?" Obi-Wan echoed in annoyance, but he sat down beside her anyway. "Please hurry up, Anakin. I want this trip to end."

Anakin grinned. "Patience. You're supposed to be good at that, aren't you?"

"Not when you ditched me at a blown up ice skating rink," Obi-Wan grumbled.

Anakin rolled his eyes and went to go change into the other suit. Even if Obi-Wan was in a rare bad mood, he was right: they needed to get done with their suit shopping as soon as possible. Padme had invited them last minute to the Gala a few days ago, and what with the explosion at the ice rink yesterday and school during the week, Anakin hadn't exactly had a chance to find something suitable to wear. Because it was also a promotional/charity function for Padme's parents, Anakin didn't want to go dressed like a scruffy-looking Nerf-herder.

Anakin finished putting the suit on—a simple black suit with a white shirt and black tie. He turned himself around in the mirror, trying to imagine what he would say if someone wearing this was dating his daughter. Again, he hated the thought of Leia dating anyone before he'd ever really gotten a chance to know her, but he supposed that as a father, he would try to keep an open mind if her date were wearing this.

With that thought in mind, he left the fitting room to show Mindy.

Mindy was talking about her dress to Obi-Wan (Obi-Wan, to his credit, was doing his best to look interested, but even the Negotiator couldn't quite pull it off), but when Anakin stepped into the waiting room, she cut off and looked him over. "Much better. That will compliment her outfit much, much better." She grinned. "You're going to especially love her dress. You might fall in love with her all over again."

"I've already done that." Anakin answered honestly. "So this is what I'm going to get then."

"Yup." She paused. "Say. If Jedi don't usually date, do you two know how to dance?"

To his surprise, Obi-Wan replied, "I do actually." When Anakin looked at him questioningly, he added, "I had to learn the basics for an assignment once."

"That makes you know one thing about romance that I don't know anything about." Anakin said with a laugh. "I don't know very much about dancing."

A almost feral smile crossed Mindy's face. "Well, if you want to impress Mr. and Mrs. Amidala, you gotta learn how to dance."

Obi-Wan frowned. "How does Anakin being a good dancer impress Padme's parents? They aren't going to dance with him."

"It just does, okay?" Mindy replied, "Besides, Padme would probably be impressed too."

"I think that's the real issue here," Obi-Wan muttered.

Mindy stood, ignoring Obi-Wan. "So. I'm going to teach you." She glanced at Obi-Wan. "What do you call your Jedi apprentices?"

"Padawan?"

Mindy turned her full attention back on Anakin. "Let me teach you how to dance, _padawan."_

Anakin really didn't want Mindy teaching him anything. He could put up with Obi-Wan, but Mindy…well, he didn't want to know what her idea of being a teacher entailed. "I think I'll be okay," He started to say, but Mindy interrupted.

"No. I'm not going to be associated with someone who doesn't know what he's doing. This is a super fancy party. If you aren't fancy, you're a lame loser of dumbness." Anakin looked at her incredulously—seriously, he thought, if I were still Darth Vader, she would have been dead before she finished that sentence. He certainly had come very far in the time he had been here, because even though he still couldn't believe she had the guts to call him that knowing who he was and what he'd done, he didn't have any urges to Force choke her.

Not that he could right now anyway.

"Fine, but only one short lesson. We don't have all day, you know." Anakin agreed.

"Okay!" She put her hands on her hips. "Now. First things first, you have to ask me to dance."

"But you already know we're going to." Anakin said dryly.

"So does Padme. I mean you aren't going to a Gala without asking her to dance. Talk about worst date EVER otherwise." She rolled her eyes. "If it will make it easier, just pretend that I'm Padme."

Mindy was nothing like Padme, but Anakin did as she asked anyway. "Okay," he began, stepping forward, holding out a hand. "Padme, will you like to dance?"

Mindy widened her eyes and put a hand to her chest, flipping her hair dramatically. "Who, me?" she asked in a high pitched voice.

Anakin dropped his hand. "That is _not_ how Padme talks." Anakin said as Obi-Wan began to laugh at Anakin's expression.

"It so is how I talk," Mindy continued in that same high-pitched voice, "Now let's dance, alien boy!"

"You are the worst Padme ever." Obi-Wan said between laughs, agreeing with Anakin. Although Anakin made a face, he nevertheless took Mindy's hand and pulled her to him.

"Oh Anakin!" Mindy dramatically said in that stupid voice, "Sweep me off of my feet like a sexy Disney prince!" this only caused Obi-Wan to laugh harder and Anakin sighed, trying to maintain his annoyance.

"Now what, Mindy?" He asked through clenched teeth.

"My name is Padme!" Mindy sang. "Okay, now what you do is…" She proceeded to give Anakin pointers, having him walk through the steps as they went. Even though Mindy was completely ridiculous, her pointers on actual dancing was actually rather helpful. Anakin wasn't going to admit that. He knew that Mindy would never drop it if he did.

Eventually, Mindy stepped away, nodding in approval. "You'll get by tonight. Just don't forget between now and then."

"A Jedi never forgets." Anakin replied.

"No, I'm pretty sure the phrase is "an elephant never forgets."" She said, rolling her eyes.

"I don't even know what that is." He looked at Obi-Wan. "We should get dressed and buy these things before any other lessons are offered."

"I agree." Obi-Wan stood and followed Anakin into the dressing room, ignoring Mindy's protests.

As they changed, Obi-Wan said, "Anakin?"

"Yeah?" He asked, pulling his shirt back on.

There was a pause. "I need to ask you a very serious question."

"Okay," now Anakin was cautious, trying to remember anything else he'd done to possibly upset Obi-Wan in some way. Obi-Wan didn't sound mad though—he sounded embarrassed. He finished dressing and stepped out of the dressing room, the suit he was purchasing slung over his arm.

"How…how do you, ah… _kiss_ someone?"

Well, that was _not_ the question Anakin had ever been expected to be asked by Obi-Wan. Anakin could feel his own face heat up, and he didn't know whether to completely ignore the question or start laughing. It felt…strange to give his father-figure kissing advice. "Um. I thought based on your…distance last night…I thought that you were still too new in your relationship to start kissing her."

"Do you think so?" Obi-Wan opened the door, also holding his suit in his arms. Anakin took one look at Obi-Wan's face and saw the worry in his face. He really was worried about this.

Anakin sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe. I don't know. It really depends on the relationship. Either way, you should know for when the time is right." Anakin's thoughts raced as he tried to think of a way to explain kissing to his friend. Kissing had always been…natural to Anakin. The first time he had kissed Padme, it had felt so natural, so right, as if he were born to be with her. Obi-Wan was charming, and even Anakin could see that he would be good looking to most women, but he was not a natural romantic. It didn't help that he had spent his whole life as a Jedi who strictly followed the rules…at least when it came to dating.

"First of all," Anakin began slowly, choosing his words with care, "Don't kiss her in a crowd—at least the first time. It should be special. That doesn't mean you have to be a perfect kisser the first time either. It's the meaning behind the kiss that really counts…although don't kiss her like a dead fish either."

"A what?" Obi-Wan frowned.

"When you kiss her, but you just awkwardly keep still while your lips are locked." Anakin clarified.

"Oh."

"Just….try to set the mood. Compliment her. Tell her that she's the most beautiful girl in the world, or say something more original but still just as sweet. Women like that sort of thing." Anakin continued.

"But what if she doesn't want to kiss you?" Obi-Wan asked.

Anakin rolled his eyes. "Trust me. Satine is totally into you. It's you who is acting like you aren't into her."

"I am?" Obi-Wan asked, legitimately surprised.

How could he not tell? How was he that oblivious? It wasn't like Obi-Wan hadn't seen romantic relationships before. Perhaps he hadn't really thought about them as much as Anakin had before he reunited with Padme. "You had a lot of physical distance between you two last night. Anytime she would try to get closer, you pulled away. You upgraded to holding hands at one point, but anyone leading a scared child can do that. Hold her hand. Play with her hair. Compliment her. Find reasons to touch her lightly on the hand or the arm. Find reasons to get closer to her, not away from her."

Obi-Wan sighed. "I suppose it's a miracle that she's still going with me to this dance tonight."

"To be honest, I was surprised when you said you were still going." Anakin said. "If you're really worried that Satine won't want to kiss you, try out a small kiss first—maybe on the cheek or the back of her hand. If she doesn't seem upset, then later try to actually kiss her."

"Yes, but how do I go about achieving that?"

Anakin couldn't help but start to laugh. "It's a kiss, it isn't a mission. Stop treating it like a mission and when the timing is right, just…look into her eyes, lean forward, and right before you kiss her, pause and if she doesn't move away, just gently kiss her."

Obi-Wan eyed Anakin, thinking it through. "That's how you kissed Padme for the first time?"

Anakin blushed, remembering the conversation he was having with her right before he kissed her. "Well, I was talking to her about how much I hated sand right before I did it. I wouldn't recommend doing something like that."

"Wow." Obi-Wan snorted, but a grin was forming on his face. "Sand. So romantic, Anakin."

"It worked, didn't it?" Anakin retorted, but he was smiling too. "Just…try not to over think it, okay?" He motioned to the suits in their arms. "Right now we need to buy these and worry about getting ready for this thing." Obi-Wan nodded in agreement and followed Anakin out of the dressing room.

* * *

Anakin fiddled with his tie as he waited patiently for Padme, Satine, and Mindy to be finished getting ready. Obi-Wan sat on the couch, already looking completely relaxed as if going to super important Galas were a daily occurrence for him. To Anakin, this was his chance to make a good impression on Padme's parents, not as her bodyguard, but as her significant other.

"The more you play with that tie," Obi-Wan said, interrupting Anakin's frazzled mind, "The more you're going to mess it up. Stop worrying. Out of the two of us, you're the best prepared for this sort of thing."

"You seem rather calm for someone who is inexperienced at this," Anakin retorted, but he stopped playing with his tie.

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "A Jedi clears his mind, and trusts that the Force will be with him. Remember, Anakin, if you're ever going to fully recover your abilities, you must find your inner peace and learn to let go."

This again. Lately at their lessons, Obi-Wan had been grilling Anakin harder to find his inner peace, but although Anakin could achieve a relatively calm state, it wasn't the inner peace that a Jedi was supposed to achieve. Anakin was beginning to wonder if he would ever regain his abilities in full.

"Speaking of which," Obi-Wan continued, "Ahsoka wants to meet again to talk about restoring the Order. She said she texted you about it, and you haven't responded." Anakin could hear the unspoken question in Obi-Wan's voice, and although the constant pressing for information was quite annoying, Anakin also couldn't help but feel touched that his Master would care enough to voice his concerns.

Knowing that Obi-Wan wasn't going to stop until Anakin told him the truth, Anakin sighed. "I already expressed some concerns about this plan last time, but it isn't for just those reasons why I'm hesitant." Anakin looked out the window at Jedi playing with one of his squeaky toys in the backyard. "I've been a soldier almost my entire life. Even now, I'm constantly worried about Padme's safety. When I think about rebuilding the Order again, I think about all of the dangers that entails and," He shrugged, "I'm not the same man anymore, Obi-Wan. I want to have a life of peace. I want to eventually raise a family. I want the life I missed out on because of my stupid decisions all those years ago. I don't want to be a good soldier and lead a new Jedi Order."

"I can understand that," Obi-Wan agreed, but of course he couldn't just leave it at that. "However, in our galaxy, you were the Chosen One. You brought balance to the Force. What if you weren't just meant to bring balance there? What if you were meant to bring balance to the Force here, and because of the way this world works, this world's Anakin was never going to be able to do that, so the Force sent you here?"

Anakin had not considered that before, and thinking about it now, he had a sinking feeling that there may be some truth to the theory. He did _not_ like that one bit. The Chosen One title had brought so much grief to his life, and he didn't want it to bring that grief to his life again here. "I don't know," He said, "And I really don't want to know right now. Could we talk about something else?"

Obi-Wan was silent for a long moment. "Okay." He finally said, but he didn't say anything else. The two men waited in the living room in silence for a good five minutes, both of them unable to think of anything to say to each other when clearly both of them wanted different things.

"Wow. I feel like I walked into a wall of gloom and doom." Both men turned at the sound of Mindy's voice. She stood there with her short hair twisted into curls, wearing a rather form-fitting black, one-sleeved dress that spread out right above the knees, leaving a train of black fabric behind her.

"You look lovely, Mindy." Obi-Wan commented politely.

Mindy rolled her eyes. "Thanks. I'm the best third wheel to ever walk this planet." Anakin wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean, but he decided that he didn't feel like sitting through one of Mindy's 'explanations.'

"Are the other girls…" Anakin began to ask instead, but he was cut off by Satine entering into the room.

Even Anakin had to admit that Satine lit up the room. She wore a beautiful, full-skirted teal dress with white lace etched into the bodice (he ONLY knew what that was because Padme had once told him what it was when he'd brought her the wrong dress and she'd explained how the pattern was different in the bodice and that's how he could tell what the right dress was) and the edges of the dress. She looked like the duchess she was back in their world, and Anakin could tell that Obi-Wan thought the same thing. He stepped forward, offered his hand to her, and smiled. It wasn't the smile he used to purposefully charm people into listening to what he had to say. It was a genuine, happy smile, and Anakin was proud to see that Obi-Wan was truly happy for once. "You are beautiful." Obi-Wan told Satine, and Anakin watched as Satine blushed a little.

"Thank you," She said, "You look very good yourself."

There might have been more to that conversation, but Anakin stopped paying attention, for in walked in Padme, and his world froze.

Beautiful was too insignificant of a word to describe her. Stunning? Bewitching? Exquisite? Anakin wasn't sure there was a word that could describe her. She was perfection. Her dark hair had two braids that looped around to a curly, twisted, knotted bun at the back of her neck. Around her throat was a simple rose gold diamond pendant, glittering in the light of the living room.

But the dress…Padme had always had a great sense of fashion. Force, she could walk around in a sack and he still would have thought she looked beautiful. But this dress…it was by far his favorite, and he normally didn't care for things like that. It was a midnight blue, sleeveless ball gown, with silver sequins that covered her bodice and gradually dispersed as they went down the skirt. It was like a galaxy of stars had been captured on her dress, and as she moved towards him, the sequins moved with the skirt in such a way that it reminded him of traveling through space and watching the stars go past him.

It took his breath away.

"Padme," He finally said when she approached, "You're…you're…" He couldn't finish. How could he express what she was? It was impossible. "Perfection." He settled with that.

Padme blushed, but she smiled brightly at the compliment. "Thank you." She said, taking his hand in hers. "You look really, really handsome as well."

Anakin was so busy soaking in the moment that he almost didn't hear the compliment. "Thanks," He whispered, and he couldn't stop himself from leaning forward and kissing her.

Every one of her kisses were precious to him. They always had been, but even more so since he'd been reunited with her. This time, it was like an electrical current had passed between them, and he suddenly didn't want to leave the house at all. He didn't want to share her with anyone else. Not tonight.

"Come on you two," Mindy snapped them out of their moment, and for a second Anakin had to control a flash of intense annoyance. "We need to get going. The limo is here."

Padme laughed a little and leaned up so that her mouth was against his ear. "Later."

No, not later, he wanted to say, _now._ But he had waited for years to be with her again. He could wait a little longer.

* * *

"Padme, you look beautiful!" her mother said as soon as they arrived at the gala.

"Thank you mother," She replied and let go of Anakin's hand to give her mother a hug. Her parents had seemed to settle down a little since the Finn incident, but she could still see the worry in their eyes whenever they looked at her. She had yet to tell them about the ice skating rink incident the night before. She would, but not now when they looked so relaxed and ready for a lovely evening.

"Hello Mrs. Amidala," Mindy greeted when Padme had pulled away from her mother. "The venue is perfect."

"Yes, it was quite a miracle that we were able to procure it." Her mother replied with a smile.

Padme had to agree, the venue was gorgeous. They had rented an old hotel's ballroom for the event, and it had high ceilings with oak beams crisscrossing the ceiling. At the far end, large open windows looked out to the beach. Tables had been set up around the edges of the room, decorated with white table cloths and simple yellow flowers. Gold chandeliers hung above them, giving a soft, romantic glow to the room.

Her parents had used this venue before, and it had always been Padme's favorite. Perhaps, she thought, glancing at Anakin, if things went well…

"Your table is next to Sola's," Her mother said, interrupting Padme's train of thought, and Padme paid attention as her mother pointed out the correct table. "Please, make yourselves comfortable, and remember that all proceeds go to the I Have a Dream Foundation." With that being said, her ever perfect hostess mother turned her attention to the next guests.

"The what foundation?" Anakin asked as Padme followed Ben, Satine, and Mindy to their table. Padme couldn't help but notice that Ben was now actively making an effort to be near Satine—he hadn't dropped her hand since they'd gotten into the limo.

"It's a foundation that helps students from low-income families attend college and stay out of trouble." Padme replied, "My parents are big supporters of education, so they often donate to that particular charity."

Anakin was quiet for a moment, thinking it over. "It's a noble cause," he finally replied, "and one that I wish I had supported in the past."

Padme frowned, wondering what that was supposed to mean, but by then they had reached the table and her sister was there, wearing a gorgeous red evening dress with a silver belt and silver sequined spaghetti strap sleeves. When she spotted Padme, she smiled and stood, throwing her arms around her sister's shoulders. "Oh Padme, that really is the perfect dress for you. I'm so glad we found it."

"All thanks to you, sis." Padme responded with a smile before she pulled away and bent down to give Darred, her sister's husband, a hug. "Jeez, Darred, I'm trying to give you a hug and you don't even bother to get out of your seat," She teased.

Darred laughed, kissing Padme's cheek. "I've given you plenty of proper hugs in the past. Right now, I would like to eat, if you don't mind. I had to run the girls around town all day." He frowned when he saw Anakin. "And who is this?"

Padme straightened up and took Anakin's hand again. "Darred, this is Anakin, my boyfriend. Anakin, this is Darred, my sister's husband."

Anakin seemed relatively calm and relaxed as he stuck his hand out to Darred. "It's nice to meet you," Anakin said, but he seemed like he was saying it to someone he had already met before.

Darred took his hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you as well, Anakin. I hope you're taking care of my little sister-in-law."

"Darred!" Padme chided, and she could feel her face turning bright red.

Anakin just laughed. "I assure you, Padme is in safe hands."

Men, Padme thought before she sat down at her correct table and ordered her food. Anakin sat next to her, but continued to chatter with Darred about various things. Anakin spoke to him as if he and Darred had been friends for years, not like he had just met him. It was strange, but Padme found that she sort of liked it. If Anakin was well liked by her family, after all…

The food arrived, and Anakin took a break from discussing mechanics with Darred to start eating. "I like your brother-in-law," He said to her.

Padme smiled and reached under the table, squeezing his knee playfully. "I can tell. Maybe you two can have a playdate later."

"Ha-ha," Anakin sarcastically said, but she could see that the corners of his mouth had turned up into a smile. With his free hand, he took her hand in his underneath the table, and she intertwined her fingers with his.

As they finished up their dinner, Mindy suddenly stood. "I'll be right back," she announced, and she shot Anakin a strange look that made him sigh and roll his eyes. Padme watched in curiosity as Mindy headed towards the DJ that was currently playing fancy classical music fit for a ballroom.

"What is she doing?" Padme asked.

"Nothing of importance," Anakin grumbled before he let go of her hand and suddenly stood. "Padme?" She looked up into his gorgeous blue eyes. He took a deep breath, and she could see the nervousness in his face. "Would you like to dance with me?"

She heard her sister squeal softly, something that normally would have been rather embarrassing, but at that moment all she cared about was Anakin and his outstretched hand, offering something that she didn't know until that moment that she wanted. She'd danced with dates at formal dances before, but for some reason, the idea of dancing with Anakin made her heart rush and her breathing stagger.

Oh yeah, she really wanted to dance with him.

"I would love to," is what she said, taking his outstretched hand. He seemed to relax a little, but she could still see that he was nervous. Was he nervous because of her? Or was it his skills in dancing that he was worried about? She didn't care if he was the worst dancer in the world, as long as she got to be close to him.

He led her out into the middle of the room. So far, only a few other couples were dancing. He stopped and pulled her into his arms, one hand around her waist, the other intertwined with her hand. They stood so close, there was barely any space between them. It was suddenly very hard to breathe.

Suddenly the song changed, and a familiar song that Padme had listened to on Mindy's playlist various times throughout the years began to play over the speakers.

 **I think I want you more than want**

 **And know I need you more than need**

 **I wanna hold you more than hold**

 **When you stood in front of me**

"I guess we know what Mindy was up to," Padme breathed.

Anakin smiled and he began to dance with her, surprisingly well for someone who looked so nervous. He leaned forward so that his mouth was next to her ear. "Tonight, all I care about is you."

Her heart melted.

 **Well I've seen you in jeans with no make-up on**

 **And I've stood there in awe as your date for the prom**

 **I'm blessed as a man to have seen you white**

 **But I've never seen anything quite like you tonight**

This was right. As Anakin spun her around the room, seemingly effortlessly, Padme was struck by the overwhelming feeling that this moment, being in his arms, was where she belonged.

 **When it's right it's more than right**

 **Cause you feel it more than feel**

 **I could take this moment now**

 **Right into the grave with me**

But it was more than a feeling of rightness, Padme realized as Anakin spun her and the skirt of her dress twisted elegantly around her. She felt like…she felt like she truly _knew_ him, as if she had always known him, and her whole life had been…not meaningless. She wouldn't go that far. She had done quite a few meaningful things, and she loved who she was as a person. But she felt like deep down, she had always been missing someone, and now he was here, holding her, and she couldn't go back.

 **In your eyes oh in your eyes**

 **In our hearts yeah in our hearts**

 **Sometimes words just ain't enough**

 **For this love that's more than love**

"Anakin?" She whispered as he pulled her closer.

"Yeah?" He whispered breathlessly back.

 **Well I've seen you in jeans with no make-up on**

 **And I've stood there in awe as your date for the prom**

 **I'm blessed as a man to have seen you in white**

 **But I've never seen anything quite like you tonight**

 **No, I've never seen anything quite like you tonight.**

The song drew to a close, and they stopped, staring into each other's eyes as another classical song came over the stereo. Other couples were dancing, and from the corner of her eye she could see Ben and Satine also dancing so elegantly that it looked like they were professional dancers.

"Padme?" Anakin asked, "You're trembling."

"I know," she whispered, "It's just…" She met his eyes, and she realized that those eyes had the power to trap her forever. "I love you, Anakin."

It was rather soon. They had only been dating for little over a week. But Anakin didn't seem uncomfortable or even surprised. Instead, he smiled wide and kissed her. It wasn't a deep kiss, but she could feel the need, the hunger behind it, and it made her knees buckle. "I love you too, Padme," he whispered against her lips, "More than you know."

Okay. Now _she_ kissed him with the same need and hunger for more.

Anakin cut it off short, however, much to her dismay. "We can't," he reminded her with a smile, "Not in front of your parents and the rest of their political friends."

Screw them, she wanted to say, but she bit her lip and refrained from doing so. Instead, she pulled away and took his hands, pulling him away from the dance floor and towards the doors. "Then let's go," she said.

"What?" Anakin laughed, "We've been here for little over an hour."

She knew that. Normally, she stayed and was the perfect daughter. It was usually Sola and Darred that left early, not Padme. But she couldn't wait any longer. She wanted Anakin, completely. She wanted him to be hers. She wanted to be _his._ But more importantly, something in her told her that what she was about to do was the right thing to do. It was strange, but she felt like she was already his, and it had been much too long since they had expressed that.

It was a ridiculous feeling. She didn't care. Not at that moment.

"We've given them the money like we were supposed to," she said, "We danced and made ourselves known to everyone. Now let's go _home."_

She could see hesitation on Anakin's part, warring with the need that she could also see in his eyes. After a moment, need won out, and he no longer resisted her pulls and followed her out of the ballroom to go find a cab home.

* * *

 **FINALLY. The dance scene at the gala was the scene that inspired this whole story. I'm super happy to have finally written it.**

 **The song I used for that scene is "Never seen anything quite like you" by the Script. I was listening to it one day while I was running and I was angsting how things ended up between Padme and Anakin at the same time, and that song came on and I was like, wouldn't this be a great song for them to dance to? And then I thought more about the story and...here we are. I'm SO happy I finally get to share this scene!**

 **Also, if this was a Disney musical, and they were randomly singing, I would probably pick "I See the Light" from Tangled. The girl part is TOTALLY perfect for Padme in this moment, and the guy part is ALSO SUPER PERFECT. But that song wouldn't have worked for a dance sequence, and Mindy wouldn't have that one on her playlist, so I picked the other one.**

 **I also have a pintrest page for this story, and I have pictures of everything I described on it. Idk if fanfic will let me post those pics on my page, so I might put those pics into a blog format and post that instead. Idk, Fanfic rules have changed since I last was on here. You could just post pictures to your author page. I'll fiddle around with it when I have time, but if I get enough requests, I may make time.**

 **Anyhow, review! I'm going to try to have the next chapter done by Christmas as a present to all of you...although the next chapter is FULL of ridiculous feels so...we'll see.**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	25. The Turning Point

Anakin held Padme close in his arms, listening to her steady breathing as she slept. When he glanced at the clock on her nightstand, the bright red letters said that it was 2 AM. He had heard Mindy come into the house an hour ago, right after they had cleaned up the clothes they had littered all the way to Padme's room, and Anakin was glad they had done so when they had—he would never hear the end of it from Mindy had she walked into the house that way.

Padme now wore the white button up shirt he had been wearing earlier, and it was so big on her, it looked like she was wearing a fancy night gown. He had smiled at that when she came back into the room wearing it, and he didn't tell her that in his galaxy, she often wore one of his Jedi robes. Once he had come back from a particularly long mission late at night to find that she was curled up on the couch asleep with it wrapped around her. He himself also wore his boxers, but he had chosen to keep his shirt off.

That was in the past now though. They had a future together now, and right now, with her sleeping soundly in his arms, her cheek resting on his bare chest, that future felt to precious and fragile, as if something or someone could come crashing in to ruin it.

He wouldn't let that happen though.

He looked down at her sleeping face and his chest warmed with love. Tonight was perfect—almost too perfect. In the cab ride home, he had held her hand, watching her as she stared impatiently out the window, wanting to get home. He had been excited, yes (he had, after all, waited over 20 years to be with his wife again), but as he looked at her, and saw the glow of the street lamps illuminating her beautiful face, he felt an over whelming surge of love.

In that moment, he realized something: he was truly, deeply, irrevocably, in love with her. He had loved Padme before, that was true. But it was a different sort of love—it was possessive. It was consuming. It was filled with jealousy and insecurity.

But now, when he looked at her and felt that familiar swell of love for her, there wasn't any of that. He looked at her and saw her for who she was, not what he wanted her to be. He looked at her and didn't worry that she might fall for someone else. He didn't want to lock her up to keep her safe, or turn her into something she wasn't. He wanted to see her free to make her own choices, to live happily as she wanted to, while he stood with her to say, "Look at my beautiful Angel! She's perfect and I wouldn't have her any other way! I'm the lucky man who gets to share her journey in life!"

Now as he looked at her, listened as she mumbled something in her sleep, he felt the same way. He wished that he could tell her. He wished that he could express how much he had changed, that he wasn't the same man she had been betrayed by on Mustafar.

But he couldn't. Now, more than ever, he couldn't tell her. He would surely lose her.

He leaned forward and softly kissed her forehead. "I love you Padme," He whispered, feeling sleep start to overwhelm him as well. "You will always have all of me."

She pulled herself closer to him and he smiled, closing his own eyes and drifting to sleep.

* * *

 _She watched from the shadows as Anakin ran toward her, a huge smile on his face. Her heart leapt as he approached, and she felt the urge to hold him tight and never let go._

 _And she got her wish. As soon as he reached her, he scooped her up into a hug and swung her around, laughing happily as he did so. A smile spread across her face, and she buried her face in his neck. As soon as he set her down, she kissed him quickly and took his face in her hands. "Oh Anakin," She said, looking up into his eyes. They stared at one another for another moment before she hugged him again. Real Padme mentally noted that Dream Padme was acting as if she hadn't seen Anakin in months._

" _I've missed you Padme," Anakin said, tightening his grip on her. Even in a dream, she felt so safe with him._

 _Eventually she had to pull away, much to Real Padme's disappointment. Why couldn't her dreams be normal dreams about doing whatever she wanted with Dream Anakin? "There were whispers," She shook her head, running her hands over his shoulders, as if she were looking for injuries. "That you'd been killed."_

 _Well. Maybe that explained why Dream Padme kept hugging him. However, Real Padme probably would have been doing a lot more than just hugging if her man came back from the dead._

" _I'm alright," he assured her with an almost blinding smile. Now he looked her over, as if memorizing her in that moment. "It feels like we've been apart for a lifetime," He said, "It might have been had the Chancellor not been kidnapped. I don't think they would have ever brought us back from the Outer Rim Sieges." Wait, sieges? Whoa, Real Padme wanted to say, let's talk more about those! But instead Anakin leaned down as he was talking to kiss her again and…_

 _Stupid Dream Padme pulled away. Again! What was up with Dream Padme and pulling away?!_

" _Wait, not here," She said._

" _Yes here," Anakin pulled away, but only slightly, "I'm tired of all this deception, I don't care if they know that we're married." Again, he leaned in to kiss her, and frustratingly Dream Padme pulled away._

" _Don't say things like that," she chided, and Real Padme wanted to roll her eyes and yell at Dream Padme, "No, let him say that!"_

 _But instead Dream Padme and Dream Anakin held each other's stare for a long moment, waiting for the other to back down. When neither one of them seemed to back down from what was likely an old argument, Dream Padme hugged him again with a sigh._

 _After a moment, however, Anakin slowly pulled away, taking her by the shoulders. "Are you alright?" He asked, his brow creasing in worry, "You're trembling." Indeed she was. Seeing that something was off, he became serious. "What's going on?" He asked._

 _She looked down at the floor, hesitating, before she looked up again. "Something wonderful has happened." Then why was she acting like something was wrong? Real Padme decided that she would never fully understand Dream Padme. "Ani," She said softly, "I'm pregnant."_

 _Ooooh. Well, if Dream Padme was in a secret marriage that would be pretty problematic._

 _She saw the shock in Anakin's eyes and he let out a shaky breath, looking down at the floor while he processed the news. "That's," He took a deep breath and let it out again, and she waited nervously for what he was about to say. Maybe Dream Anakin wouldn't want a baby, what with whatever he was involved in that made it impossible for him to even get married, much less have children. He looked at her again, but quickly averted his gaze, trying to think of the words. My goodness, Real Padme thought, he's speechless! It was something she had never seen before, and she would have smiled if she could. "Well, that's…that's wonderful!" He finally looked up, and again there was that bright smile that she loved._

" _What are we going to do?" Dream Padme asked, voicing what she'd obviously expected Anakin to say when she'd told him._

 _He laughed softly, shaking his head, smiling like he'd been told that he'd won the lottery. "We're not going to worry about anything right now, alright?" he said, lifting a hand to cup her cheek softly, "This is a happy moment," he paused, "The happiest moment of my life."_

 _Well. It no longer mattered that they could get caught. Dream Padme moved in and met Anakin's kiss, throwing her arms around his neck as she did so._

 _As the dream began to change, Real Padme felt a painful lurch in her chest, and she found that she longed for...she wasn't sure what, honestly. But she wanted something, something that Dream Padme had._

 _Now Padme stood in a beautiful living room that opened out to a giant city beyond the apartment. Thicker-bearded-robe Dream Ben stood before her, a grave look in his eyes. She could tell that he was exhausted. He looked older than he was, as if a large burden had been placed upon his shoulders. "When was the last time you saw him?" He asked._

" _Yesterday," Dream Padme said hesitantly, walking past him. She was heavy with child, and her steps were awkward as she walked down the stairs towards the couches._

" _Do you know where he is now?" Ben was following her, and she instantly heard something off in his voice. Something wasn't right._

" _No." Even Real Padme could hear the lie in Dream Padme's voice. She was an awful liar._

" _Padme," Ben said, "I need your help. He's in grave danger."_

 _She knew something was wrong. She whirled on Ben. "From the Sith?" She demanded. Whatever a Sith was, Dream Padme was clearly concerned._

" _From himself." There was a grave sadness in Ben's voice. "Padme," He leaned forward a little, his blue eyes emploring her to believe what he was about to tell her, "Anakin has turned to the Dark Side."_

 _The Dark Side? Well, they have cookies, so I totally can't blame him, Real Padme wanted to say sarcastically. Dream Padme didn't say that though. She immediately got defensive, and said, "You're wrong. How could you even say that?"_

 _Ben walked past her to stare out towards the bustling city. To Real Padme's amazement, there were flying ships everywhere. That should also totally be a thing, she thought—traffic would clear up amazingly. "I have seen a security hologram of him," He paused, as if trying to spit the words out. He had to take a deep breath before he could. "Killing younglings." He put a hand over his mouth, as if he were trying not to be sick on Dream Padme's perfectly polished floor._

 _Real Padme felt a little queasy herself. She didn't think the younglings Ben was talking about were puppies._

" _Not Anakin," Dream Padme insisted, "He couldn't!"_

 _Ben whirled on her. "He was deceived by a lie, we all were!" Dream Padme flinched at the tone in his voice, and he began to advance on her, ranting now. "It appears that the Chancellor was behind everything, including the war! Palpatine is the Sith Lord we've been looking for." Padme wasn't sure what a Sith Lord was, but it sounded like Dream Palpatine was even worse than Real Palpatine—starting wars, deceiving Dream Anakin and Ben…but what did it all mean? "After the death of Count Dooku, Anakin became his new apprentice."_

 _Dream Padme blinked several times, her mouth open, obviously trying to process everything. Real Padme could feel her own heart breaking at the news—she wasn't sure why. She didn't understand half of what Dream Ben was saying, but it was obvious that it was bad. Still, it was just a dream right? There wasn't any reason to care._

 _But she did, and it was beginning to scare her._

 _Dream Padme turned away from Ben, shaking her head as she went to sit down on the couch. "I don't believe you," She insisted, but her voice was shaking. She was in denial, but deep down she knew that whatever Ben was saying was true. "I can't," she whispered as she sat down._

 _Ben sat down next to her. "Padme, I must find him."_

 _Something in Ben's voice made Padme snap out of her shock to look at him. "You're going to kill him, aren't you?"_

 _Ben didn't say anything for a long time. Real Padme wasn't sure if it was because he didn't want to tell her that he was going to, or if he wasn't sure himself. "He has become a very great threat."_

 _Padme was already shaking her head. The information was just too much, and Real Padme figured that for a pregnant woman, the news that your husband had a) killed children and b) was going to possibly be hunted down and killed by his best friend was probably even more of an information overload due to hormones. She finally turned away. "I can't."_

 _Sensing that he wouldn't get anything from her, Ben stood up and began to walk towards the open terrace. He stopped right before he left and turned around. "Anakin is the father, isn't he." It wasn't a question. She could tell, looking at his expression, that Ben already knew. Padme looked down and said nothing. "I'm so sorry." And he did sound sorry as he turned and left._

 _Well, Real Padme thought as she tried to process the information she'd just learned about Dream Anakin, this dream has become a huge downer. How could Dream Anakin jump from being so happy to killing people so suddenly?_

 _Padme wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer. In fact, she had a very bad feeling as to where this was going. She needed to wake up._ _ **Now.**_

 _But of course, try as she might, she couldn't wake up. It was as if something was forcing her to watch as the scene changed yet again._

 _She was sitting in a ship, leaning her forehead against her hand, looking out at a world full of lava. Even from the ship, Padme could feel the heat…and Real Padme realized with a jolt that she could feel it. She was feeling what Dream Padme was feeling._

 _No, she thought as she began to panic, not this again!_

 _She saw a figure at the far tower throw off their hood, and she instantly got up and turned, running down the ramp of her ship to meet the figure running towards her._

 _Anakin, she thought as he drew nearer._

 _Perhaps Dream Ben was wrong, Real Padme thought desperately as they threw their arms around each other in a desperate embrace. Anakin could never be evil._

" _I saw your ship," Anakin said as they pulled away slightly. Padme gripped his arms tight, as if by letting go he would disappear forever. He seemed to sense her unease, and he kissed her quickly. "What are you doing out here?" he asked as he pulled away._

" _I was so worried about you," Padme said as she began to rub his arms with her fingers. "Obi-Wan told me terrible things," she was shaking her head, looking at Anakin as if to beg him to tell her that it wasn't true. As if he would smile and say that it was all just a cruel joke the men were playing on each other._

 _But Anakin didn't do those things. "What things?" He demanded, his voice harsh, and he moved as if he were about to pull away. Padme's grip tightened._

" _He said that you turned to the dark side," her voice was so desperate, and she looked at the space between them for a moment, gathering the courage to continue. "That you killed younglings!"_

 _She looked up to see his expression, but it was…unsettling. It was almost detached, as if he were going to convince her of something that he didn't quite believe himself. "Obi-Wan is trying to turn you against me," He said._

 _Why would he do that? Real Padme wondered—Ben had nothing to gain by doing that. Dream Padme seemed to think the same thing. "He cares about us." She insisted._

 _Something cold entered Anakin's eyes, and for the first time, Padme looked into his normally beautiful blue eyes and couldn't help but think that they were like ice, ice that could not be melted even by the heat of this desolate place. "Us?" There was a warning in his voice, and Padme could feel shivers going down her back._

 _Stop talking, Real Padme wanted to warn Dream Padme, can't you see that he's not the Anakin you know?!_

 _But she was continuing. "He knows." She was nodding her head, "He wants to help you." Anakin smiled then, but it wasn't a smile that held any joy. It was the smile of a man who was so consumed by bitterness that he believed that no one could help him now. Dream Padme switched tactics. "Anakin, all I want is your love."_

 _But Anakin was shaking his head. "Love won't save you, Padme." From what? Real Padme wanted to scream—what could possibly be so dangerous that Dream Anakin would become this…this monster?! "Only my new powers can do that."_

 _So Ben had been right. Padme desperately wanted to wake up. Whatever was coming, she didn't want to see it. But she didn't wake up. She tried closing her eyes, but the dream kept playing out, as if she were actually experiencing an awful, real nightmare. "At what cost? You're a good person, don't do this!" She was begging now, but there was hope in her voice, as if she were convinced that she could get Anakin to come back to reality._

" _I won't lose you the way I lost my mother." Real Padme remembered the earlier dream where Anakin had told her about the death of his mother, how he had killed people then too, and a shiver went down her spine._

 _Wake. UP. WAKE UP. WAKE UP!_

" _I have become more powerful than any Jedi has ever dreamed of, and I'm doing it for you. To protect you." Padme felt sick. How could he say such things? Didn't he remember what he'd once stood for? What she stood for?_

 _WAKE UP!_

 _She let go of his arms, burying her hands in the curls of his hair. "Come away with me," This was what he'd always wanted her to say. Maybe if she just gave him what he wanted…. "Help me raise our child. Leave everything else behind while we still can!" She could see the hesitation in his eyes when she spoke, but she also saw something else: fear. He was afraid of something, something that trumped his desire to do the right thing. But what was it?_

" _Don't you see? We don't have to run away anymore! I have brought peace to the Republic! I am more powerful than the Jedi and the Chancellor," he paused, and Padme could see the fear, the desperation, driving him over the edge. "I can overthrow him!" Padme let go of him and took a step back. "And together you and I can rule the galaxy, make things the way we want them to be!"_

 _His smile was not quite sane. It was the smile of a man who had lost hope in anything good._

 _It was not the smile of her Anakin._

 _PLEASE, Real Padme was screaming, WAKE UP! PLEASE WAKE UP! I CAN'T SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, PLEASE!_

 _But she was backing away, and Padme could feel her heart ripping to shreds. She shook her head, "I don't believe what I'm hearing. Obi-Wan was right! You've changed!"_

 _The smile wiped off his face. She thought maybe she'd gotten through to him, but instead he scowled and said, "I don't want to hear any more about Obi-Wan." There was a warning in his voice, a warning that Padme heeded. "The Jedi turned against me, don't YOU turn against me!"_

 _Never before had Padme ever felt so threatened. The man before her was NOT Anakin. She should run._

 _But she didn't._

" _I don't know you anymore," Padme had never heard her voice so broken, "Anakin, you're breaking my heart! You're going down a path that I can't follow!"_

 _To anyone else who claimed to love a person, those words would have been enough to get them to at least rethink their decisions. Not Anakin. He looked like he was objectively considering the situation, like a soldier, not a husband. "Because of Obi-Wan?"_

" _Because of what you've done! Of what you plan to do!" There. She saw it. Hesitation. But then his expression hardened again. "Stop, stop now! Come back! I love you!"_

 _But he began to move, his face furious. "LIAR!"_

 _ **WAKE UP NOW!**_

 _Padme turned and saw Obi-Wan walking down the ramp of her ship, a determined look on his face. She instantly realized what this must look like to Anakin—he assumed she had brought Obi-Wan there to kill him. She whirled back to her husband. "No!" She begged, her voice cracking._

 _ **NO, PLEASE WAKE UP!**_

" _You're with him!" Anakin was pacing like a lion trapped in a corner, ready to pounce. "You brought him here to kill me!" He whirled on her._

" _NO!" She began to beg, but he lifted his hand._

 _He wasn't near her, but she could feel a fist suddenly enclosing around her throat. Her hands went to her throat in shock, as if she couldn't believe what was happening, but it was._

 _Anakin was choking her._

 _She shook her head, her heart shattering into irreparable pieces, and she looked into her once kind husband's eyes, only seeing hate and betrayal._

" _Let her go, Anakin!" She distantly heard Obi-Wan yell._

 _How had it come to this? What had gone wrong? How could he betray her? Didn't he love her? Did he EVER love her? She looked into his eyes and choked out one last plea: his name. "A—Anakin?"_

 _He didn't stop._

" _LET. HER. GO." Obi-Wan demanded._

 _Something dawned in Anakin's eyes—a sort of realization. He released his grip, and she gulped in air as her knees gave out and she collapsed into darkness._

 _She sank into the darkness. It was thick and all encompassing. She felt as if it were never ending, and it consumed her as she lay there._

 _She screamed. She could hear the wails of babies from somewhere in the darkness, and she felt a driving need to get to them. But something was wrong. She felt as if something were rotting from within, cutting off her vitals. Slowly she felt her body beginning to fail, and try as she might, she couldn't fight back. She wanted to tell someone what was wrong, but she was still screaming._

 _Finally, it all stopped. Her breathing went shallow. "There's good in him. I know…I know there is…still…"_

 _ **No! Don't die! Wake up! Please, WAKE. UP!**_

Finally Padme awoke, screaming bloody murder.

* * *

Anakin had probably been asleep for about two hours before Padme began to toss and turn. He woke up, frowning, trying to drag his mind out of the grogginess of sleep. "Anakin," Padme moaned, and her voice was filled with fear.

"Padme?" Anakin asked, his voice cracking as he rubbed sleep from his eyes. When he realized she was talking in her sleep, he suddenly felt more awake. "Sweetheart, it's just a dream. Wake up." He reached over and placed a hand on her cheek.

She didn't wake up.

She continued to call his name, getting louder. Growing concerned, Anakin sat up, reaching over to try to steady her with his hands. "Padme, wake up." His voice was firm now, loud enough that it should have woken her up without waking Mindy.

It didn't work. She began to _thrash_ , pushing at his hands, trying to get him off. Tears were falling down her face.

Something was wrong. He suddenly had a very bad feeling.

"Padme!" He was yelling now, trying to get her to hear him, but she was lost to him. Fear began to grip his heart, and as he tried to shake her awake, he felt a sense of utter helplessness.

What was happening to his Angel?

Suddenly she went limp, but not the limpness of someone sleeping. It was the limpness of someone who had died.

Panic threatened to overwhelm Anakin. No, not again! He couldn't even see a threat to protect her. He couldn't fail her again! Not no, not when he was trying to do the right thing! "PADME!" He was yelling, shaking her now. Distantly, he could hear someone calling his name, and the sound of a locked door jiggling.

He didn't care. He cared that Padme looked like she'd just died.

Check for a pulse, he thought, and he reached down to do so, but before he could, Padme suddenly gasped, her eyes flying wide open, and she began _shrieking._

He had never heard such a horrific sound. Never, in all of his years as Darth Vader, in all of the countless battled he'd fought, had he ever heard such a despairing, awful sound. It chilled him to the core, and he didn't stop her as she ripped herself out of his arms, falling to the floor with a hard thud, dragging all of the blankets with her.

She wouldn't stop the noise. Over and over again, she kept shrieking. At first, Anakin could do nothing but just kneel there on the bed, staring at her dumbly with wide eyes, but after a moment he pulled himself off of the bed and down on the ground, reaching for her, but not touching her.

She didn't look at him. She just kept making that noise. Her voice was beginning to go hoarse, but she kept going. Her entire body was shaking violently, and half of her hair had fallen out of that updo she had put it in for the Gala. Her eyes were bloodshot. It was as if something had snapped.

"Padme?" Anakin tried, his own voice cracking. "Angel, please stop! Tell me…tell me what happened?" To anyone else, he would have barked that as an order. But with Padme…the way she was acting…he somehow didn't think that was the right thing to do in this moment.

She didn't stop.

Carefully, he took her face in his hands and forced her to look at him, trying to choke back his own tears. Force, he was _terrified._ And he wasn't even sure why yet. "Padme. Angel. _Please,_ talk to me?"

Her eyes locked with his, and slowly she stopped screaming, her eyes losing some of that wild terror. She breathed hard, keeping her gaze locked on his, and finally she broke into sobs.

Hesitantly, he pulled her into his arms, rubbing circles into her back with one hand while the other stroked her hair. "What happened Angel?" He whispered.

She began to shake her head, and she began trying to speak but it didn't come out understandable the first few tries. Finally, she croaked, "Make the dreams go away."

Anakin froze. Dreams. This had all started with a dream. But usually he was the one getting the nightmares. Honestly, he hadn't had a nightmare since he had come to this world. But now Padme was getting nightmares?

Whatever it was, it was bad.

"Talk to me," he soothed, kissing her forehead. "What happened in the dream?"

She stiffened suddenly, and she pulled away from him, shaking violently. Slowly, she stood and headed toward the bathroom. Hesitantly, his mind whirling, he followed after her, standing in the doorway as she splashed her face with water, leaning on the sink for support.

When she was finished, she turned and pushed past him back into the room, pacing. Again, Anakin was distantly aware of someone yelling from the other side of the door, but neither Anakin or Padme cared at that moment.

Anakin was beginning to wonder if Padme would ever tell him when she finally spoke. "I've…I've been having dreams lately. Most of them are just…filled with images." Already she had lost half of her voice. If he wasn't so concerned, he might have insisted that she rest her voice to keep it from getting worse. "Sometimes, though, I see….I see scenes. Very clear, distinct scenes." Her eyes were wide, and she wasn't really seeing things around her. "They're filled with strange creatures…the type you'd see in cheesy Sci-Fi movies. They're filled with Jedi and Sith and other things that I don't understand." She turned her wild, wide eyed gaze on him. "And _you._ You're always in them."

Anakin was speechless. He knew what this meant, but he didn't want to believe it was happening. How could the Force be so cruel to show her the memories of the Padme in his past? The Padme he had failed so miserably?

She continued. "Tonight…it started innocently enough. I was…" a blush rose on her cheeks. "I was pregnant. You were so happy. And then…Ben was there. He told me you had done horrible things. I didn't…I didn't want to believe him. So I came to find you. You…you weren't _you._ You were someone…someone horrible!" Anakin flinched. "I tried to get you to come back to me. I tried to get you to at least run away with me. But then Ben was there. You thought….you thought I'd brought him to kill you, and you lashed out at me." Fresh tears slid down her face. "You _choked_ me!

"Then I was in darkness. I could feel my body dying. I could hear the sound of babies crying, and I knew that they needed me, but I couldn't go to them. I…I died." She whirled back to him, shaking, and threw her arms around him, breathing hard. "Tell me it's not real. I know it isn't, but they don't feel like a dream. Just tell me everything will be alright, that this is reality and my dreams can't hurt me." Anakin couldn't hold her back. His arms hung limply at his side, useless. When he didn't respond, she looked up, her eyes wide and fearful. " _Tell me!"_

He wanted to. Darth Vader would have told her what she wanted to hear just so that he could keep her with him forever. But Anakin…Anakin couldn't do that. He had to tell her the truth. No more lies. No more hiding things.

It was time for the truth.

He looked away and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Padme. It's all true. All of it." He waited for her reaction. He was met with silence. He didn't dare look back at her. "I come from another galaxy, a galaxy that is torn apart by war. In this galaxy, there were a group of Jedi, people who could use the Force, a power that connects every living thing in the entire universe. They were supposed to be peacemakers, defenders of justice. But there were also Sith, those who used the Force to do evil."

He looked down at her. She was frozen, her arms still around him. She looked at him with wide eyes. "I used to live there. I was a Jedi. You also lived there. You were a Senator from a planet called Naboo. We fell in love...we knew that by marrying in secret, our lives might end in tragedy." He took a deep breath. "And they did. And it was all my fault."

Slowly, she pulled away, shaking her head. "Stop it." Her voice shook and cracked. "Stop saying that right now."

"I know it's difficult to believe," He began, "But it's true, and I can explain it all if you'd just…"

"NO!" She shouted, cutting him off. "Stop talking! They're just dreams! Stop being cruel and telling me that they aren't!" she whirled away and began to open her drawer.

"Padme. _Please_ listen. Just give me a chance to explain everything, and then you can judge for yourself…"

She whirled, a pair of jeans and a t-shirt in her arms. "NO. I don't have to listen to this! It's crazy! It sounds like a weird Star Trek episode! I'm obviously terrified and you are NOT helping!"

"I'm telling you the truth!" He struggled to maintain his voice level. She ignored him, throwing on her own clothes, tossing his to the floor carelessly. "Padme…"

"DON'T!" She whirled, her hands out, and he could see that she clearly didn't want him to touch her. "Just…leave me alone!"

His heart ripped to shreds at those words. How had everything been so perfect only to end like this?

Perhaps it was always meant to end this way, he thought—in fact, deep down, he'd known this would happen, and he'd gone through with it anyway. He had no one to blame but himself.

Still. He tried one last time. "Padme. _Please."_ His voice broke. "I love you."

She paused at that, looking at him with betrayal in her eyes, and he instantly flashed back to the look she'd given him when he'd choked her that night on Mustafar. "I told you that I loved you in my dream too. That didn't stop you either."

With that, she turned and walked out. When she opened the door, Mindy stood there, her eyes wide, her expression worried and confused. "Padme?" she started, but all Padme did was give her a look. Whatever it was, it made Mindy pale and she took a step back, just enough so that Padme shoved past her and out of sight.

Mindy and Anakin stood there in silence until they heard the front door slam. Even then, neither said a word for a very, very long time.

* * *

 **MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I told my sister about this chapter, and she just looked at me and said, "You are evil, and cruel. I hope you know that." Yes. Yes I do. On a side note, I finally saw The Force Awakens! I LOVED it! I won't say spoilers though.**

 **REVIEW! Or I may wait a month to update...MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**

 **Ps. The song for...uh, the lovely beginning of this chapter is Can't Help Falling In Love by Haley Reinhart and I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing by Aerosmith.**

 **P.S.S. I posted the Pintrest link on my profile. You have to copy and paste the link into a tab to view it. I've labeled most things. The dresses from last chapter are sort of farther down since they were some of the first things I thought about when planning this story.**


	26. The Decision

"Are you sure you want this?" Doctor Organa asked the next day after everything had headed straight to Hell in a handbasket.

Padme looked unseeing at the prescription Bail was handing her and took a deep breath. She didn't want this, of course. How could any normal, healthy person want this? But she was beginning to suspect that she and possibly other people in her life weren't normal and healthy. It needed to be done if she ever wanted to sleep again. So she dully answered, "Yes."

Bail paused, as if debating on whether or not he should take back the paper before it was too late and rip it up. But when she took it from him, he didn't hold back. "Padme," He warned, his voice full of concern, "You must promise me that you'll use these exactly as directed. This stuff can be highly addictive if you use it in the wrong way."

"I promise, Bail." She didn't want to be addicted to anything. That wasn't her goal at all. But she also couldn't be living this way. Perhaps when she was finished with these pills, the dreams would be gone and she wouldn't have to get a refill.

She stood up to leave, already thinking of where she should go get the prescription filled, when Bail's voice stopped her. "How is Anakin doing?"

She paused at the doorway. How was he doing? He clearly had some delusions about being from another galaxy—about _her_ being from another galaxy. He thought he could use something called the Force, something that sounded an awful lot like Harry Potter magic.

At first she thought he'd said that to be cruel, but as she drove away that morning, she realized that he was completely serious. He truly believed all of that stuff. If she was really honest with herself, he had said things that she hadn't revealed…

No. It wasn't possible. It was crazy.

Besides. If it was all real, then she had been chained in arenas, fighting cat monsters while alien creatures cheered. That meant that there was life in other galaxies—maybe even in their own galaxy.

That meant that she had dated, and married, Anakin Skywalker before. That meant she'd been pregnant with his child. A shiver went up her spine and very briefly she wondered if that meant that technically she was still his wife. She quickly shoved that thought away. She would not go crazy too.

What disturbed her the most, though, was what that all meant for Anakin. It meant that he was someone with a power she didn't understand, or rather, didn't _want_ to understand. It meant that at one point, he'd been much younger than her than he was now (he was 21 while she was 24. In her dreams, she had been at least five years older than him).

It meant that at some point in his life, he had turned evil and had not only killed innocent people, but children as well. Even worse, he had lashed out at her, threatening their unborn child as well.

How could her sweet Anakin do that? She couldn't—no, wouldn't believe it. He treated her so gently, looked at her like she was the only woman alive…it wasn't possible.

But what about that night at the bar? She had seen something frightening in his eyes that night—something that made him seem like a different person. And what about his strange behavior? And the odd things he would say? That could be part of him believing something unreal was real. But it could also be real…couldn't it?

And what about her actions with Finn? Clearly Dream Padme was a fighter, while she was not. Maybe she had instinctively used knowledge from her previous life to fight Finn.

And what about the Ice Rink Incident? Everyone at the snack bar had at least been minorly injured, except Ben and Satine, and Anakin and herself. Had this…Force power protected them?

"Padme?" Bail's voice cut into her thoughts. She realized with a start that he was still waiting for a response. "Are _you_ alright?"

She shook her head. Of course it wasn't real. It couldn't be. Her boyfriend was having serious delusions. It was the only possible explanation. "I'm fine," she said, forcing a smile. "Anakin's fine. Thanks for asking."

* * *

Two days. She hadn't come home in two days.

Anakin was a wreck. Mindy and Anakin had both tried to call her several times. Every time, it went straight to voicemail. Mindy had stalked Facebook and other social media websites to see if she posted or at least got online.

Nothing.

Anakin would have been concerned had it just been their fight they had to worry about. But with Palpatine out there being largely celebrated as a great senator, and therefore not a concern to most oblivious people, and Darth Maul on the large—well. Understandably, Anakin was going out of his mind with worry.

"I don't sense any disturbances in the Force," Obi-Wan assured him as he poured Anakin another cup of coffee. Anakin hadn't slept since the argument, and when Obi-Wan came over that day, he'd taken one look at Anakin and headed straight for the coffee maker.

Anakin hadn't really had coffee in this world, but as he sipped at it, he recognized the taste. He made a face—this had always been Padme's morning drink in his galaxy, and it had never been his favorite. However, he was feeling the exhaustion in his bones. Perhaps caffeine really would help.

He doubted it though.

"Okay, so maybe those evil guys aren't out there grabbing her," Mindy said. She too sat at the table with Anakin with bags under her eyes. When Anakin explained what happened, Mindy had only said, "I told you that she wouldn't believe you." Still, Mindy had been helping in the search for her, so Anakin didn't waste energy getting upset with her. "Maybe you could track her phone or credit card info. She could be hurt, after all."

Anakin closed his eyes, resisting the urge to have a complete meltdown. "I can do a lot, and if I had time I could probably figure that out, but I'd need time and we don't have time. The longer we wait, the higher the probability of _something_ happening to her." She did have a point though. He mentally filed that suggestion away for later in case he was truly desperate.

"Well it seems like we do have time since we have no leads whatsoever as to where she is." She glanced at Obi-Wan. "Have you heard anything from Ahsoka?" Ahsoka had been physically searching for Padme since early that morning.

Obi-Wan shook his head gravely. "Nothing. Mindy, has anything like this happened before?"

"What, Padme running off for a few days without telling anyone where she's going?" Mindy took a gulp of coffee like it wasn't scalding hot, making Anakin raise an eyebrow. "Nope."

"Not that—although that's good to know too," Obi-Wan said, "Has she had dreams like this before?"

Mindy looked down into her mug, suddenly very interested in it. "You know, I'm going to go dunk my tongue in ice water. That last swig of coffee…"

"MINDY." Anakin bared, making her freeze. He took several deep breaths before he tried again. "I need to know. Anything can help."

Mindy stayed frozen, half in, half out of her chair, debating. Finally, she sighed and sat back down. "Fine. About the same time you showed up, Padme started having dreams. They started out innocently enough, but soon they became hyper realistic."

"Did she ever say what happened in these dreams?" Obi-Wan asked.

Mindy related the few that Padme had told her. "She didn't tell me any others. Just the few."

"Was this before or after you were told the truth about us?" Anakin asked through gritted teeth. How had he never noticed? There had been mornings where she was especially tired, but he had figured it was just her over working herself in her studies.

"Mostly…there may have been one time…" Mindy admitted sheepishly.

"And what did you tell her?"

Mindy blushed. "At the time, I didn't trust you. I told her not to say anything to you."

A wave of anger washed over him so fast, the Force responded. Thankfully, all he could do was shatter the cup in his hands, spilling hot coffee and getting glass shards jabbed into his skin. He cursed and jumped up, going to the sink to run cool water over his burned, bloody hand while he began to pull out the glass shards.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan chided, "I think you need to take a break."

"I can't take a break with Padme still out there, possibly hurt!" He was breathing hard, trying to restrain his anger as he finished pulling the glass out and wrapped his hand up in a towel. Thankfully the cuts hadn't been too deep.

He understood why Mindy had said that to her. Force, she had made it clear that she didn't trust him at the beginning, but it still frustrated him. "We could have resolved this issue earlier!"

"Maybe, maybe not." Obi-Wan said, "But swelling in the past isn't going to help right now."

Obi-Wan was right. Anakin took a final deep breath and turned back to Mindy. "I'm sorry." He didn't wait for a reply before he whirled and headed into the living room.

Jedi sprawled out on the living room rug, but perked up when Anakin entered the room. "Hi dog," Anakin grumbled as he sat down. Jedi got up and gently laid his head in Anakin's lap, looking up with his big brown eyes. Anakin sighed, unable to resist, and rubbed the dog behind the ears. "I miss her too," he muttered, and the dog's ears twitched up.

Obi-Wan entered the room. "Are you in control now?" He used to get so annoyed when Anakin lost control of his emotions. Now, he sounded serious, but he also sounded genuinely concerned.

"As much as I can be," he said, staring at Jedi.

Obi-Wan sat down next to him. "I know you're worried. We all are. But this may just be Padme working things out on her own. And based on that cup, maybe you need some space too." He looked pointedly at Anakin's wrapped hand.

Now Anakin was defensive, however. "I said I'm in control." Obi-Wan stared at Anakin knowingly, and eventually Anakin slumped his shoulders in defeat. "Okay, I could do better, but that doesn't mean that I need space."

"Maybe you both need space," Obi-Wan interjected, his voice calm. "You still have things to sort through and now she knows a relationship with you is a lost more involved than she realized. She may need to decide if she's ready for that." When Anakin didn't answer, Obi-Wan put a hand on his shoulder. "Obviously the Force wants you two to be together—you wouldn't have met her again if it didn't. But starting a relationship with those two major personal issues? Well, I'm not a relationship expert, but I think you'd have a hard time from the start. It's not healthy."

Anakin hated to admit it, but Obi-Wan was right. He usually was. If Anakin wanted to do things right, it meant considering the possibility of at least putting things on hold for a little while.

He didn't want to do that though, not after they had finally reunited in their love. How could he go back after that? It seemed impossible.

"Just think about it." Obi-Wan said just as the sound of the garage door opening and closing reached their ears.

Anakin was on his feet in seconds, listening intently as Mindy explained, "Where have you been?! Do you know how worried we've all been?!"

She was home.

Suddenly, now that she was home, he couldn't move. Obi-Wan's words echoed in his head, and he desperately didn't want them to come true.

Jedi, however, wasted no time in running out to greet her, yipping excitedly. Padme's voice drifted in from the other room, "Hello Jedi, I missed you too."

"Missed Jedi?!" Mindy shouted angrily, "You could be hurt and we would have no idea about it!"

"I'm sorry. I just needed time to think. I was in a hotel room." He heard her put down her stuff.

Obi-Wan suddenly stood. "I'll get rid of Mindy."

"Thanks," Anakin mumbled, suddenly not sure if he wanted to be left alone to start this conversation with her. How could he be so brave in so many other situations, but whenever it came to Padme, he always found himself so afraid? As if any wrong move or word from him could cause everything they had built together to come crashing to the ground?

Perhaps because this time, their relationship really could crash and burn.

Obi-Wan left the room, and Anakin heard him say, "Hey Mindy, I need help picking out an outfit for my date with Satine tonight. Can you help me?"

If Mindy knew that Obi-Wan was trying to get rid of her, she didn't seem to care. Shopping trumped everything, according to Mindy. It wasn't long before Anakin heard the door shut again and the house was plunged into silence.

 _Go to her,_ Anakin thought, but he couldn't make his legs move.

It turned out that he didn't need to. Padme was soon at the living room door, wearing a navy blue, (fake) fur-lined jacket with white jeans underneath. Her hair was pulled back and her hands were stuffed into her pockets.

He expected—well, he wasn't sure what, but she looked well rested and cared for. He knew that he did not look the same. He suddenly wished he'd shaved and showered.

"Hello Anakin." She said quietly. She even sounded pulled together. How had time away from him made her so together while time away from her made him a complete wreck?

"Padme," he breathed, taking a step towards her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She looked pointedly at his wrapped hand, "Although maybe I should ask you that question."

"This is nothing," He took another step forward. "You disappeared and I didn't know if you were okay or not!" He struggled to keep his voice level. "There are dangerous men out there who…"

"Who what?" Padme interrupted. She already sounded like she was resisting the urge to start yelling, and whenever she did that back in his world, it usually meant he was in trouble. "What other off the wall things are you going to tell me?"

"Off the wall?" Anakin echoed, his eyebrow furrowing in confusion. After a moment, he shook his head. Now was not the time to figure out new phrases. "Look, even if you don't believe me, you need to know that you're in danger. There are men in my past who still hate me for the things I've done, and they'll do everything they can to hurt me, including hurting the ones I love."

Padme hesitated, but she crossed her arms, her eyes hardening in defense. This was not starting off well. "What people? Who are they? What did you do?"

Lots of questions. That was natural, and to be expected, but he wasn't sure how seriously she was going to take them. "The Sith. Palpatine leads them. Back in my galaxy, he turned out to be Darth Sidious, a powerful and elusive Sith Lord. I didn't realize it until he dangled something I couldn't refuse in front of me, and I turned into a Sith Lord like him. That is, until Luke saved me." He watched for any recognition of her son's name. Surely a mother would recognize her own child.

There was no recognition. Instead, there was only suspicion. "You're saying that my parent's rival is some sort of evil Sith Lord?" Anakin nodded. "Well. If that's the case, where's your proof? I would love to out him to the media and give my parents an easy win." Her voice had a twinge of sarcasm in it, and Anakin resisted the urge to get frustrated and prove her wrong. Proving her wrong might only worsen the situation.

"Well I'm actually working on that…" He began, and he instantly saw the look of _of course he doesn't have proof_ pass into her eyes. "Look, this isn't exactly easy, okay? I don't have my full abilities yet and this world is very different from my own. Surely you've seen how clueless I am about your world? Mindy did."

Wrong move. "Mindy knows about this?" He could hear the anger in her voice. This time, he took a step back, quickly trying to think of a way to salvage the situation. "And she actually believes this craziness?!"

"It's not crazy," Anakin weakly argued, "And yeah, she believes it. She didn't tell you because she knew you wouldn't believe it, and you obviously don't, so…"

"You're right, I don't believe it!" she interrupted, her voice rising. He could see her hands clenching into fists, something he rarely saw her do. He was in trouble. With a sinking feeling, he realized where this was going to go. "I don't even believe in aliens from my own galaxy! How could I believe that my boyfriend might possibly be my turned evil then turned good husband from another galaxy, and that I myself am some gun wielding senator with a child from another galaxy and I just don't remember it? I think I'd remember something that important!"

"Twins." Anakin muttered.

Padme blinked. "What?"

"You had twins. We had twins." If anything, even if she rejected him, he didn't want her to reject their children. She needed to understand that they were so full of her goodness, so full of her hope. "Luke and Leia. Luke was a Jedi and Leia was a senator, like you. Leia never gave up her rebel cause, and Luke never gave up on me. He saved me, Padme. He's the reason I'm here, trying to fix everything."

He could see the uncertainty in her eyes, but still no recognition. "Anakin," She finally said, shaking her head. "I love you. I'm willing to stand by you as you get help…"

"Help for what?" He demanded, suddenly defensive himself.

"Help for this!" She motioned at him, "This…delusion that all of these impossible things happened! You clearly need help from a doctor…"

"Hold on," he interrupted, and now his voice was rising with his frustration. "I'm a lot of things, but I'm not crazy! I don't need help from a doctor—Force, I'm already getting help from a doctor and he believes this whole thing too…"

"Sometimes doctors play along for a while." She argued. Force, how could she be so _stubborn?_

It was what he'd loved about her. He'd loved that spirit, that stubborn drive to do the right thing, to follow after her dreams. But it also made things very frustrating when she turned that stubbornness on him.

"I. Am. Not. Crazy!" Anakin bit out, taking deep breaths to keep himself from exploding. But his words weren't reaching her. He could see the disbelief in her eyes—and something more. Fear. She was afraid. She didn't want any of this to be real. Her bottom lip trembled, and her clenched fists were shaking.

His heart melted, and he sighed, straightening up. Obi-Wan was right. He couldn't force her to believe him. He couldn't force a relationship between them when obviously she wasn't ready to handle his whole truth. She had to find the truth herself.

"I think we need to take a break." He couldn't believe those words had just left his mouth. As they did, his heart tore in two, and it was suddenly hard to breathe.

Padme blinked in surprise. She apparently hadn't expected that. "I said I was willing to stand by you."

"To fix me." Anakin shook his head. "I don't want you to fix me. Only I can do that, and I know that although I have things to fix, I'm not crazy. I don't have anything to fix in regards to that." He took a deep breath. "Maybe one day you'll see that. But right now…I think we need some time apart."

Padme's face had gone pale. She opened her mouth to argue, but then closed it, and he watched her eyes as she thought his words through. Finally she shook her head. "There's nothing I can do to convince you otherwise, is there?"

"Not unless there's something I can do to convince you that what I'm saying is real." She shook her head, and the pieces of his heart sank deeper into his chest. "Then no."

An awkward silence passed between them. "Can we…still be friends?" Her voice cracked, and he could tell that she was trying to hold back tears.

Anakin wanted to say that she would always be his friend. That had never changed since the day they met. But he couldn't. If she never believed him—somehow, it would be too painful to just be friends. She was so much more than just friends. "Maybe." Was all he said.

Slowly, she nodded, and she took a step away from him. "Well," she said shakily, "I hope you get what you want."

I want you. I want to be with you, not as memoryless, crazy Anakin Skywalker, but as your long lost husband. That's what I want.

He didn't say any of that though. He only nodded. "You too."

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I guess this is goodbye. For now."

"For now." Anakin agreed.

She nodded and moved aside so that he could leave the room. His heart screamed at him to stop, to take back the words, to never let her go.

But he didn't.

He passed her, not looking at her, and left the room, not turning back.

* * *

 **Sorry for a shorter chapter. I went camping the last few days (it was WAY cold) and I had to write this all out by hand. It was longer on paper...oh well. This is a good stopping spot. The next chapter is another major chapter. I know some of you wanted me to fix the situation from last chapter right away, but Obi-Wan is right: you can't go into a relationship with those issues and expect it to be healthy. I want a healthy relationship for them this time around.**

 **Anyhow, review!**

 **The song for this chapter is Down by Jason Walker ft. Molly Reed. It's a freaking awesome song, even if it is depressing.**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	27. Finding Oneself

**Quick authors note: I got a Beta Reader since this story is becoming massive and I needed help keeping track of everything. She pointed out to me that Originally I said that Padme was 22. Last chapter, I said she was 24. She is 22 in this story. My bad.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Anakin," Yoda said, peering at him from his chair on the other side of the room. Anakin sat on the couch that he was beginning to know too well. "It is time. Tell me about the Dark Side, you must."

Anakin closed his eyes, taking a deep, shaky breath. Anakin knew this, but now that he was there, and he was actually about to open up to the great Jedi Master, he suddenly felt the need to turn around and run.

It had been three weeks since he had broken up with Padme. Three, agonizing weeks. He hadn't seen or spoken to her in that whole time. Even when he needed something he'd left back at her house, he had either done without it, or purchased another. He knew that if he did, his resolve would crumble and he would beg her to take him back, perhaps on hands and knees. He had missed her terribly before when she'd died and he was no longer able to be with her, but this was a whole different kind of torture. To know that she was there, and that she loved him, and had been willing to be with him and not be there with her…it was worse than any longing he had ever felt before.

But she didn't believe him. He couldn't live a lie anymore. It was time to change.

Still, his lessons with Obi-Wan weren't going well. Anakin had been able to start lifting small objects with the Force, but he still couldn't find his inner peace or do anything of major worth. He was still very much like a youngling, and it was beginning to not only frustrate Anakin, but he could tell Obi-Wan was growing concerned as well.

In fact, it was Obi-Wan's suggestion that Anakin open up to Yoda about his turning to the Dark Side in detail. Anakin had resisted the idea—lately, Anakin had talked to Yoda about his involvement in the Clone Wars. He didn't think he was ready to talk about something so personal. But Anakin was also running out of ideas and patience to get his full powers back. Even if he never saw Padme, he still intended on protecting her from afar. To do that, he needed to use the Force.

So he'd reserved two hours instead of the usual one hour after some very hefty negotiation with Yoda's secretary (it wasn't until he emailed Yoda about the reason for the two hours that Yoda talked the secretary into giving Anakin the two hours). Now here he was, about to face the moment that changed his life for the worse.

Anakin took a deep breath. "I've told you about my premonitions. In every case, they came true. When I dreamt that Padme would die in childbirth, I snapped. I had already lost so much—my mother and Ahsoka being the worst losses. I couldn't lose the woman I loved too, and possibly our child.

"So I first went to you. I didn't give you all of the details, but you told me to let go. How could I let go though? I've never been a man to let go of his emotions. I had loved my mother fiercely. I loved Padme with my whole being. To let go of her…it would be like letting go of my own soul.

"So I turned to Palpatine. I thought, at the time, that he was my friend. He had been a father figure to me. He had given me counsel in the past. He supported me when members of the Jedi Council did not. Perhaps I was drawn to his him because he told me what I wanted to hear. I was so tired of being told that I wasn't trustworthy before I had ever been given a chance to prove myself. I was so tired of being told that I couldn't do something because of some weak reason. I liked that Palpatine told me the things I had longed for the Jedi to say to me.

"But then I found out that he was the Sith Lord we had been looking for. I initially rejected him, like I was supposed to, but I was also very confused. It wasn't just that I had looked up to him so much, but he told me that if the Jedi defeated him, all hope of saving Padme would be lost.

"As Master Windu went to go arrest him, I stayed behind in the council room as he instructed, replaying those words over and over again. I knew that Palpatine couldn't get away with his crimes. He was evil! But," Anakin's voice cracked and he looked down at his hands, clenching them. "I also couldn't abandon hope for saving my wife.

"But then, I left to go after Master Windu, and I still wasn't sure what I was going to do. To be honest, Master Windu was not a Jedi Master that I fully trusted. Had another Jedi Master with the power to take down Palpatine been on Coruscant, I would probably have gone to them with the information in the first place.

"Master Windu…well, he never trusted me, and he was vocal about it. He rarely said a kind word to me. When we went on missions together during the Clone Wars, he always doubted my judgement, despite the fact that I was one of their top generals. And what he did to Ahsoka shortly before the events leading to my fall…it was something that I had never quite forgiven him for."

"Do to Ahsoka? What did he?" Yoda asked.

Anakin took a deep breath, ignoring the slight twinge of anger at the thought of what had happened. It had been so many years, and after all Anakin had done, most of his anger at Windu had disappeared, surprisingly. "There was a bombing at the Jedi temple. Ahsoka was framed for it. Instead of standing with her, as a fellow Jedi, Mace argued that protecting Ahsoka would harm the Order's ties to the Senate. As a result, she was expelled from the Order, leaving her at the mercy of the Senate, and during the whole trial, Mace and the other Jedi watched from above, offering no support whatsoever. When I found the true perpetrator, and the Jedi Council apologized to her, Mace took it a step further: he blamed the incident on the will of the Force and that Ahsoka had passed a test to become a Jedi. Unfortunately, Ahsoka had enough of it, and left the Order completely."

"How did that make you feel?"

"I was angry. And confused. I saw that the Jedi Council had acted wrongly, but instead of investigating their own policies, they blamed the whole thing on the will of the Force. The Force doesn't work like that. Obi-Wan taught me that. And yet the Council went against that teaching…Mace went against that teaching.

"But it wasn't just that. When I arrived that fateful night, I found Mace with his lightsaber to Palpatine's neck, ready to kill him. I demanded that he arrest Palpatine as we discussed, not kill him. Palpatine should have had a fair trial." He sighed. "That's what I told myself, anyway. I had other selfish reasons for demanding Mace follow that rule, but I recognized the rule Mace was about to break and I told him not to kill him.

"He moved to do so however." Anakin took a deep, shaky breath. "And I didn't just move to stop him. I sliced his hand off. He screamed, and he kept screaming in pain—it was an awful, awful sound. I stepped back in shock with what I'd done. Sure, I didn't necessarily love Mace, but I didn't hate him. I knew that despite his flaws, overall he was a good Jedi. Sometimes I wonder if things would have been different had I done more to seek out a relationship with him, or listen to his council. Maybe I would have let him kill Palpatine. Maybe he would have listened when I insisted that Palpatine stand trial.

"But that didn't happen. Palpatine used his Force lightning to throw Mace out the window, and Mace plunged hundreds of stories to his death. It was all my fault." Anakin paused for a moment, swallowing the bile that rose in his throat when he thought about the look on Mace's face right before he was thrown out the window. Mace had been right not to trust Anakin—maybe he'd always felt so uneasy about Anakin because something in the Force told him that Anakin wasn't the person everyone, including himself, thought he was.

Yoda brought him back to reality. "What did Palpatine do?"

Anakin's hands began to tremble. "I realized immediately the gravity of what I'd just done. I'd attacked a Master Jedi. Even if Master Windu wasn't perfect, he didn't deserve to die like that. Any Jedi would have looked at what I'd done and condemned me. There was no hiding what I'd done. Not this time. I was so devastated by the repercussions that were sure to follow, that I collapsed and cried, 'what have I done?'

"Palpatine, the master manipulator," Anakin spat that out, "Pounced on my weakness. He insisted that I was fulfilling my destiny. He offered me a chance to become his apprentice. I was so devastated and desperate to save Padme, that in that moment I was willing to do anything. So I accepted his offer, and pledged my loyalty to him on the stipulation that he help me save Padme."

Anakin was shaking now. "Even as I did so, I hated myself. I hated what I was becoming. But I couldn't see any other way out…at least, a way that allowed me to be with Padme. So I became Darth Vader. I helped carry out Order 66, which killed most of the Jedi. It was my job to storm the Jedi Temple and kill the few Jedi that remained in there—including the younglings." Tears began to slide down Anakin's cheeks. "What made it worse was that I knew that what I was doing was wrong. I knew that I was going against everything that I stood for, what Padme stood for. And yet I felt like there was no going back. I had already attacked Mace Windu. I might as well continue down the path of the Dark Side. I might as well become the person the Jedi Masters feared I would become.

"But I hated every moment of it. Even when Padme begged me to come back to her, to run away with her—even when she gave me my out, I was fueled not just by ambition, but by hatred for my actions. I didn't want to go with her. Going with her meant facing what I'd done, and I didn't want to go down that path. It seemed too hard to become a good person again. It seemed too hard to face those who had cared for me—Padme. Obi-Wan. Even you. And when Obi-Wan came to kill me, I knew that I wasn't ever going to be forgiven anyway. I might as well continue to be a Sith Lord. I lashed out at Padme. I put her life in danger. I put our children's lives in danger. The look she gave me while I was Force choking her," a shiver went down his spine, and he had to gulp a few times to keep from throwing up, "It still haunts me. It's haunted me for over twenty years."

It was getting hard to talk. He had to switch topics from Padme. There was still so much unresolved between them, and he didn't think that even Yoda could help him with that.

"Obi-Wan defeated me, cutting off my lower limbs, leaving me to die on that river bank of lava on Mustafar, giving me burns that I would forever carry. I was forced into that cursed suit for the remainder of my life there. When I woke up in that stupid suit, my first concern was for Padme." His throat closed, and for a moment he couldn't speak. "Palpatine told me…I killed her in my anger. I know now that isn't true, but for over twenty years, I believed the one person who made life worth living for me…was dead. I believed my children had died with her. At that point, I decided that there was no point in going to the Light Side now. I had no one to live for. I might as well do as Palpatine told me. I might as well do what I pleased to gain power for myself. All the while, my hatred for myself and for Palpatine grew, and I knew that I had to overthrow Palpatine. I suppose I always knew. I had even told Padme I would. But I still didn't want to face what I'd become. I figured I would overthrow him and take his place and rule the galaxy.

"Then, I met my son, Luke. He saved me. He saw the good in me. He challenged me to be a better person, even though I had done awful things to him. He called upon me for help when he needed it. It was his faith that made me wonder if perhaps I could be different. Perhaps I could put things right. So, I killed Palpatine to protect my son, and turned back to the Light." He paused. "I had no idea that I would actually be doing it over again. I had no idea that I would be…well, sitting in your office, for one." Anakin sighed, running his hands through his hair. "But even though I know I've made progression, I can't fully cast away my past. I know Darth Vader lurks somewhere underneath the surface, and I'm terrified that he'll come back." He lifted up his now scarred hand. "This is proof that I still am not good enough. I still can't access all of my Force abilities yet. If it's because I still need to let everything go—well, maybe I'll never gain all of my powers back. It makes me wonder if I'll ever be the person I was supposed to be."

By the end, Anakin was breathing hard, his whole body shaking. He hadn't even revealed that much to Obi-Wan. He had only discussed the parts where Obi-Wan had been involved in. Thinking back, Anakin didn't think he'd ever told anyone about that. Perhaps he had not said anything because people had assumed that he had turned to the Dark Side because of greed for power, or some other reason. But at the heart of everything, Anakin had been scared. Scared for his pregnant wife. Scared for himself. Scared that his family would be over before it had begun.

Because of his actions, his family did end in many ways, and through Luke and Leia, it continued without him in other ways. He had missed everything.

Perhaps he would never be worthy of Padme. Perhaps he would never be a good father. He didn't deserve it.

"Anakin." Slowly, he focused back on Yoda. "Who are you?"

Anakin blinked. What a weird question. Yoda already knew who he was. "I'm Anakin."

"Care about your name, I do not. _Who_ are you, I want to know." Yoda stared at Anakin with patient eyes, waiting for him to give a better response.

He hesitated. Did he know the answer to that question? "I'm Anakin Skywalker. I was a Jedi…"

"No, not who you _were,_ who you are _now."_

He hesitated again. Who was he now? He thought it over for a long time, and couldn't come up with an answer. "I don't know." He said honestly.

Yoda made a gesture with his hand towards him. "Who do you want to be, then?"

Who did Anakin want to be? He looked back down at his hands, thinking carefully. "I want to be who I was supposed to be before I turned…"

"Supposed to be?" Anakin looked up to see Yoda shake his head. "Who you were supposed to be, no one really knows. Assumptions about others are dangerous. Other's assumptions about you, you believed. Make your own path, you must. Follow other's path for you, do not." He leaned forward again. "Who are you, Anakin Skywalker?"

Anakin opened his mouth, then closed it. Until that moment, Anakin had always viewed himself through the lens of others. The Jedi wanted him to be the Chosen One, the one to bring balance to the Force. That pressure, along with the pressure of being a great Jedi General in the Clone Wars, had brought Anakin a vast amount of stress. Then after he fell to the Dark Side, he was the ruthless Sith Lord that Darth Sidious had wanted him to be.

But Anakin was no longer any of those things. Who was he? Who did he _want_ to be?

He took a deep breath. "I want to be a father. A good father. I hate that I missed out on being there for my children. I want to be a good husband. I want to be there for my wife. I don't want to always run off to fight some battle and leave her at home worrying about whether or not I'll return. I want to be open. I want to smile more. I want to be able to laugh without worrying that I'm letting my guard down too much. I want to be a Jedi again that uses the Force for good. I want to be a good friend, not only to Obi-Wan, but also Ahsoka, and other people I've met here. I want to stop being afraid that I'm going to lose everything if I make a wrong move. I want to have a good job that I enjoy. I want to provide for my family without the bloodshed of war." He paused. "I want to be a good person again."

Slowly, Yoda smiled. "Who you are, you decide. Not your past. Not your future. Right now, you decide. Be that person, Anakin Skywalker. Darth Vader, you are not. Let go of the burden of the past. To let go, you must learn."

Anakin still wasn't sure how to let go. That was something he had struggled with his entire life. But choosing his own path…that he could do. He wanted to be the person he described to Yoda. He wanted to…so why didn't he?

He would be that person, he told himself, clenching his fist. He would be someone that he could be proud of. He wasn't going to worry about what others thought about him. He was going to be the Anakin Skywalker that he wanted to be.

With that decision in mind, Anakin broke out into a wide, genuine, happy smile.

* * *

Padme pulled into the driveway of her parent's mansion, cutting the engine of her car as soon as she parked it. For a while, she sat in silence, listening to the engine begin to cool down as she stared at the house she had grown up in. It was white and reminiscent of a Spanish Villa. Her parents weren't Spanish at all, but somehow her parents managed to make it seem like they always belonged in a building that looked like that. Soft golden light poured out of the wide, tall windows onto the brick driveway.

Her parents were waiting for her inside. She glanced to the right and saw Sola's black Toyota Highlander already sitting in the open garage next to her father's Audi. Ryoo and Pooja were also inside, probably wondering when their aunt would be home so they could play with her.

Padme felt weary in her bones. As much as she had looked forward to Thanksgiving break, she also wasn't sure she could deal with pretending that everything was alright. The past three weeks had been torture. She had spent her time hyper focusing on her studies. She had aced every project, every test, every assignment, just like she was supposed to. But when she got home, and there was no Anakin to greet her, or go running with her in the mornings, or watch movies with…suddenly the world seemed a little grayer, as if part of the goodness of life had left with him.

Mindy tried to make up for it. She had tried to maintain her normal, chatty self whenever she saw Padme. She had even tried to take her clubbing the prior weekend to help her 'get over the breakup.'

Padme put up with it. She thought about confronting her over keeping Anakin's insanity a secret from her, but Padme realized that Mindy had sort of warned her about Anakin. She had told her not to tell Anakin about her dreams. She had acted strangely around Anakin for a long while, as if something were not quite right. Padme had been the fool not to heed the warnings, and now she was left broken hearted. Still, it had been very hard to keep up with the energy that Mindy outputted.

She did, however confront Satine. "You're dating a guy who thinks he's from a different universe," she'd flat out told her.

Satine frowned, but she didn't seem overly concerned. "Well he hasn't said anything like that..."

"Neither did Anakin until the very end." Padme pointed out. "Look, I just thought you should know before you make a huge mistake like I did."

Satine was quiet for a while, looking over a case on her Ipad. "Was it a mistake though?" she quietly asked.

"Excuse me?" Padme's voice turned to disbelief, and warning as she began to get defensive. Here she was, trying to warn her friend, her mentor, and her friend was not reacting with the same suspicion and disbelief Padme had felt at hearing Anakin's confession. Any normal person should react that way. Why wasn't Satine?

"Did you love him?" Satine asked without looking at her.

"Well yes," Padme said slowly, "But…"

"But nothing." Satine turned to her. "My relationship with Ben is…different for sure. He hasn't even kissed me yet, and still he asks me out on dates and we enjoy our time together. I really enjoy it. I'm not sure if I could say that my feelings for him is love yet, but I do know that if I fall in love with him, and he also claims to be from this other world," she shrugged. "I'm not going to call him crazy. I'm not going to run just because I'm scared at what his revelation could mean."

"I'm not running," Padme insisted, but even she could hear the denial in her voice. At the first sign of conflict, she had turned her back on Anakin. The medicine might have stopped those awful dreams from plaguing her in her sleep, but the knowledge at what she'd done to Anakin kept her up until late in the night.

"Be that as it may, Anakin has been through some traumatic things. He must have, if he lost his memory. This could be his way of coping. Did he ask you to believe him?"

Padme thought back. "He asked me to listen and decide afterwards. He asked me to believe, though, that I was in danger."

"So it sounds like ultimately he just wants you to listen to him, and to watch out for yourself. Those are very normal things a boyfriend should want, even if the subject matter isn't normal. Maybe, and it all depends on what you want, maybe you should support him anyway. You may not believe him right away, but your support still means a lot." She'd said, and shrugged again. "But it's up to you. Thanks for the warning though."

Well. After that, Padme felt thoroughly chastised, not that she wanted to admit it.

If Satine was right, and Padme had reacted wrongly, she wasn't ready to admit it. Maybe she was too proud. Maybe she was too stubborn. All that mattered though, was that Anakin wasn't willing to be with someone who thought he was crazy, and she wasn't ready to seriously consider the possibility that he wasn't, as much as deep down, she wanted to.

So Padme had left with Ahsoka (whose family lived next to Padme's parents: it only made sense that they ride together) without so much as saying goodbye to Anakin or tell him where she was going. She suspected that Mindy was still keeping in touch with the two men, so it was a matter of time before Anakin knew that Padme had gone to spend the Thanksgiving break at her parent's.

Ahsoka was also obviously aware of it. The whole ride over, she had gone on and on about the various things she did with Ben and Anakin, and the cool project Anakin was working on. Padme didn't say more than one word responses like, "Cool," "Nice," "Interesting." It had been a relief to drop Ahsoka at her house.

And now it was time for Padme to get out of the car, put a smile on her face, and spend time with her family.

Even though she knew Sola would pepper her with not so subtle questions, Padme had looked forward to coming home. It always felt so…right. She felt safe, as if nothing bad could ever happen there. She felt loved.

She felt home.

So taking a deep breath, Padme grabbed her bags from the back seat and went into the house.

* * *

"Set the timer on the turkey dear," her mother said as she placed a tray of Jello in the fridge.

Padme did as her mother asked, glancing at the directions on the recipe before she set it. "We've got a few hours before that's done," she said, looking back at her mother and Sola. Sola was peeling potatoes to be cooked and mashed. As Padme had suspected, Sola had spent their first 24 hours home asking questions about why Padme had broken it off with Anakin. Padme gave vague answers, not wanting her family to know that Anakin thought he was an alien from another galaxy. She somehow didn't think her parents would appreciate that she had dated someone so crazy. Sola would have asked for every detail of what he said and then would have analyzed each of those details…and then she probably would have pulled a Satine and made Padme rethink everything she knew about Anakin and the world around her.

Padme was not in the mood for either of those.

When it became clear that Padme was not going to answer questions in detail, her mother had ordered Sola to "stop pestering your sister," and because Sola didn't like being treated like a teenager, she had gone completely silent.

Yeah. The holidays were off to a great start.

"Do you need any more help on the food?" Padme asked her mother.

"No, we're about done. You could go watch football with your father if you'd like." Padme made a face, making her mother laugh. "I thought not. Well the girls are upstairs going through the attic."

Padme glanced at Sola to see her reaction to this news. If she had found out her children were playing in a dusty attic, she wouldn't have been too happy about it. But Sola smiled and shrugged, continuing to peel the potatoes. "What are they doing up there?" she asked her mother. "Aren't you worried they'll get hurt? Or make a mess?"

"Oh, they're sure to make a mess," her mother laughed, "And no, they shouldn't get hurt. Most children get themselves into much more dangerous situations and live just fine." Sometimes her mother said things and Padme wondered how she and Sola had survived childhood. Her parents, having grown up in the age where homes could usually stay unlocked, seat belts were a fashion no-go, and children spent summers roaming the neighborhood from dawn until dusk without supervision, were sometimes a little too calm about things they should have been a little more worried about. "Besides, you and Sola have some old things up there and they wanted to see those things."

"Well," Padme said, looking in the direction of the attic, "I think I'm going to go up there and check on them. Just to be safe."

"Alright, dear." Her mother smiled before she went to go check on the pie.

Padme left the kitchen, crossing through the marble hallways of the downstairs to the grand staircase that led to her upstairs. She climbed the stairs, running her hand over the familiar oak banister, remembering how she and Sola had often slid down that same banister multiple times…until one day they broke it and her father had to replace it. He'd been so mad, the girls hadn't gotten an allowance for two whole months as punishment. Padme smiled wistfully at the memory. Now, looking back, she was lucky she and Sola had only broken the banister and not gotten seriously hurt.

When she reached the top of the stairs, the wall in front of her caught her eye. It was decorated with framed pictures of her family. There was a picture of her in her early teens. She had braces at the time, and Padme remembered that the morning of the picture, she had received her first pimple. At the time, Padme thought it was the end of the world, and she begged her mother to let her stay home from school. Naturally, that plan failed, but when Padme got the picture back, the pimple was so small, she had to squint in order to see it. Now it was just an adorable picture of Padme at a rather awkward stage in her life.

She looked at the other pictures on the wall. There were pictures of all of them together as a family. There were pictures of Ryoo and Pooja as babies. There was Sola and Dareed on their wedding day.

And there was Padme, not all that long ago, graduating from college for the first time. Padme studied the picture of herself. Padme remembered that day—it was a day full of excitement, of determination. By that point, Padme had already been accepted into the Graduate program, so unlike many of her other friends that day, who were excited to get out into the world to start their career, Padme was excited to move forward in her education to pursue her dreams.

That Padme was so determined to keep completely focused on her studies. That Padme had insisted that she could date and risk having a man distract her from her goals. Well, a man had come into her life and distracted her…but she hadn't lost sight of those goals like she used to think she would. But now he was gone and…

Padme turned away from the pictures to look around her. This whole house was so familiar. She had grown up here. She had loved and laughed and cried here. It had always been her home.

But now…something was different. Padme had felt it as soon as she'd walked into the house. Oh, she could still feel the love. She could still feel the safety. But when she walked through the halls, when she helped in the kitchen, when she looked at the pictures of her family on the wall, she suddenly felt like something was missing, something that prevented her from feeling like she was home.

That thought was _very_ discomforting.

She shook her head and continued over to the attic. The stairs had been pulled down, partially blocking the hallway, and as Padme approached them, she could hear giggles from above. That managed to bring a smile to her face. If she was honest with herself, it wasn't like she and Sola hadn't gotten themselves into places they shouldn't have as children.

She climbed the stairs and the voices went quiet. About halfway up the ladder, two little faces appeared above her, their eyes filled with curiosity. As soon as they saw it was their aunt, however, they broke out into big smiles. "Aunt Padme!" they both chimed as she finished climbing the stairs, pulling herself onto the wood tiled floor. She blinked in surprise. The whole floor was tiled, and it looked much safer than she imagined. Had her parents done renovations without telling her?

She didn't voice those thoughts though. Instead, she smiled at the girls. "Hi girls. I heard you were up here and I wanted to see what you found."

Instantly she saw the delight on their faces as they heard their aunt was interested in what they were interested in. It was almost refreshing to be around the innocence of children. If only she could go back to being that way…

"We found some of mommy's stuff," Ryoo said, taking Padme's hand and leading her to some boxes with Sola's name on it. "We even found a journal!"

"But Ryoo can't read all of the words," Pooja helpfully added as Ryoo showed Padme the green covered book with Sola's name on it and the words "TOP SECRET" sharpied under her name. "Could you read them all?"

Padme laughed, remembering how protective Sola used to be of that journal. She would threaten that if Padme ever read it, she would stop being her sister. Padme eventually became curious enough that she read it, and all it said were mushy things about whatever boy Sola had liked at the time. Now Padme wondered how Sola would feel about her children reading it and finding out that their mother had been an even bigger romantic sap as a kid than she was as an adult. "We should probably ask your mom if I can read it to you. There might be some things in there that she may not want people to know."

The girls frowned. "Because we're kids?" Ryoo asked, resentment in her voice. No child liked to hear that they couldn't do something yet because they were kids.

"No, because your mom may be too embarrassed to let even me read it." Padme winked as the girls "oooh-ed."

"We also found something cool in your stuff Aunt Padme," Pooja said.

"Oh did you?" Padme smiled, trying to think of anything she might have left up here that was remotely interesting. She had taken everything she wanted and put it into her house, which was pretty much everything she owned. She supposed she could have missed something though.

Pooja took her hand and led her towards the boxes with her name on it…and then walked past those. Padme frowned as she was led into the very back of the attic, the part where rarely anyone ventured. Dust covered the floor, and Padme could see her niece's footprints in the dust.

Finally, as they reached the very back corner, Pooja stopped. "Right here." She reached down into the shadows and dragged out a rather large wooden box. Dust coated it, except for the very center of the lid, where it was obvious the girls had wiped away the dirt. In the center were gold engraved initials: P.A. It was engraved on top of a light green emblem that sort of looked like a blooming tropical flower. Padme frowned, looking at it, trying to remember where she'd seen a symbol like that before…and couldn't place it.

"It's a jewelry box," Ryoo said proudly. "We haven't opened it yet. Are there diamonds in it?"

"Or rubies?" Pooja asked hopefully.

Padme stared down at the box, frowning. To be honest, she didn't remember ever owning a box like this. "I don't remember," she said truthfully, and she knelt down, ignoring the dust that was now surely covering the knees of her jeans. She wiped off more of the box and looked at the wood more closely. It looked like it was made of Mahogany. She turned it over in her hands, inspecting it. The more she looked at it, the more baffled she became.

Where had this come from?

"Open it," Pooja breathed, and Padme was aware of them hovering over her shoulders, waiting in anticipation.

"I'll try," Padme said, turning it to look at the brass clasp. Slowly, she reached up and pulled…

It popped open with a creak.

Immediately the girls shoved forward to look inside, but immediately she heard a disappointed sigh from Ryoo. "That's not diamonds."

"Or rubies," Pooja said dejectedly.

Sure enough, it was neither of those, or anything else Padme expected. Padme frowned, squinting her eyes at the objects inside.

The first thing that drew her notice was perhaps the oddest thing in there. It was a braid. A long, thin braid of dirty blonde hair. At the end, the little tuft of hair curled slightly.

What a strange thing to put in a jewelry box, she thought as she reached out and slowly fingered it. She tried to think back to when or where she might have gotten the hair from, since it was obviously not hers or anyone she knew for that matter…

Her breath hitched. No, she recognized this braid. She thought back to some of her dreams. In those dreams, Anakin sometimes had short hair and a long, thin braid. She had always thought it was odd, but now as she looked at the braid…

It looked an awful lot like the braid in her dream.

She could hardly breathe. Was this a dream? She quickly pinched herself and felt the pain. No, not a dream. In fact, when she glanced at Ryoo and Pooja, they looked just as confused.

She wanted to close the box. She didn't want to see anything else. She wanted to pretend she didn't see something completely crazy. She began to close the lid, when yet again something caught her eye.

At the very bottom was a necklace. It had a silver chain, and at the end of it was a square with strange but beautiful carvings in it. At first glance, it looked wood, but as she looked closer, she saw that it was made of a material that she couldn't recognize.

Hardly breathing, she reached down slowly, picking the chain up so that she could hold it up to the light. It was so simple, and yet…

She put the box down in her other hand and reached up. "Aunt Padme?" Ryoo asked. Padme hardly heard her. Her whole focus was captured by the snippet at the end of the chain.

Her fingertips touched the carved surface, and suddenly….

Images. Thousands of images raced through her head. She gasped, dropping the necklace, reaching up to cradle her head, her head beginning to throb.

She saw everything. They weren't just images from a dream. Somehow, they were real, actual _memories._ From the time she was a little girl living on Naboo, to when she was Queen of Naboo. The invasion by the Trade Federation. Meeting Anakin in Watto's shop on Tatooine. Becoming a Senator. Moving to 500 Republica on Coruscant. Falling in love with Anakin. Marrying Anakin at Varykino. The Clone Wars.

All of it. _It was real._ The images raced through her head so fast, and yet she retained every single one.

She was pregnant. Anakin had those nightmares, and she watched him worry uncontrollably. She'd told herself it was normal. First time fathers always worried. But Anakin was taking it further than that, and she didn't know how to help ease his worry.

And then he became a Sith. She was on Mustafar, and he was choking her and….

Tears rolled uncontrollably down her face. She could feel little hands on her, hear worried children's voices calling her name, asking her if she was alright. No, she wasn't okay. Her husband had murdered children. He had attacked her, and put their child in danger! Any person would be more than upset by that.

But what made it worse was that she _knew_ that he was still a good person.

She'd planned to fight to get him back. She would do anything—even go against Chancellor Palpatine by herself. But she had Luke and Leia, and even though she fought for her life, she felt as if something was smothering her, forcefully shutting down her body…

She'd died. She'd left Luke and Leia in the care of Obi-Wan, and that was all she remembered.

The images stopped. The pain began to subside. Padme breathed hard, her body trembling. She was on the floor, her face pressed into a dusty tiled floor. Pooja was crying, and Ryoo was calling for her mom. "I'm okay," her voice was raspy, but she didn't think Pooja heard her.

Slowly, she forced herself into a sitting position, looking around her. For a moment, everything felt…unfamiliar. But as she sat there, taking everything in, she realized that somehow, she was alive again, but on a different world. A different galaxy. She had relived much of her life. She had relived it very differently. The memories of both lives clashed in her head, giving her a headache.

"Aunt Padme?" Pooja sniffled. Padme looked down at her and managed a weak smile, ruffling her hair.

"It's okay. I'm okay. I'm…" I'm Padme Amidala…no, Padme _Skywalker_. I'm the wife of Anakin Skywalker. With a sinking heart, she remembered that she'd lost him to the Dark Side, perhaps for good…

 _No._

More memories came to her. She remembered Mindy hitting him with her car and bringing him to their house. She remembered his smile. His love for bacon. His knack at anything technological. That night on the beach when she'd kissed him. That night in the hospital when he'd looked so terrified for her, and had kissed her like he had almost lost her forever. The way he'd laughed at the Ice Rink. The way he'd protected her when the bomb went off by covering her body with his own. The way he held her and danced with her the night of the Gala…the way he had loved her so thoroughly and completely when they got home.

Anakin was back. Her Anakin was back! Thank the Force!... and he'd tried to tell her so, and she had pushed him away, hadn't believed him.

She breathed harder, suddenly restless, and she forced herself to stand, grabbing the Snippet as she did so and throwing it over her head so that it rested against her chest and grabbing the braid and shoving it in her pocket. "Padme?" She heard Sola calling, but she ignored her.

She had to get home. She had to get to Anakin. She had to make things right, like they hadn't been right in so long. Force, how could she have been so stupid to forget an entire lifetime?!

Padme shakily climbed down the stairs, her knees threatening to buckle out from under her. Sola waited at the bottom with Ryoo clutching at her leg. "Padme, what's wrong? Ryoo said…"

"Sola, not now." Her voice came out more commanding than she meant it too, and Sola blinked in surprise, taken aback. "I have to go." She pushed past her and began to head towards the downstairs closet where she'd hung her purse.

"Go where?" Sola asked, following after her. "We haven't even had dinner yet…."

"I'm sorry Sola, but something came up. Something urgent. I need to go home." She raced down the stairs, taking two at a time.

Go home. Go find Anakin. Never let him go again.

She reached the closet and grabbed her purse. "What came up?" Her sister asked, her voice rising with worry. "Is this about Anakin?"

"The short answer?" the believable one? She added mentally, "Yes. I'll explain later." I'll explain what you'll believe, at least, she added mentally again as she rushed to the front door.

She opened the front door…only to run straight into Ahsoka, who had her hand raised to knock on the door. "Oh." Ahsoka blinked. "Padme. I was just about to ask if you had any…"

"Sorry, ask Sola, I've gotta go." She pushed past Ahsoka, headed to her car.

"Go where? Aren't you my ride?" Ahsoka asked incredulously, following her.

"I'll come back for you. I promise." She opened the car door, and without waiting to hear more protests from both Ahsoka and Sola, Padme got into the car, turned it on, and swiftly backed out of the driveway.

She sped through the neighborhood streets, headed towards the highway that would take her home. The streets were almost empty. Most people would be celebrating Thanksgiving with their families…just like Padme should have been doing.

But her family wasn't complete without Anakin. She knew that now. The person she had been missing at the house was Anakin. Nowhere was home without him.

Her husband. Force, she was married!

She sped up, glancing in her rear view mirror to watch for any cops. It didn't look like there were any cops around, but she did see a familiar black Toyota following her. She sighed, rolling her eyes. She seriously wished Sola would leave her alone.

She put her focus back on the road in front of her. She wondered where Anakin would be…she hadn't spoken to him in three weeks. Surely he was still in town.

But his mother lives in this world, a small voice reminded her.

And if Padme remembered anything, it was how much Anakin loved his mother.

Perhaps I should call ahead, she thought, reaching towards the Bluetooth connection in her car, then maybe he could actually meet me at the house…

And if all goes well, maybe…

She didn't finish that thought. As soon as her finger touched Anakin's name on the touch pad, Padme saw something moving fast towards her driver's side. She gasped, about to throw on the breaks. But it was too late.

The last thing she saw before she blacked out was a black SUV, smashing itself into her side of the car.

* * *

 **BOOM. Muahahahaha I am the master of cliffhangers...**

 **Thank you to my Beta Reader, SW, for helping me with the Snippet idea! 3 you SW!**

 **The songs for this chapter are:**

 **Hush Hush by Avril Lavigne**

 **Anakin's Dark Deeds by John Williams**

 **Review! Reviews equal faster updates! Happy New Year!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	28. Taken

"Padme!" Ahsoka screamed, slamming on the brakes. She watched as Padme's car was hit, a horrible screeching sound of metal hitting metal and glass shattering filling the air. The two vehicles skidded across the intersection, tires squealing, and Ahsoka was terrified that Padme's car would roll from the impact, but thankfully, after what seemed like forever, the vehicles stopped, Padme's car on the sidewalk at the other end of the street.

Sola had hurriedly handed Ahsoka the keys to her SUV as Padme had pulled out of the driveway, tasking Ahsoka with the job of getting to the bottom of Padme's sudden unexplained departure, and Ahsoka had done a pretty good job of following Padme as she took rushed turns around corners, but watching the black SUV slam into Padme like that…

Ahsoka's heart was thundering in her chest as she pulled over where she was, throwing Sola's SUV into park. She didn't bother turning it off before she got out, the flung open door blocking her from view.

She was still a ways away from the crash site, far back enough that emergency vehicles could get there and help. She pulled out her phone to call them, her mind whirling with questions. How bad was Padme injured? Would she be okay? Was there anyone else hurt? How was she going to tell Anakin?

As her fingers began to dial 911, she stretched out with the Force…and froze, her fingers stilled on the touchscreen.

She felt a very, _very_ dark Force signature in the SUV that had hit Padme.

"What the…" she began, frowning, but was cut off as the SUV door opened and out stepped a tall, bulky, hooded thing, dressed all in black. Logically, since there were no alien life forms on this planet (that anyone knew of), the thing had to be human, and the Force confirmed it to be so. However, his entire being was filled with so much malice and hate, that Ahsoka didn't view him as entirely human at all. How could anyone hold that much evil within their being?

He's a Sith, she thought, her hand reaching to her side to grab her lightsabers….only to remember that she didn't have them.

Ahsoka cursed as she watched the man stretch out a gloved hand toward Padme's BMW, using the Force to pry it away from the front of his SUV. Sadly, Padme's smaller car had sustained much more damage than the SUV's bumper. Ahsoka's throat tightened as she viewed the full impact of the damage. The entire driver's side was totally crunched in, but air bags could be seen pressed against the windows.

Although, due to the holiday, the street was largely empty, a man appeared from a convenience store at the other end of the street, holding a cell phone in his hand. Ahsoka opened her mouth to yell at him to stay away, but the hooded man whipped around, and Ahsoka saw the hilt of the lightsaber right before it ignited with a brilliantly red blade.

The man froze in shock…and turned around, quickly heading back into the store. Thankfully, he had the sense to run instead of face the monster who had hit Padme. Even Ahsoka wasn't sure how to save Padme weaponless against a man like this.

The hooded figure withdrew the lightsaber, turned and, using the Force, yanked Padme's door off, sending it flying, landing with a crash somewhere Ahsoka couldn't see. Ahsoka strained to see Padme, but the man completely blocked her view as he reached into the car.

He was going to take Padme! Ahsoka began to start forward to stop him, trying to think of what she could do against him without her lightsabers…and stopped. Sure, she had fought Force users without her lightsabers before, but that was another life time, years ago. She hadn't tried that here in this world…ever. And if she made a wrong move, she, or worse, Padme, would get hurt.

Anakin would never forgive her if Padme got hurt.

She took a deep breath, willing the Force to wash over her as the man pulled Padme out, throwing her over his shoulder. Her head hung limply, her hair falling in curled waves down the Sith's back. Ahsoka could see blood dripping from her forehead, and one of her arms hung at an awkward angle. It took everything in Ahsoka not to run over and fight tooth and nail to get her away from the man and to medical attention.

But the Force confirmed her suspicions.

 _It will not do any good to get yourself killed,_ it seemed to whisper, _follow, and call for backup._

Ahsoka hated it, but she knew the Force was right. It would be better to call Obi-Wan and Anakin for help…especially since she knew Obi-Wan was equipped to fight this guy.

So, as she watched the man shove Padme into his SUV, Ahsoka quietly slipped back into her own vehicle, calling on the Force to keep her shielded from notice as she reached for her cell phone.

* * *

Anakin sat on the couch in Obi-Wan's apartment, listening as his mother talked on the phone about Thanksgiving at their home. Anakin had to admit the holiday was a strange one. To Anakin, it seemed like a holiday completely dedicated to overeating food and a sport called "football," which was now muted on the TV screen in the living room. Obi-Wan had tried to explain the fundamentals of the game to Anakin but had been interrupted by Shmi's phone call. So, instead Obi-Wan sat on the other end of the couch, occasionally making quiet noises of disappointment or excitement over…whatever it was the players were doing on the screen.

"Oh, and Owen and Beru have adopted a baby!" Schmi added.

"A baby? Really?" Anakin echoed, thinking immediately of his own children. He pushed that thought away before he could think about it too much. It was too painful.

"Yes. The baby isn't due yet, but they've met with the mother, and she's agreed to let them adopt the baby." Schmi's excitement was evident in her voice. "Isn't that wonderful, Ani?"

"Yeah, Mom,"Anakin smiled, but he couldn't help but feel that it was a stiff smile. Talking about children was always hard on him, but his mother seemed happy, so he wasn't going to bring down the conversation. He'd noticed Obi-Wan got quiet though.

"The baby should be born shortly before Christmas. Maybe, if you come up then, you'll meet her?" He heard the question...and hope... in his mother's voice. She had not been happy when he'd told her he wasn't going to come home for Thanksgiving (mainly because he didn't realize how much of a big deal Thanksgiving was until it was too late), but he knew how major this…Christmas holiday... was. Ever since Halloween ended, he'd seen a plethora of advertisements for it on TV, on the Internet, on the radio, and in stores, and Mindy had rattled on and on about it to him as well.

"Maybe," He said, about to ask her for more details on the whole 'Christmas' thing, when suddenly a very, _very_ bad feeling washed over him.

He froze, looking sharply at Obi-Wan, who had suddenly sat up straight, his lips pulled into a tight frown. He felt it too. "Mom," he slowly said, "I need to go. Something's come up."

"What, Ani?" she began, but he was already turning the device off. Normally, he would never cut his mother off like that, but he hadn't felt the Force give him this strong of a warning in a very, very long time.

Something was wrong. Something was dreadfully wrong.

Anakin opened his mouth to ask Obi-Wan if he had any clearer direction from the Force, since Anakin was still struggling with it, but before he could do so, his phone rang again. He glanced down, half expecting to see his mother's ID, but instead…

It was Padme's.

Inhaling sharply, he quickly moved his thumb to click the green icon on his touch screen, but the call ended before he could answer it. He frowned. Had she accidentally called him? He wanted to believe that was the case, even while he secretly thrilled at the idea of hearing her voice again, but the bad feeling suddenly intensified, and somehow he knew that whatever it was, Padme was in trouble.

He abruptly stood, breathing hard. "Padme's in trouble."

Obi-Wan stood as well, a troubled look on his face. "I think you're right."

Oh Force, if Obi-Wan was agreeing with him, then it had to be bad. Anakin was almost afraid to ask what it was that Obi-Wan was feeling.

He didn't get the chance; however, as Obi-Wan turned and walked to his bedroom before Anakin could force the words out of his mouth. Anakin was about to go after him and demand why he was going to his room when they should have been headed to Obi-Wan's truck, when again, his phone rang. He looked down, hoping that it was Padme, but it wasn't.

It was Ahsoka.

He rushed to answer it. "Ahsoka, what's going on?"

"Anakin," Ahsoka breathed in a rush. Anakin listened hard, not only to her, but to the noises he could hear in the background. It sounded like she was driving. "Padme's been kidnapped!"

" _ **WHAT?!**_ _",_ he yelled, panic overwhelming him. It wasn't like Padme hadn't been kidnapped before and had gotten herself out of it, but it still didn't lessen the blow of the news. This Padme didn't remember the things his Padme knew to get out of those situations. She could get hurt, or worse, killed…

"She was driving her car and was hit by an SUV in an intersection. Her car was broadsided on the driver's side." Oh Force, it just kept getting worse! He almost asked Ahsoka to stop talking, but he knew that he had to save Padme. He needed information to do that. He took several deep breaths to calm himself while he listened. "I was following her in Sola's SUV and saw the crash. I stopped and went to go help, but the person who hit her…Anakin, it was intentional. He's a Sith."

"Did you get a look at his face?" He asked. Good. Keep the questions professional. Try not to get too emotionally involved. Padme wouldn't get saved if they were panicking.

"No," Ahsoka said, "But he's armed with a red lightsaber…which I know isn't much to go on since all Sith seem to prefer red…"

"Focus, Snips," Anakin reminded her.

"Right. Well I'm unarmed, and it became very clear that I couldn't fight him without hurting myself, and possibly Padme, in the process. So I'm following them now."

Well. At least they had eyes on them. If they knew where he was taking her, they could get her back. "Good," He said, feeling years of military command begin to take hold like an old habit. "Keep following them and send me updates on your location. Obi-Wan and I are on our way. Do _not_ engage unless absolutely necessary."

"Got it." The line cut off, and Anakin turned his attention back to where Obi-Wan had gone.

Obi-Wan appeared a second later, holding a box in his hands. His lightsaber was attached to his hip already, and briefly Anakin wondered how he was going to fight. He didn't have a lightsaber, and he still hadn't fully regained his Force powers yet. "Anakin, when I came to this world, I told you that I woke up with my lightsaber." Anakin nodded. "That wasn't the only thing I woke up with." He opened the box, and Anakin peered inside.

There, lying at the bottom, perfectly polished, was his old lightsaber, the one he had fought in the Clone Wars with...the one his son, Luke, had first used.

Anakin reached in and picked it up gingerly, holding it in his hands. A feeling of peace, of rightfulness, filled Anakin. It was like he had found a piece of his soul again that he didn't even know he was missing. He took a step back and ignited it, hearing the familiar hum as it flared, watching the brilliant blue blade glow in the room, and his throat tightened as he struggled to hold back tears.

It felt so good to have this in his hand again.

"I wanted to give it to you earlier, but it wasn't the right time. Now, you're ready." Obi-Wan smiled.

"But I don't have the full use of the Force yet," Anakin reminded him, sheathing the blade. He clipped it to his own belt.

"We may not be practicing with various different fruits today," Obi-Wan mused, "But you have always excelled with a lightsaber, my friend. I trust you, Anakin." He clapped a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "Besides, Padme needs us. _She needs_ _**you**_ _._ So, let's go get her back and take out a Sith Lord while we're at it."

Could he do it?, Anakin wondered. Was Obi-Wan right to trust him with such an important task? Anakin had always hated going into battle with someone he couldn't trust…but looking into Obi-Wan's blue eyes, Anakin saw only sincere truthfulness. Somewhere deep within him, Anakin felt a surge of the Force, confirming that this was what he needed to do.

Anakin returned the grin. "Yeah, let's go take down a Sith Lord."

* * *

The first thing that Padme felt was bone-jarring, teeth-gritting, earth-shattering pain. Her head pounded with it. Her arm throbbed. Her ribs screamed. She could feel dried blood on her face. Her neck and back were aching, and each breath she took felt like it was burning her from the inside out.

She groaned, willing her consciousness to go back to the numbness of darkness, but that only seemed to wake her up even more, and the more she woke up, the more excruciating agony she felt in every inch of her body. A pained sob escaped her throat, and slowly she opened her eyes.

At first, she didn't see much. Just blurs. But as her vision cleared, she saw that she was in a dimly lit room. Through the pain, she felt the sting of cold air, as if the heater hadn't been turned on in years. There was a chair and a table to her right, but they were covered in dust. She was lying on the cold hard floor.

Where am I?, she thought, and carefully, she began to try to sit up. Wrong move.

As soon as she put weight on her left arm, she collapsed back down to the floor, her entire body seizing with pain. " _Kriff!_ ," she whispered, tears welling up and sliding down her cheeks. It took everything in her not to scream. She had felt a lot of pain in her time, but nothing so awful as this. Even dying hadn't been this painful.

She breathed deeply, trying to force the pain away but was agonizingly aware that every breath she took caused waves of pain to radiate throughout her torso. Not good. When it finally subsided somewhat, she opened her eyes and looked down at her left arm.

Immediately, she regretted it.

Her arm was bent at an awkward angle. At first, her mind couldn't comprehend that she was looking at her own arm, but once it did, her reaction was immediate. She rolled to her right side and threw up.

Once, when she was younger, she was at her sister Sola's soccer game. At the end, she was playing in the field with her sister and a boy her sister was interested in at the time. The boy fell, and smashed his arm against the goal post so hard, he broke his arm. He screamed, but Padme had been so grossed out by the angle of his arm that she started screaming too.

Even now, years later, after the ice rink incident and Finn's death, and her memories of the deaths she had seen in her previous life, seeing her arm broken like that… it unnerved her.

Stop this, she mentally scolded herself when she was done—you were a senator! A queen! A warrior! Put on a brave face, get up, and get to work!

She wiped her mouth with her free hand and, using her right hand, forced herself to ignore the pain and sit up.

She didn't get much of a chance to evaluate the situation further. Suddenly, the door to the dark room opened, and in walked a hooded figure dressed all in black, slamming the door behind him. Padme attempted to get up, but when she made a move to do so, she found that her left leg was in pain as well. Risking a glance, she didn't see any obvious breaks. She turned her attention back to the man. "Who are you? What do you want?" She croaked, finding her voice.

For a moment, the hooded man just stood there silently watching her. She could see golden eyes gleaming from beneath the hood, and a chill raced up her spine. She _knew_ what those eyes meant. _Sith_ , she thought grimly. Again, not good.

Finally, he reached up and pulled the hood back from his face, and Padme sucked in a deep breath, which she distantly registered as causing severe pain. Even though he was now clearly human, he had tattooed his whole face red, with black streaks. Underneath the tattoos, however, she could tell that he was still somewhat young. He couldn't have been more than thirty. He had either shaved his head, or gone prematurely bald, and his tattoos continued over the entirety of his head.

She had never met him in her galaxy, but she had known of him, remembering Qui-Gon's encounter with him on Tatooine. Anakin had seen him, though, and described him to her once.

Darth Maul.

"My name is not important," his voice was deep with a raspy quality to it. It sent shivers of dread racing over her skin, and she fought the urge to give into the fear she could feel in her gut. "And, I want nothing of you. I could care less if you lived or died."

Okay, that didn't bode well. Padme's mind raced as she decided what she should do. Should she reveal that she knew who he was? As soon as she thought that, she already knew the answer: No. If she wanted to live, she needed to play dumb. If they found out she knew the truth and she did end up escaping this, they would stop at nothing to kill her immediately. She was sure of it.

And by they, she now knew that meant Palpatine and Maul and whoever else was involved in Palpatine's scheme in this world. Anakin had been right. Oh Force, how could she have forgotten all of this? How many times over the years had she met Palpatine defenseless in this world? Too many times.

"Then why am I here?" She didn't have to force her voice too much to make it tremble. It was seriously cold in the room, and she was more than a bit terrified.

A slow malevolent smirk spread across his face. She half expected fangs, but his teeth were normal human teeth. "Bait."

"Bait?" she echoed, "For who?" She didn't really need to ask that question. With a sinking feeling, she already knew who Maul was trying to lure.

But Maul merely continued to smirk, as if he'd already won the war. "It isn't your concern." He reached down to his belt, grabbing his lightsaber.

Padme's throat tightened as panic threatened to overwhelm her, but she forced her expression to look more annoyed than frightened. "What do you think you're doing?" She demanded, using her best senator voice. "What's that?" she added for good measure. She had to make the act believable.

Darth Maul paused, as if reconsidering, but he finished pulling it out anyway, igniting it. A snap-hiss was heard and then a red glow filled the room, as the saber hummed to life. Padme remembered seeing Count Dooku's red saber on Geonosis. A Sith blade. Oh perfect. "My Master wants you alive," he hissed, "But he suspects you may…know a little more than you let on. It's my job to find out what you know before your friends get here."

Torture. _Kriff!_ , he was going to torture her! Her mind whirled to think of a way out of this one, but she drew a blank. She was badly injured, and she didn't have a weapon or any political standing to get herself out of trouble this time.

He began to advance on her, stalking forward with a menacing gait, and with her eyes on the red lightsaber, she began to force herself to attempt to slide away from him along the wall, her breathing rapidly increasing as all control began to fade. In all of the bad situations she'd ever gotten into, she'd never once been tortured. She had always been rescued or had escaped before that could happen. But now…

Suddenly, an alarm began to blare from behind the door. Maul paused, turning his head slightly towards the noise. At first, he stood there, listening, before he finally sighed and sheathed the lightsaber. "We'll have to reschedule this," He said, turning away from her. "It seems that your…friends arrived earlier than I expected."

 _Anakin._ She didn't know how prepared he was for a battle against a Sith Lord. Did he even have his lightsaber? All the fear for herself she felt was gone, replaced by fear for her husband. She couldn't lose him, not now, right before she'd finally gotten him back! "No," she began, trying yet again in vain to get up.

But it was too late. Darth Maul left, slamming the door behind him. She heard the lock click into place, and his footsteps retreating down the hall as the alarm continued to blare.

She had to get out of there. Now. Not for her safety, but for the safety of her Ani. If she escaped, perhaps he would leave with her. Maul and Palpatine would have to be dealt with someday, but the thought of either of them dying before they could properly reunite left a devastating hole in her heart.

No. She wouldn't let that happen.

Frantically, she used her good hand to start searching herself. She always had a bobby pin somewhere. That had not changed since she was a senator from Naboo. Even when her hair was straight, she often had at least a few pins in…

Ah, there! In the back pocket of her jeans, she found two hairpins. Forcing herself to ignore the pain radiating through her, Padme maneuvered herself onto her knees and slowly crawled towards the door, being very careful to keep her weight off of her left arm.

It took a while, but she finally reached the door. She studied it, hoping that it wasn't some sort of advanced lock that would either take way too much time to pick or would need better equipment. But thankfully, since this room was obviously little used and old, the lock was fairly simple.

Normally, she needed two hands to pick the lock. With her left hand useless, however, she knew that wasn't going to be an option. "Okay, you can do this" she whispered to herself, as she carefully and slowly inserted the pins into the lock. She held one pin firmly in her right hand, while the other she leaned forward so that she could use her teeth to maneuver it. _Here goes nothing_ , she mentally added as she began to pick the lock.

Be safe, Ani, she thought, I'm coming.

* * *

If Ahsoka hadn't followed Padme here, Anakin would have overlooked this building entirely. On the outside, it looked like an abandoned office building. It was a largely unremarkable, boring white stone building, with small windows. "Looks like going through the windows won't be an option," He said to Obi-Wan, who stood next to him observing the building with a keen eye.

"I'm afraid not." Obi-Wan agreed, scratching his beard thoughtfully. "It also seems to have less…security than I expected."

Ahsoka nodded. "I scouted the area before you got here. There doesn't seem to be any guards around. I just saw the man go in, carrying Padme over his shoulder. I haven't seen any sign of other life around here."

"So he's either very confident in his abilities," Obi-Wan said, "Or, this is a trap."

"Or both." Anakin said grimly. "In fact, I'm certain it's both."

"And, if this is who I think it is that's kidnapped her," Obi-Wan added, "Then he is right to be confident in his abilities." He turned to Anakin. "If this is indeed Darth Maul, be on your guard, Anakin. Do not take him lightly. It took both Qui-Gon and I combined to weaken him, and even then, he didn't actually die."

Anakin heard the worry in Obi-Wan's voice. He may have trusted Anakin, but to go against a Sith Lord, even fully armed with the Force, was an extremely difficult task. Still, Anakin wasn't quite the same Jedi he had been when he was fighting across the galaxy to destroy the Sith. He himself was a former Sith Lord, and he, unfortunately, knew too much about being one.

But perhaps that could be useful.

"There are some things that I can't…no, _**won't**_... do for the sake of keeping my promise to stay on the Light Side of the Force," Anakin said, reaching for his saber. "But I can still try some useful tricks I've learned." He glanced at Obi-Wan. "But don't rely on them winning this battle for us. They're tricks compared to what I used to do. So, pay attention out there, okay?"

Anakin watched the relief flood into Obi-Wan's eyes. "I'm proud of you, Anakin." He said softly, "Whatever happens today, I want you to know that."

"Okay, you two. You're making me sick with all the brotherly love stuff." Ahsoka said, playfully rolling her eyes.

Anakin smirked. "Don't be jealous, Snips."

"I'm anything but that, Sky Guy." Her smile faded. "Well. I might be jealous that you have lightsabers." She looked at Obi-Wan hopefully. "You didn't happen to wake up with any other lightsabers, did you?"

"Unfortunately, no." He thought for a moment. "I don't want you getting involved in the fight without the proper equipment, Ahsoka. Perhaps, you could go inside and find Padme and get her out to safety."

"That's a great idea," Anakin agreed, although, inwardly he wished that _he_ could be the one to go find Padme. It wasn't that he didn't trust Ahsoka to find her and get her out of there. He trusted Ahsoka completely with Padme's safety. But, an anxious knot had formed in his stomach, a knot that grew bigger and bigger with each moment that Padme was in danger, a knot that wouldn't go away until he saw for himself that she was okay.

But, Obi-Wan needed help, and Anakin knew he had to remove the danger permanently to keep Padme safe for longer than just a few days.

Ahsoka seemed reluctant to let the two men go fight without her, but she knew that they were right. She also knew what a formidable team they had always been together. With a reluctant sigh, she nodded. "Okay." She said. "I'm on it. Just...Be careful."

"We will." Anakin assured her.

"May the Force be with You," Ahsoka said to them, preparing to dart through the door.

"May the Force be with You, too, Snips," Anakin said with a small smile.

"Alrighty, if we have our plan," Obi-Wan said, grabbing his own lightsaber, "Then let's get this over with."

Anakin nodded and followed Obi-Wan towards the front of the building, Ahsoka trailing behind.

As they approached the building, Anakin couldn't help but notice how eerily quiet it was. No birds sang in the trees. The city, which still surrounded them, seemed far away, all sounds of the city muted. It was as if this building had its own life force, and it was pushing away anything else that had life. Even with his diminished use of the Force, Anakin could feel the presence of death lingering around the place.

They approached unstopped. They paused at the door, its tan paint peeling off. They were still expecting some sort of guard to try to stop them or shout a warning that they were coming.

But, no one showed up to do so.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Ahsoka whispered.

"Me, too," Anakin agreed with a frown. With a deep breath, Anakin reached forward and pulled open the door…

Alarms began to scream, a red light in the deserted hallway flashing. "So much for no security," Obi-Wan mused.

"Now would be the time to split up," Anakin said, turning to Ahsoka. "Find Padme, get her out of here. If she needs immediate medical attention, do not wait for us. Padme's safety comes before our own."

Ahsoka nodded. "Got it, SkyGuy," She said before she darted into the building and around a corner, out of sight.

"Ready?"Anakin asked Obi-Wan, stepping into the building.

"Right behind you." Both Jedi ignited their lightsabers, the blue and green glow lighting the way for them.

The alarm continued to ring out as they began to search the deserted halls. The walls were stark white and narrow, occasionally littered with graffiti. Dust coated the floor, along with paper and beer bottles and other trash. They walked carefully, tense, their senses on high alert, searching for any threat. They searched each room they passed—some of the doors had been broken in, while others had to be kicked down. All they found were empty dusty rooms with tables and chairs and other trash knocked around.

"This feels like a horror movie," Obi-Wan muttered.

"I've never seen one of those. Mindy wanted me to for Halloween, but we didn't really have time with the party." Anakin responded casually. He vaguely remembered the many times he and Obi-Wan would be on a mission together, and in between mission objectives, they would talk to each other like this. Small talk, chit chat, nothing stressful. A minor distraction to lighten the mood. With a longing pang in his chest, he realized how much he'd missed that with Obi-Wan.

"When we're done with this little adventure," Obi-Wan said, "Remind me to show you one, like _Friday the 13th._ That's a good one."

"If we tell Mindy about it, I'm sure she'll make it into a party." Anakin smirked at the idea. Mindy had a talent for turning _anything_ into a party.

"Please, don't tell Mindy for that very reason."

Anakin snorted. "You're just mad because she made you wear a chicken suit."

"So what if I am?"

"Cluck, cluck."

Obi-Wan shot him a look that said, _Stuff it._ Anakin grinned, rolling his eyes as they finished checking that level and headed on to the next.

As they reached the next level, both men suddenly felt a strong warning pulse through the Force. They stopped at the door to the next level, both of them glancing at each other. " _Did you feel that?_ " Anakin asked through the Force.

Obi-Wan nodded his head affirmatively, positioning his lightsaber into a defensive position. "On three." Anakin nodded as Obi-Wan put a hand to the handle of the door. "One…two…."

"Three!" Anakin finished, and Obi-Wan flung open the door, both men jumping through it with sabers ready…

To meet the red blade of a Sith lightsaber, Darth Maul's tattooed face grinning viciously in the glowing light of all three sabers.

* * *

 **I was going to make this chapter longer, but battle scenes are hard to write, and...well, the last cliffhanger was really mean, and I didn't want to keep you waiting that long. So here you go!**

 **To answer a reviewer question, we didn't get the idea of the snippet from the lightsaber scene in Force Awakens, although I thought about the parallel as I was writing that scene. My Beta Reader SW and I discussed it at the end of October, and I've been waiting that long to FINALLY write it! I was so happy with the finished product. I'm glad everyone is enjoying it too! Even if the cliffhangers are crazy right now. But these are intense chapters, and intense chapters tend to do that, even in novels. Sadly, this isn't complete yet, so... hang in there guys.**

 **Review! I'm going to go see The Force Awakens for the THIRD TIME tonight! :D Because I'm in love with it, that's why. *single forever***

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	29. The Jedi vs Darth Maul

A hiss escaped from Maul's lips. "Jedi Scum," He growled. In the glow of the lightsabers, his face looked twisted and unnatural, awash with pure malice.

"Game on, _Sith_ ,"Anakin smirked, as he and Obi-Wan pressed their full weight against their sabers now locked in a scissor formation with their opponent's blade, trying to overwhelm Maul, but the Sith was a strong man, even in human form. He was immersed in the power of the Dark Side, which only added to his prowess. Maul, with a snarl on his face, leapt away in a backward roll with ease, breaking contact with the Jedi, landing perfectly at the other end of the hallway.

Anakin advanced slowly, cautiously, and even though he no longer felt the Dark Side of the Force pulsing through his veins, he instinctively began to look for openings, weaknesses in the Sith. On the drive over, Anakin had worried that he would lose control without the full effect of the Force. But now, even though the Force was not as strong with him as it used to be, he could feel himself slipping into the routine of facing down a foe. _Old habits die hard,_ he thought to himself with a dark smirk.

He was a Jedi, a Jedi who used to be one of the most powerful Sith to ever exist. He wasn't sure what sort of fighter that made him now, but he had a feeling he was about to find out.

It was that warrior's instinct that told him that Maul was not going to be an easy enemy to bring down, even with Obi-Wan helping him. Maul's defenses were tight, at least physically, and Anakin knew Maul already had a strong offense. The narrow hallway wasn't going to help matters either.

Maul's bloodshot, golden eyes, glinting with hatred, slid from Anakin to Obi-Wan, and his lips curled back into a snarl, baring his teeth. " _You_ ," Maul muttered to Obi-Wan, and his voice held so much rage that Anakin had to wonder if _he'd_ ever sounded like that while he was a Sith. Somehow, he suspected he had, and it wasn't a comforting thought.

"Yes, me," Obi-Wan said dryly, cocking an eyebrow. He was close by Anakin's side, taking up the defensive position. "Do you remember me, because I certainly remember _you_." To be honest, Anakin was curious to know that answer himself. It might change his tactics in this situation.

"That's none of your concern," Maul hissed, taking a threatening step towards Obi-Wan. _There_ , Anakin thought—he could clearly see Maul's weakness in that moment, and Anakin knew all too well how to exploit his foe's weaknesses. Maul was blinded by his raw hatred for Obi-Wan, and by the flicker of confusion that Anakin glimpsed in Maul's eyes, he suspected that Maul didn't remember why.

If he were still Darth Vader, he would exploit that weakness in such a way that Maul wouldn't just be defeated, but humiliated as well. He would have made Maul suffer first before killing him. It was the way of the Sith.

But now, as a Jedi, Anakin saw it only as a way to possibly defeat Maul with minimum casualties. He shifted himself so that he now stood slightly behind Obi-Wan, taking up the defensive position. Obi-Wan didn't even need to ask why. Years of fighting together made Obi-Wan instinctively move into the offensive.

"I don't think you do remember," Obi-Wan said, eyebrows cocked, the edges of his mouth twitching with dry humor. "I suppose that will make killing you again that much easier."

His words had the intended effect. Maul growled angrily and lunged for Obi-Wan, swinging his lightsaber with incredible force, but Obi-Wan was ready for him, quickly blocking the blow with his saber. Anakin took the opportunity to attempt to strike at Maul from the side.

The hit did not meet its target, for Maul was as prepared for battle as he had been in their old galaxy. Swiftly, Maul activated the other end of his lightsaber, and another blade shot out and blocked Anakin's blow.

"You'll have to do better than that, _Jedi,_ " Maul sneered at Anakin, a feral grin spread over his face, before he lunged forward again, attacking both Anakin and Obi-Wan with a barrage of violent slashes and jabs, his dual saber whirling in his hands at lightening speed. The Jedi met each strike with equal force, the sound of the striking blades crackling and sizzling in the air, as they maneuvered back down the hallway in grim determination.

* * *

It took longer than it usually did for her to unlock the door, and Padme silently vowed to do everything possible to avoid having to unlock something like that again. She pushed the door open with her good hand and almost fell over into the hallway, but she managed to catch herself on the door frame before she fell, causing another shaft of pain to radiate up and down her left arm.

The hall ahead of her was narrow and dark, and it smelled of dust and mold. The combination caused her to sneeze, sending a wave of pain through her body. She groaned, tempted to just keep kneeling there until rescue came, but she remembered Darth Maul and the trap he'd set for her beloved Ani, and she knew she had to get up and get moving. _Come on, you can do this,_ she silently urged herself.

Using the door frame to help support her weight, she gritted her teeth and began to inch upwards, pulling herself with her right hand, until she was on her feet. Pausing for a moment to catch her breath and steady herself on her trembling legs, she carefully put weight on her left leg to test it, hissing in pain as she did so. Bad idea. Nothing felt broken, but she had certainly sprained something at least.

 _Not good_ , she thought grimly as she slowly began to inch forward along the hallway wall, trying to keep as much of her weight off her left leg as possible. She was careful to keep an eye on the floor to avoid tripping over anything—if she tripped, she had a feeling that she wasn't going to be able to get back up, and yelling, _"Help! I've fallen and I can't get up!,"_ wasn't going to be an option, the irony of that causing her to smirk in dark amusement.

It took longer than she would have liked to reach the end of the hall. With every doorway she passed, she expected someone, like a guard...or worse...perhaps even Palpatine himself, to see her and stop her before she could escape. But it became apparent that, at least on this floor of the building, there weren't any guards.

She reached the end of the hall where a lone door stood, a broken EXIT sign hanging by some wires above it. For a moment, she worried that this door would also be locked and she would have to turn around and go back to try and find the hairpins she had carelessly tossed to the ground when she'd unlocked the last door. But, thankfully, when she tried the knob, the door swung open easily, and she stepped out into a darkened stairwell. There were no windows and no lights. Perfect….just perfect. Padme sighed and opened the door a little more to try to see if there were any obstacles that might cause her a problem, counting the number of steps to try and gauge the difficulty of the task, but she couldn't see much past the dim glow from the doorway.

"Well, here goes nothing," she mumbled as she hurriedly hop-stepped away from the door to grab the railing of the stairs. The door slammed shut with a bang, and darkness surrounded her. She strained to hear anything, but it was eerily silent except for her labored breathing. Inch by painful inch, she began to feel her way down the steps. Each step was agony as she hopped down on her good leg because it jarred her injured leg, but she forced herself to ignore the pain and keep going.

 _Pain means living_ , she thought, _so suck it up and keep moving!_ With that thought in mind, she squared her shoulders and continued down the stairs. She didn't know how long it took, but she finally reached another door. Using the dim light at the edges of it, she grabbed hold of the knob, twisted it open, and entered a new hallway.

At first, there didn't appear to be anything of interest in this hallway, and Padme was about to turn back to keep searching for a way out or, at the very least, a way to Anakin. But, just as she was slowly using the wall to turn herself around, a welcome voice pierced the silence.

"Padme! Oh, thank the stars!" A familiar cry echoed through the hallway. Padme blinked, her heart racing as she turned to find Ahsoka racing towards her, a relieved expression on her face until she drew closer. She skidded to a stop, her face blanching as she took a good look at Padme. "Oh Padme, you need to get to the hospital…" She began, but Padme cut her off.

"Ahsoka, where's Anakin?" She didn't know how Ahsoka got there or even why she was there. Normally, that would have been her first question. But, seeing as her husband was walking into a trap and they were so close to properly reuniting, she couldn't help but be solely focused on getting to him.

"He's distracting the Si-…uh, kidnapper… so we can get you out of here." Ahsoka said, her voice firm, and she crossed her arms, as if she were getting ready to shoot down any argument Padme threw at her over the matter.

And, she was right to get ready for that. Padme's temper flared, and she shot a glare at her friend, using the wall to attempt to stand up straighter. It didn't really work, but it made her feel more in control of the situation. "I _have_ to go to him, Ahsoka." Her own voice was commanding, the same tone she had used countless times whenever Anakin had tried to convince her to stay out of a fight she fully intended to wage. Ahsoka blinked in surprise, obviously not expecting the intensity of Padme's statement, and Padme realized she'd probably never spoken to this Ahsoka that way before.

"It's vital that I see him _now_. Besides, he needs to understand that he's walking into a trap."

"He knows the dangers, Padme," Ahsoka assured her, reaching out to place a hand on Padme's good shoulder. "You need to trust him. It will help him if he knows that you're in the safe hands of doctors, getting your injuries treated. Listen to me. The longer we're out here, the more stressed he's going to be, and that's not going to help him, if he's fighting the...um, kidnapper." Padme raised an eyebrow, considering telling Ahsoka that she remembered everything so she could drop the act. It didn't feel right though to tell Ahsoka when Anakin didn't know yet. No, she decided as Ahsoka continued on, she wouldn't say a word until she got to tell Anakin first. "He can't be stressing out about your safety. Ok?"

Padme could see the logic in her argument, but Ahsoka didn't understand. She didn't understand what it was like to be separated from the love of her life by death for so long. If Anakin died now at Maul's hands…

She couldn't even consider it.

"I. Need. To. See. Him. _**NOW."**_ Padme didn't mean to shout the last word, but it came out that way, and again, Ahsoka blinked in surprise. Yelling was not something Padme often resorted to, in this life or her previous life. But, Padme was in extreme pain, and she was desperate. That was a combination that would tend to put most people in a yelling mood to be sure.

However, Ahsoka, a Jedi at heart, was not ultimately phased by Padme's demands. Instead, she shook her head, her braids whipping about her shoulders. "No. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to insist on taking you to the hospital. You aren't thinking clearly, Padme, and you are _not_ in a position to get anywhere near a fight, especially a fight between…uh…Anakin and the kidnapper." Padme began to protest, but Ahsoka moved to place her own arm underneath Padme's good arm, slinging it over her shoulder, and began to drag Padme the same way she'd come.

"Ahsoka," Padme snapped, "You aren't even going the right way, the stairwell is…"

"There's another one this way, closer to the car." Ahsoka interrupted, her voice clipped. "Now, be quiet before anyone hears us."

"Have you seen any other guards?" Padme asked, keeping her voice down, worried that any guards would interfere with Anakin's fight against Darth Maul. Maul was enough of an opponent himself…to fight more than one person at a time…even for Anakin's skill level, Padme didn't want to think about it.

 _Kriff_ , she hoped that Anakin had Force abilities still.

"Not yet." Ahsoka paused, taking a few deep breaths. "No offense, but you're heavier than you look, Padme," she huffed.

"Sorry." Padme glanced towards one of the open rooms, wondering if she should ask Ahsoka if she felt any other presences in the building, but that would give away what she knew…

 _Wait a sec…._ She stopped, squinting into the darkened room they stood next to. The door was open just enough that Padme could see that unlike the other rooms, which were filled with dust and debris, this room actually looked used. "Ahsoka, wait," she said.

"What?" She felt Ahsoka look the same way Padme was looking, and it didn't take but a second for her to tense up. "Well, well...What do we have here?" she asked, and Padme didn't even have to ask her before she began to help Padme hobble towards the door.

"I don't know, but why is this room used and the others aren't?" Padme mused.

"Exactly." Ahsoka nudged the door open fully with her foot, and both girls stared at the contents of the room with puzzled expressions.

It wasn't much, but there was a clean office table and a worn black leather chair. The room was rather warm, and it didn't have the musty smell that the rest of the building had. In one corner sat a cot with gray covers, neatly made. On top of the desk was a laptop computer, a screensaver with a picture of some type of gun blinking in the darkness.

"Someone's obviously been hanging out here." Padme stated the obvious.

"Yeah, looks like it," Ahsoka agreed, and she looked around the room like someone or something was going to jump out and attack them. "I think we should leave. This place…just doesn't feel right."  
Padme was sure that if she was Force sensitive, she might have felt the same thing. But instead, Padme looked at the computer and saw an opportunity. "Not yet." She began to pull away from Ahsoka, but Ahsoka moved to keep a hold of her. "I want to know why this is happening, Ahsoka."

"What? No, Padme, we need to get outta here! You're in no condition…"

"To get into a physical fight? I agree. However, if there's information here that could bring whoever is behind this to justice, we would be fools to leave it. This could be our only chance at this!" She shot a pleading look at Ahsoka. "I promise, after I at least look, I'll go with you to the hospital without complaint."

Ahsoka's eyes narrowed as she considered her plea. Padme held her gaze steadily, willing her friend to see that Padme was dead serious about trying to walk away with at least having been somewhat useful, and not just be the proverbial damsel in distress. Finally, she sighed. " Ok. Fine. BUT be quick. Seriously, we need to get outta here."

Padme sighed in relief and nodded her head. "Thanks. I will," She said as Ahsoka helped her over to the desk, settling her down in the leather chair.

"Don't mention it. I mean seriously, don't. Anakin would have my hide if he knew I was letting you do this." Ahsoka turned and glared at the door, her entire body tense, her hands at her sides as if she were getting ready to grab lightsabers she didn't have.

"Keep an eye out and let me know if someone's coming, would you?" Padme said before she turned her attention to the computer.

Naturally, it was locked. However, Padme had broken into computer systems before on many occasions. While Anakin excelled at combat on the field, Padme excelled at combat behind the scenes, and that included at least some rudimentary hacking skills.

Rudimentary was enough to bypass the password to get into the computer. "I'm in," she whispered, as she awkwardly maneuvered her one good hand between the keyboard and the mouse.

"Since when do you know how to hack into a computer?" Ahsoka asked without turning around.

 _Since I got my memory back_ , Padme wanted to say, but she opted to remain silent, as she continued to look through the computer's files. Some of the systems she'd broken into before were much more complex than this computer (the Trade Federation had been one of those, although _that_ particular incident had almost cost her, her life).

But, as she began to search through this computer, it became clear that rudimentary hacking skills weren't good enough for whatever was stored in it. "Hmm...It looks like this computer is connected to a larger network," She muttered, not necessarily just for Ahsoka's information, but because talking through things sometimes helped her process and think.

"Found anything interesting yet?" Ahsoka asked.

"Nope, although I haven't…oh, hang on." There, on the screen, was a folder entitled, " _From Sidious_."

She remembered Obi-Wan telling her that Chancellor Palpatine was the Sith Lord they had been looking for. He had never said his name, but…

She clicked on it, her breath catching.

Files. Lots of them. Files with names of people and places. Padme squinted at the screen, rereading the names multiple times over. Why did these names seem so familiar to her? She was certain she had heard these names before…

Then it hit her.

Sarah Snyder. She was a senator from Florida. She had been murdered in her sleep about a year ago. Padme had been interested in some of the bills she was trying to push through, but those bills had died with her.

Meridian, Idaho. There had been a nuclear power plant there up until two years ago, when the plant had a sudden, unexplained meltdown and a good portion of it had exploded, killing workers. Thankfully, they were able to keep the nuclear materials contained before it harmed anyone else, but Padme remembered the panic in the media when it happened.

The more Padme looked at that list, the more she realized that many of these places or names were associated with some sort of tragedy. Some of them were obviously intentional, and some of them had been written off as an accident. But looking at those file folders, Padme had a sinking feeling that they weren't accidents at all.

Oh Man. A sick feeling permeated her gut.

"Padme, what is it?" Padme was brought back to reality by Ahsoka's voice, and she realized Ahsoka had been waiting for her to finish what she'd been saying to her.

Padme took a deep breath. "Does the name Sidious mean anything to you?"

" _ **What?!**_ _"_ Ahsoka whirled around on a gasp, leaning over the desk so that she could look at the files. "Have you opened those? Can we get them off somehow? I can't believe…you have _no_ idea how long Ben and Anakin have been looking for information like this!"

So, it likely _did_ have to do with Palpatine then. She remembered that Anakin had tried to warn her about Palpatine after their trip to Disneyland, but she hadn't believed him. If she had, perhaps she wouldn't have ever gotten into this mess to start with. Padme let out a shaky breath and began trying to open the files. "Crap! They're encrypted," Padme muttered after a few tries.

"Can you hack into them like you did the computer?"

"Getting access to a locked computer is one thing," Padme said, "Decrypting files is a totally different ballgame, unfortunately." But, Ahsoka was right: If this was proof that Palpatine was behind not just her kidnapping and sending Finn after her, but also all of these other bigger events, then this had to be made known to the public. "I'll see what I can do," She said after a pause, and got to work.

* * *

As Anakin anticipated, Maul concentrated most of his aggressive attacks against Obi-Wan, attacking him with a fury that would have overwhelmed any other inexperienced Jedi. Not Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan parried the blows as they came, seemingly with ease, but Anakin could see the sweat dripping down his face, his hair askew as he ducked, twirled, and blocked each frenzied blow. Anakin continued the defensive position as well, concentrating on keeping the second half of the lightsaber from connecting with either of them.

He had always been able to detect other's emotions through the Force—on many occasions, that ability had helped him turn the tide of battle. But, Maul's anger was so potent, it seemed to call to him, and he could feel the Force within him pulsate in response. Perhaps it was because Anakin had once been a Sith, and the Sith still within him wanted to show Maul what it meant to be a _true_ Sith Lord—furiously angry, but in absolute control. Maul was all anger and hate: He used brute force to his advantage. But he was not in control.

The three fought on through the narrow hallway, the blades of their sabers slicing through the thin sheetrock walls with almost every swing, leaving scorch marks that smelled like rotted wood. Maul advanced on them, pushing them back towards the stairwell. Not good, Anakin thought—if he backed them into a corner, there would be little they could do to turn the battle around in their favor.

Anakin ducked under a ferocious swing, rolling over the ground so that he came up on his feet behind Maul. As he rolled to his feet, he heaved his saber upwards. Maul twisted sideways, using the other half of his lightsaber to block Anakin's thrust. Obi-Wan took that opportunity to switch from defensive to offensive, and soon Maul was forced to hastily block both men.

Even with a Jedi on either side of him, Maul did an excellent job of keeping up. It didn't matter how fast the two Jedi moved, Maul seemed to anticipate their every move. Still, Anakin could feel his frustration building—Maul wanted to attack Obi-Wan and take him down. He didn't want to deal with Anakin, who he assumed was the weaker of the two Jedi and therefore unworthy of his attention.

Wrong assumption. Anakin drew upon what Force powers he could and shot his hand out, willing Maul to be pushed back.

As Darth Vader, he had used that move to push opponents so hard, the strength of the push alone had often killed people. But in his current weakened state, Anakin could only manage enough force to push Maul backwards into an empty room.

Obi-Wan immediately followed, thrusting his lightsaber over Maul's head. Maul managed to block it, but the force push had knocked him off balance.

Anakin followed Obi-Wan, but instead of immediately attacking with his lightsaber, Anakin instead began a different strategy. The room was full of knocked over chairs and broken tables, as well as various discarded office supplies. Concentrating, Anakin managed to pick up a stapler and throw it at Maul.

Maul ducked, and the stapler went flying over his head and crashed into the opposite wall. Maul growled, whirling to face Anakin, his eyes narrowed, but Obi-Wan was there, his green saber colliding with Maul's red one in a high arc overhead.

At the same time, Anakin was using his Force energy to focus on picking up a discarded chair. After a few tries, he finally managed to do so, throwing it as hard as he could at Maul.

This time, Maul was unable to duck, and the chair smacked him square in the back with a thud. Maul roared, stumbling forward some with the blow, and Obi-Wan used that as an opportunity to begin attacking Maul rapidly, his green blade flashing left and right in a rapid fire succession of blows. The Sith continued to roar in fury as he barely managed to block Obi-Wan's barrage. Still, Anakin could feel Maul's rage directed at him now, and he kept trying to move past Obi-Wan to get to Anakin.

Obi-Wan wouldn't let him. Anytime Maul made a move to get to Anakin, Obi-Wan blocked him, either with a lightsaber or with his own body. " _ **MOVE!"**_ Maul shouted at Obi-Wan.

"Oh, I don't think so. Not today," Obi-Wan said calmly as he parried yet another thrust.

Anakin began concentrating on one of the overturned desks. He hadn't been able to lift anything bigger than the chair since he had arrived in this galaxy, and even that had proven to be difficult, but he had to try.

He breathed slowly, focusing his whole will on lifting the table. He let the Force flow through him, and in his mind he pictured the desk lifting from the ground and being hurled at Maul. However, the desk only budged a few inches, and it didn't even lift off the ground. _Frustrating_ wasn't the word.

Maul and Obi-Wan continued to fight, blades clashing, hurdling over the random contents in the room. Out of the corner of his eye, Anakin figured that Obi-Wan was doing well, and so, he continued to try to lift the desk.

But, as soon as he did, he suddenly felt a surge from the Force, and heard something hit the far wall, followed by a yelp of pain from Obi-Wan.

Anakin whirled, his concentration breaking and froze in horror. Curled on the ground against the far wall lay Obi-Wan, his lightsaber no longer in his hands. Maul stood over him, his double-ended lightsaber illuminating Obi-Wan's pained expression. "Now you will die, once and for all, Jedi!" Maul snarled, and he raised his lightsaber to deliver the killing blow.

"NO!" Anakin screamed, and without even thinking about what he was doing, he stretched out his hand towards Maul's lightsaber as the blade swung in a downward arc towards Obi-Wan. Anakin pictured what he wanted to happen, called upon what level of the Force he could, and acted.

The Sith blade suddenly sheathed before it could hit Obi-Wan, leaving Maul with only the other side of his lightsaber ignited. "What the..?!" Maul hissed, looking dumbfounded at his weapon, not understanding what had just occurred. _How you like that, Sith?_ , Anakin thought to himself, pleased that he could still carry out that particular maneuver, seeing Obi-Wan's look of surprise at this capability.

Maul, however, didn't get long to figure out what happened. Anakin was across the room in seconds, swinging his lightsaber quickly and furiously. Maul blocked the swings, but Anakin moved too fast to let him get a hit in, settling into his old fighting style like sliding on a well-worn glove.

Anakin could feel his own rage. Rage at Maul for taking Padme. Rage at Maul for killing those innocent people at the ice rink. Rage at Maul for almost killing his best friend. But, as he attacked, somewhere deep down, Anakin recognized that he was dangerously close to the slipping over the edge of the Dark Side. If he didn't control his rage...and soon...and he killed Maul like this…

He would betray all that he desired to be, and Anakin didn't want that.

Taking a few deep breaths, he began to channel his anger into his lightsaber, making each parry, each strike powerful and violent, but controlled. Maul attempted to ignite the other end of his lightsaber again, but Anakin used the Force to once again turn it off. He considered turning off the other end of his lightsaber as well to cut him down easily, but that was completely a Sith move, and Anakin wouldn't kill an unarmed man again, even if Maul was evil.

Maul roared in anger, and as Anakin brought his lightsaber down for another strike, Maul flipped over Anakin's head, aiming for Anakin's neck as he did so. Anakin ducked, whirling into a crouched position, and as Maul landed, Anakin heaved upright while swinging his lightsaber out in a horizontal move parallel to the floor, slicing Maul's legs off just above the knees.

Maul screamed in agony as he collapsed backward onto the floor, his lightsaber falling from his grasp. Anakin used the Force to push the Sith's blade to the other end of the room, far out of Maul's reach as he came to stand over Maul, lowering the tip of his lightsaber over the Sith's throat. "Surrender," He demanded, his voice firm and commanding.

Maul glared up at Anakin, his hands reaching for what Anakin assumed was his legs, as though holding his now stumps-for-legs would fix anything. "Never," He spat, but instead of his legs, his hands reached into his pockets.

A warning suddenly pulsed through the Force.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan ordered, as he surged to his own feet. "Stop him!"

Anakin moved to do so, but it was too late. Anakin heard a _beep,_ and Maul pulled out what was clearly a detonator. It was a small, black controller, with a screen that now had a countdown timer set for five minutes. "This entire building is rigged to explode." Maul began to laugh hysterically, the sound sick and deranged. "I will die before I ever…"

He never finished. Obi-Wan, standing now, reignited his lightsaber and stabbed it through Maul's chest. Maul's words choked in his throat, and he continued to gasp for air for a moment, before his body finally went limp, the light leaving his now dull black eyes.

Anakin sheathed his lightsaber, glancing at Obi-Wan. "I didn't expect you to actually kill him."

"Well, I'm rather surprised you didn't." Obi-Wan replied as he smoothly hooked his own lightsaber to his belt. "Grab the detonator and Maul's lightsaber and let's get out of here. Maybe we can disable the detonator, but I'd rather we did so outside."

Anakin couldn't help but agree. The timer on the clock already read four minutes, but...why grab the Sith blade?, and he asked Obi-Wan just that. "Because, Anakin, we need every weapon we can get...and it's not like we can just build a new lightsaber in this world right now. We don't want to throw away assets when we find them. So, grab it and let's go."

Well, that made complete sense. So, Anakin reached out his hand and called the Sith saber to him, catching it smoothly as it flew into his open palm.

Then another thought struck…"But, what about Ahsoka and Padme?" Anakin asked, looking at Obi-Wan worriedly.

"We have to trust that Ahsoka's already gotten her out safely. If we stay in here, we're going to get blown up. In this case, we cannot help them if we're dead, so let's go." Obi-Wan had already turned around, heading for the door. "If you're worried, call Ahsoka on the way out. I'm sure they're fine and already on the way to the hospital."

Anakin hesitated. Every instinct told him that all was not okay, and that he needed to stay and find Padme, but at the same time, he knew that Obi-Wan was right. He didn't have enough time to search the whole building and escape with all of their lives. He had to trust Ahsoka.

Still, as he began to follow after Obi-Wan, running towards the stairs at the end of the hall, he pulled out his phone and made the call, pleading with the Force that Obi-Wan was right.

* * *

"Dang it, I can't break the encryption," Padme growled, "I'm going to have to email it."

"To whom?" Ahsoka asked. "Do you know many hackers?"

"No," Padme admitted as she opened up her Gmail account, "But, I can send it to my father. He'll know who to send these files to." At least, she _assumed_ he would. He hadn't worked in various government offices and not gotten various contacts for nothing. Logically, he would _have_ to know someone who could break the codes.

"Well, hurry up. We need to get out of here ASAP." Padme couldn't help but agree. Her left side was seriously beginning to throb with pain, and it took all of her concentration to open a new email and begin attaching files.

Ahsoka's phone suddenly rang. "Uh oh," Ahsoka said.

"What?" Padme asked without looking at her.

"I knew it. It's Anakin." Padme paused, longing to grab the phone from Ahsoka so that she could talk to Anakin and tell him that she remembered everything.

But, she didn't. She had to finish attaching the files, and there were quite a few. It wasn't easy to do it with one hand, either. "Put it on speaker," She said, and continued with her work.

Ahsoka answered, and Padme heard her switch it to speaker immediately. "Hey, Anakin," Ahsoka said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Ahsoka," Anakin's voice was breathless, and he sounded like he was running. Padme's heart clenched painfully at hearing his voice again, and she longed to stop what she was doing so that she could grab Ahsoka's phone and just talk to him forever. "Did you find Padme?"

"Oh yeah, I sure did." Ahsoka looked over at Padme, as if she needed to confirm that Padme was still sitting there and hadn't disappeared.

She heard Anakin sigh with relief. "Good. Where are you now?"

"Well," Ahsoka slowly said, "Funny story about that…"

A pause. "Ahsoka." Anakin's voice was now dark with warning. "Don't tell me you're still in the building."

"Well…"

"You have to get out **NOW**!" Anakin suddenly shouted. "Obi-Wan, they're still in the building…." She thought she might have heard Obi-Wan respond with "Tell them to get out!," but she wasn't sure.

"Did you kill Maul?" Ahsoka asked, "Because…"

"Listen to me! The entire building is going to blow up in two and a half minutes!" his voice was full of desperation. Padme didn't blame him—she herself suddenly felt ice cold at hearing those words. She didn't even know what floor they were on, and she was still attaching the last few files to the email. "Oh Force, I'm going back in…."

"NO! DON'T! " Padme cried, cutting him off.

"Padme?!" Anakin sounded confused, but she didn't have time to explain that he was on speaker. He continued on, his voice demanding again. "Padme, listen, you _have_ to get out…"

"No, Anakin." She herself couldn't believe what she was saying. She began to attach the last two files. "I hacked into Maul's computer and found files that could prove that Palpatine is behind a lot of seriously bad terrorist activities in this country." Ahsoka frowned, and Padme didn't bother to stop to explain that she had put two and two together to her. The last file loaded onto the email, and Padme began to type in her father's email address. "There might be information on here that could put him away for good and save lives. I have to send this email before I go. I'm almost done."

"No!" His voice was firm, but she could hear the shakiness in it as well. She could almost see his expression now: his eyebrows furrowed, his jaw set, his blue eyes flashing with determination—and fear. "You have to get out of there, Padme! Ahsoka, drag her out!"

"I have to do this Anakin," Padme said. She finished typing the email and clicked send. Of course, the computer chose that moment to freeze, and she softly let out a curse. "You have to let me do this, Anakin. You need to trust me." She paused, knowing that he wouldn't listen to the words she was about to say. He never would. "Anakin….You have to let me go."

"But..." there he goes, she thought grimly. He was so protective of her. She supposed that would never change. But, that had been what had gotten them into this mess in the first place. Would his inability to let her go destroy him... destroy _them..._ again?, she wondered. She was about to open her mouth to argue again, but a strangled noise came from the phone. "Okay."

She blinked in shock, looking at the phone, wondering if she'd heard him right. "What?!" She breathed. Ahsoka also looked at the phone as if Anakin had just announced that he was going to become a ballet dancer.

"Okay. I trust you." He sounded sad, as if he'd already lost her, but he also seemed sincere. He had said before that he trusted her, but his actions, until that moment, had always told her otherwise. But, now…

 _Oh, Ani...you've truly changed, my Love_ , she thought, and a small, sad smile spread upon her lips. You're no longer just my Ani: you're now so much more, and she felt a surge of pride in her breast for her husband.

But, she didn't say any of that. "I love you, Padme. Always, my Angel," He said, and her throat tightened. What did one say to the love of their life right before their possible last moments? She wanted to tell him she loved him, that she was so proud of him, but she had a feeling that if she said those words, it would only crush Anakin more if she died.

So, instead she quietly said, "I know."

Right then, the email unfroze, and a message popped up saying it had been sent. At the same time, something below her exploded with a muffled boom, the noise making her ears ring, and the whole building began to quake. Ahsoka dropped the phone and grabbed Padme. "We gotta go!" she screamed, and she practically threw Padme over her shoulder as she made a break for the stairs, the entire building swaying under their bodies.

They entered the stairwell just as the building began to collapse, and the last thing Padme remembered was Ahsoka throwing Padme against the corner, covering her with her own body as the world came tumbling down around them.

* * *

 ***Dodges angry readers* I KNOW. It's a REALLY mean cliffhanger... I would apologize, but I'm not sorry... this chapter was SO hard to write! I kept texting my beta SW like, "IM DYING THIS IS SO HARD!" She got me through it. Seriously. I couldn't have done this chapter without her.**

 **The songs for this chapter are:**

 **Duel of the Fates By John Williams for the Maul fight scene.**

 **Escape to Danger by Joe Kraemer from the Mission Impossible movie for Padme's hacking scene**

 **Labor of Love by Michael Giacchino from Star Trek for the very last scene that you're all probably really mad at me for**

 **Review! *continues to dodge angry readers***

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	30. Letting Go

"There might be information on here that could put him away for good and save lives. I have to send this email before I go. I'm almost done." Her words made his stomach churn, and his rapid breathing no longer had anything to do with the fact that he had just run out of a building at breakneck speed. He was suddenly on the verge of having a meltdown, and he could feel the Force surging within him.

"No!" He managed to keep his voice firm, but even he could detect the shakiness in it. He glanced at the clock on the detonator, hoping that it would freeze, but it kept counting down. Obi-Wan was now trying frantically to open it up to see if they could somehow stop the countdown, but Anakin had already inspected it. They couldn't deactivate it from the detonator. He would have had to find the bombs and do it from there, and there just wasn't any time for that. He closed his eyes, willing for this to all be some horrible nightmare. "You have to get out of there, Padme! Ahsoka, drag her out!" Even he could tell that behind the firmness in his voice, there was fear.

He had just gotten her back, and even so, she wasn't technically his any longer since their breakup. She didn't want anything to do with him. Not romantically, anyway. Still, to once again live in a world without her at least alive and breathing…. His heart ripped to shreds just thinking about it.

"I have to do this, Anakin," Padme said, and he could hear the clicking of a keyboard. She was moving too slowly, and with each passing second, he realized that she wasn't going to make it out. Tears began to well up in his eyes, and they spilled over onto his cheeks. He was going to lose her...again. "You have to let me do this, Anakin. You need to trust me." She paused. "Anakin…you have to let me go."

Anakin closed his eyes, and more tears slid down his cheeks. "But…" his voice choked, and he put his free hand to his mouth. Everything in him screamed at him to drop the phone and go find her, but he knew they would both die if he did that. For a second, he thought that it would be better that way, but he knew that wouldn't accomplish anything good. Padme wouldn't want him to do that either. He opened his eyes, looking at the detonator. One minute.

Obi-Wan stood, leaving the detonator on the ground. He had apparently given up on trying to stop it. "I'll go," He whispered, "I'll try to get her out, Anakin, I…." He turned to do so.

In times past, Anakin would have let him. In fact, he would have gone with Obi-Wan. He would have refused to let her go, but…being unable to let her go was what had (ultimately) gotten them all into this situation to begin with. Being unable to let go had lost him Obi-Wan as a friend. It had lost him his friends in the Jedi Order. It had lost him his children.

It had lost him his beloved Padme.

He had to choose. Would he keep holding on to her? Would he put his love for her aside to make the right choice? He had always said that he couldn't let her go, and even in her death, that had remained true. But, this was his second chance, his chance to finally do things right, and like Obi-Wan and Yoda had said on many an occasion, if he wanted to achieve his true potential, he had to learn to let go. But, letting go was so much harder than he ever could have dreamed it to be.

Be the person you want to be, he thought. What would that person do?

That person would let go.

So, taking a deep breath, Anakin did just that.

He let go.

He reached out a hand and grabbed Obi-Wan's shoulder firmly, shaking his head no. Obi-Wan looked at him in surprise, but whatever he saw on Anakin's face made that surprise turn to a grim understanding, and he stopped. Taking a few deep breaths, Anakin attempted to speak. The first time, the words got stuck in his throat and out came a strangled noise. Then, he said the hardest word he had ever spoken in his entire life. " _Okay_."

There was silence. " _What_?!" Padme breathed, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. He didn't blame her. He couldn't believe what he was saying either.

"Okay. I trust you." He said the words, knowing that it was too late, that he would lose her, and that half of him would go with her.

There was a shocked silence on the other end of the line. He glanced at the timer. Twenty seconds. Twenty seconds to inadequately express to his wife how he felt about her. " _I love you, Padme. Always, my Angel._ " He didn't care if she still hated him for what he had said, or the lies he had told, or the things he had done. Nothing she could ever do would change the way he felt about her.

" _I know_." She said quietly as he watched the timer hit zero. He watched with an obliterated heart as the lower levels of the building exploded, sending fire, chunks of sheetrock, and shards of glass flying outward. At first, the building swayed, and a very small part of him hoped that it would manage to stay upright. He heard Ahsoka scream something, and then the line went dead.

"Ahsoka?!" He yelled, "Padme?!" There was no answer. Moments later, the building began to collapse, the upper levels pancaking downward.

In reality, the collapse happened quickly. To Anakin, however, it moved in slow motion. He felt like he was literally watching his whole life crumble to the ground, for Padme had been his whole life. It collapsed with a groan and a roar amidst glass shattering and debris flying. At first, he just numbly stood there watching, but at some point, he felt Obi-Wan grab him and throw him to the ground, and then he felt Obi-Wan's Force shield being thrown up to protect them both as his friend leaned over him.

Anakin didn't know how long it took for the building to stop falling. He stared dully up into the sky that was now beginning to darken, until finally Obi-Wan dropped the shield and slowly stood. "Anakin?" He could hear his friend say.

He opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. He felt lost. He felt empty. He felt…

No anger. No hate. There was deep sorrow, but there was also the strange feeling that for once in his life, he'd done the right thing, he'd…

And, that's when he felt it. The Force. He had always been able to feel it, deep down, even as he had been unable to access most of it. But now, he felt it _explode_ within him, urging him to get up and move, to start looking and take charge. There was so much of it flowing through him, that he bolted to his feet, feeling as if his entire body were about to shatter.

He had never, _ever_ felt this powerful before! Not even Vader could imagine the power that Anakin felt surging through him in that very moment.

Obi-Wan stumbled back in shock, his hair a mess, a smudge of dirt on his cheek. He blinked at Anakin in surprise. "Anakin, what the…?!"

Anakin looked down at his hands. They were shaking. Force, how could he even control this much power? Darth Vader would have been loving it, reveling in it, but at that moment, all Anakin wanted was for it to stop. "I…I don't…." He took several deep breaths, and he looked toward the wrecked building. Again, the Force urged him to move, to look. Now. "I have…I have to go look for them."

Obi-Wan frowned, but as Anakin began stumbling like a toddler towards the wreckage, Obi-Wan followed. "Anakin, wait...You might not like what you find…."

"No, you don't understand," Anakin rasped—it was getting hard to talk. He worried that if he even spoke, everything would go wildly out of control. He wondered if by looking in this state, would he even be helping? Or, would he make things worse? "I _have_ to look! It's not just because I love Padme and care for Ahsoka. I don't…I don't understand what's happening, but…."

"Anakin...Your Force signature," Obi-Wan interrupted, "It's like it's an inferno. I've never seen anything like it." He could hear the awe and concern in Obi-Wan's voice. "Maybe I should search and you should rest…"

The Force within him immediately rejected that idea. "No," He said, "It has to be me."

He reached the wreckage. Giant blocks of stone from the exterior of the building piled on top of the debris that used to be the building's interior. He began to climb over it, and as he did, he felt the Force stretch out, searching, directing him on where to go…

There. He felt it. A faint Force signature underneath the rubble at the far end of the wreckage pile. He began to hastily clamber towards it, tripping over chunks of rubble, cutting his hands on broken pipes—at one point, he fell, and he heard something he was wearing tear. He didn't bother to look, just as he didn't bother to listen as Obi-Wan, who he could hear hastily trying to follow, calling for him to slow down before he hurt himself. He continued to push himself until he finally reached the spot where he felt the Force signature.

"Obi-Wan, quick! Under here!" he called as he began to observe the debris. There was a massive slab of stone, but it looked like it was being supported by some of the rubble underneath. A small flare of hope warmed his chest. "Obi-Wan, I need you to help me with this."

Obi-Wan reached him, breathing hard, but he didn't stop to rest. "What do you need?"

Anakin observed the area with a critical eye. The Force tugged, and in that moment he could clearly see what needed to be done. "I'm going to lift the slab of stone," He began, but Obi-Wan cut him off.

"Wait. Are you sure you can do that by yourself?" He asked, and Anakin heard the unspoken message—not even fifteen minutes ago, Anakin couldn't even lift a desk. He hadn't exactly been fantastic at levitation as a Jedi, however, Darth Vader had been quite excellent at it. But, what Anakin was feeling in that moment wasn't the Dark Side. He felt Light, more light than he had ever felt before surging through him.

"I can do this," He said confidently, "And, I need you to make sure nothing falls in to take its place when I move it."

"Okay." Obi-Wan responded, and he lifted his hands, getting ready. "Go for it."

Anakin stretched out his hands, beginning to concentrate on lifting the heavy material. He didn't need much. Immediately, the Force rushed through him, and he watched as the giant stone lifted effortlessly, as if Anakin was lifting nothing more than a spoon. Dust fell, and as the weight moved, other rubble began to shift downward to take its place. True to his word, Obi-Wan caught it before it could fall, and Anakin tossed the rock aside like it was a piece of paper. It landed to the side with a thud, sending a plume of dirt into the evening air, and Anakin moved forward to peer down into the hole it had left behind, squinting at the darkened space below.

There, at the bottom, knelt Ahsoka. She kneeled over another huddled figure, and she had her hands up, still holding a very weak Force shield. Anakin could see deep cuts in her skin, and her shirt had ripped, the material stained red. She was breathing hard, but after a second, she realized she was no longer trapped. She looked up, blinking in the dim light of dusk. "Anakin?" she croaked with relief, "Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan was the first to jump down. Anakin tried to move, but now that he stood there, he was suddenly terrified to know. Had Padme died? Ahsoka had attempted to protect her, but Padme had already been injured. What if Ahsoka wasn't enough to save her?

 _Go,_ the Force seemed to urge him, _before it's too late._

Gulping down his fear, Anakin leapt into the hole as Obi-Wan picked Ahsoka up. There, slumped on the ground, was an unconscious Padme.

Anakin's throat tightened. He couldn't see the extent of her injuries, at least not yet, but it didn't look good. He was almost afraid to touch her. What if he made her injuries worse? That was, if she was still alive.

Establish that first, he told himself, and he knelt down beside her, holding his breath as he put his fingers to the side of her neck.

A pulse, but barely. Carefully, he picked her up, pulling her into his arms. He immediately noticed the broken arm, and the blood on her beautiful face, and he was sure that there were injuries he couldn't see, but he still held her as close as he dared. He tenderly brushed a wisp of a kiss across her cheek before he picked her up, cradling her against his chest.

With one Force-enhanced leap, he jumped out of the hole, carrying her limp body towards where Obi-Wan had had already taken Ahsoka and was currently assessing her. Anakin stopped a little ways away, sinking to his knees, shifting Padme so that he cradled her in one arm while his other hand reached up to push her hair gently away from her face. Again, he checked for a pulse.

It was weaker.

"Why?" He growled, but it wasn't long before he realized why—she wasn't breathing.

Tears began to fall again. "I don't want you to go," he pleaded, and he rested his forehead against hers. "Please... _please_ don't leave me, Angel," his voice was hoarse, and his body began to shake as sobs ripped out of his chest. "I love you. So very much. Come back to me. _PLEASE_."

There wasn't a response.

He shook his head, holding her closer to his chest, tears sliding down his cheeks, as he looked up into the evening sky. "Why?!" he demanded with a shout. He didn't care that Obi-Wan wasn't that far off with Ahsoka. "I already lost her once! I've done what you've asked me to do! I'm not Darth Vader anymore, and I never want to go back! Don't take her away from me again! _Please!"_

At first, there wasn't a response. Praying wasn't something the Jedi technically did, but in that moment, Anakin sincerely prayed. He didn't know what else to do. It was clear that the Force had controlled this whole thing. It would always guide his life, and the lives of every living thing in the universe. If he had fulfilled the Second Chance he had been given, why would the Force allow Padme, his beloved wife, the most beautiful, pure soul he knew to exist, to die again?

After a few moments of silence, however, Padme suddenly began to sputter and cough. Anakin looked down at her, afraid to hope, but sure enough, once she was through coughing, she took deep, shaky breaths. "Padme?" He asked, still afraid to hope.

Her eyelids fluttered open, barely, just enough so that Anakin could see her beautiful brown eyes. A weak smile spread on her lips. "Anakin," She whispered.

"Oh, _Padme,_ " He sighed in relief, "You're safe. I'm going to get you help. Don't give up on me, Angel, okay?" More tears fell, and she frowned up at him. Slowly, she reached up with her good hand and gently wiped away a tear from his cheek with her thumb.

"Don't cry, Anakin." Anakin leaned into her touch, rubbing his cheek against her hand. "I'm not going anywhere."

Logically, he knew that with her wounds, she may not have had a say in that, but somehow, Anakin believed her. He let out a shaky sigh, and smiled for her. "Okay."

She smiled softly, then opened her mouth like she was about to say something else, but she didn't. Instead, her eyes slid closed and she slipped into unconsciousness again. To be safe, Anakin checked her pulse again, but found that it was much stronger.

 _Thank you,_ he mentally whispered to the Force, and he could feel it warm his chest as he gently picked Padme up in his arms and headed to Sola's SUV, using the Force to open the rear passenger door.

* * *

The drive to the hospital passed in a blur of motion. Anakin drove like a madman through the city streets while Obi-Wan sat in the back of the SUV keeping both girls steady. It took all of Anakin's restraint to keep from driving the car through the glass doors of the ER when he arrived, but he did throw it into park, jumped out and ran inside yelling at the poor nurses at the registration desk that he needed help right then.

The triage nurses rushed out with two gurneys, and they carefully maneuvered the girls out of the SUV and placed them on the gurneys and carted both Ahsoka and Padme away: Padme was still completely out while Ahsoka was on the edge of consciousness. Anakin began to follow, wanting to make sure that they would both be alright, but just as they got to the swinging doors at the end of the waiting room, another nurse stopped him. "You can't go in there, Sir," She said, moving between him and the doors. Heart sinking, Anakin watched as both women were rushed through the doors on stretchers, nurses and ER doctors running at their sides shouting orders.

"But, I have to," He said, his voice cracking, "I need to know that they'll be okay!"

"We will keep you updated, Sir, but you must sit down and wait! We cannot have you getting in the way and distracting the doctors and nurses while they work on them!" Anakin wanted to argue more. He wanted to Jedi-mind trick her into letting him through anyway just as he'd done before when Padme was in the ER after her date with Finn...but instead he took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down, and he let it go.

"Fine." He said, crossing his arms. He gave her a stern look. "I want updates though."

The nurse looked somewhat put out, but she nodded nonetheless. "I'll see what I can do, Sir." With that, Anakin turned and headed back into the crowded waiting room, looking for Obi-Wan, skirting people who either were waiting for loved ones or were waiting to be seen themselves for minor injuries. He picked a hard blue plastic chair at the far end of the room, as far away from other people as he could get, and sat down, burying his face in his hands.

It wasn't long before Obi-Wan walked in and sat down next to him. "I moved Sola's SUV. It's in the ER parking lot. I've got the keys," Obi-Wan said to which Anakin just nodded his understanding. For a long time, neither man said anything, but finally Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "We're supposed to fill out these intake forms," He handed a clipboard to Anakin. "I figure you know more about Padme than I do. So, you do hers. I'll do Ashoka's."

Anakin took the clipboard, staring down at the neatly typed words. He didn't understand all of it, such as health insurance (what was that?), but most of it he could answer. With a sigh, he began to fill it out, trying to focus on the task at hand instead of what was going on behind the closed ER doors.

For a while, both men worked in silence. Anakin would have preferred it to stay that way, but Obi-Wan was never content to leave things unsettled. "I'm sure they're going to be fine, Anakin."

"I know they will be, but that doesn't make it any easier." Anakin replied without looking up. He had gotten to the medical history part of the form and he paused: he knew Padme's medical history back in his galaxy, but who was to say that things hadn't changed here? He began to fill it out as best he could, hoping that things were at least similar.

Sensing that Anakin didn't really want to talk about something that he had no control over in that moment, Obi-Wan changed subjects. "You fought well today."

"Thanks."

"No. Really, you did. Even with limited use of the Force, you were exceptional." He paused. "But I did want to ask…why did you decide to use Vaapad?"

Anakin paused, thinking back to the fight with Maul. For the majority of it, he had used the lightsaber form he had primarily used during the Clone Wars, but at the end, when he channeled his rage into his technique, it changed into the more aggressive Vaapad style. "Well, it wasn't something I necessarily chose to do," he admitted, "But when I saw him about to kill you, I almost lost control. In order to keep from doing that, I just…did it. I used the form occasionally while I was a Sith Lord, but not always. It felt…natural to use it this time though."

Obi-Wan considered his words for a while. "Master Windu used Vaapad. He said it was a state of mind, not just a lightsaber form." He finished filling out what he could on Ahsoka's paperwork. "Maybe that's what _you_ need to help you control yourself."

Anakin could still feel the abnormal power of the Force flowing through him, and he wondered if perhaps Obi-Wan was right. "I guess we'll just have to see."

Obi-Wan nodded and waited for Anakin to finish Padme's paperwork. Once he had, Obi-Wan took both clipboards and stood. "We'll talk more about this later, but," He took a deep breath. "I just want you to know that I'm extremely proud of you. I've fought beside you for many years on many different occasions, but what you did today, before and especially after the battle…well, I'm very proud of you." He offered a small smile to his friend.

Anakin felt his chest warm at Obi-Wan's words. He knew Obi-Wan was largely referring to his letting Padme go, for that was something that Anakin had never been able to do before. "Thanks," he said, and he tried to smile, but he found he had a hard time doing so. Even though he felt…lighter now that he'd trusted Padme and "let" her go, he still hated that she was so severely injured.

Obi-Wan seemed to sense this, and put a comforting hand on Anakin's shoulder before he turned and walked back to the service desk. As soon as he was gone, Anakin again buried his face in his hands and waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

Eventually, he couldn't take sitting still anymore. It had been a miracle that he'd waited as long as he had. He groaned in frustration and stood, beginning to pace back and forth. "Anakin, do sit down." Obi-Wan tried, but Anakin ignored him. Obi-Wan sighed, knowing that when Anakin was in a mood like this, there was no sitting him back down.

Anakin didn't know how long he paced. He could feel people's eyes on him, staring, but he didn't care. He was restless. Every time the ER doors swung open, he looked over expectantly, hoping that a nurse would come in to at least update him on Padme's status. But, eventually, a nurse did step through, and this time she made eye contact with Anakin. "Are you Ahsoka Tano's friend?"

Well. It wasn't Padme, but a part of him was also worried about his friend. "Yes." He could feel Obi-Wan get up too and come to stand by his side, waiting.

"I just wanted you to know that she's doing fine. She has some cracked ribs and a concussion, but she's doing well overall. We're going to keep her overnight for observation just to make sure that the concussion isn't too serious, but she should be able to go home in the morning. We've contacted her family already, and they should arrive soon."

Anakin let out a sigh of relief. Even though he was still desperately worried about Padme, at least Ahsoka was going to be okay. "And, Padme Amidala?" Obi-Wan asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

The nurse looked as if she had expected this very question. "She's in surgery still. Both of the bones in her forearm were broken. She has several broken ribs, a concussion, and multiple other injuries that the doctors are still assessing. Right now, things look like she'll pull out of it, but it's not going to be an easy recovery process, I'm afraid."

Anakin's heart sank, and he almost wished Obi-Wan hadn't asked. He had suspected that she would be seriously injured, but to actually hear it vocalized…it made him sick.

"Well," the nurse continued, "Ahsoka is awake and can receive one visitor." Anakin knew that as her former master, he should be the one to see her, especially since without her, Padme would have likely died. He owed it to her to personally check on her. In fact, he opened his mouth to volunteer, but just then a new voice interrupted before he could speak.

"Anakin!" He turned around to find Sola rushing in through the ER doors, her face flushed, hair falling out of her bun, and close behind her were Jobal and Ruwee. They all looked very confused, very worried, and very panicked.

"I'll go," Obi-Wan said softly, seeing this. "Anakin, you should stay here and talk to Padme's family. It would be better for them to hear what happened from you than from me." Anakin wasn't sure he agreed with that statement. He knew that if he got a call from the hospital saying that his daughter was severely injured and he arrived to find her boyfriend there, he probably would have jumped to conclusions and blamed everything on the boyfriend.

But, Ruwee wasn't as brash as Anakin sometimes was, and Obi-Wan had a point: Anakin needed to be a man and take responsibility. Perhaps it would even impress Ruwee somewhat.

So, Anakin nodded and Obi-Wan followed the nurse through the double doors while Anakin turned to face Padme's family.

Ruwee was the first to speak when Anakin approached. "I demand to know what's going on, young man!"

"Ruwee," Jobal chided, "Don't be so harsh on the boy. We don't even know the whole story yet."

Guilt flashed in Ruwee's eyes, and he seemed to calm some at his wife's words. "I'm sorry." He said, "It's just…difficult to get a call that your daughter is in the hospital. The nurse who called said there was a car accident. Is this true?"

Partially, Anakin thought—he hadn't felt like starting a whole investigation into the destroyed building. He was sure cops were now swarming the building, but then again, it hadn't been used in years. Maybe they weren't. But, Anakin wasn't keen on risking a massive investigation. Padme had already dealt with that within the past month. She didn't need another one. "Yes. Hit and run, I'm afraid. I brought her here." He hated lying. He didn't want to lie to his father-in-law, but how could he explain that a crazed Sith Lord had kidnapped his daughter? They wouldn't believe it.

"But, why did she leave the house?" Sola asked, concern flooding her brown eyes. Anakin couldn't help but notice how similar they were to Padme's, which made his heart clench.

Sola had a good question. Why _did_ Padme leave her parent's home? _Why_ had she called him just prior to getting kidnapped? _Why_ would she abandon her family on a day that supposedly was a treasured family holiday and without any explanation? He didn't say any of that though. He made up yet another half-truth. "She found information that could explain some of the attacks she was involved in a month ago. She went to retrieve it. She said she emailed it to someone, but I'm not sure who." If he knew who, he could have been doing something with that information while he waited. He could have been doing something helpful instead of pacing the waiting room like a bumbling idiot.

"Did she say what sort of information?" Her father questioned, his eyebrows furrowing.

"She said that it might have had something to do with Senator Palpatine. I didn't see the information myself though." He sincerely hoped that it would be enough to expose Palpatine, whatever it was.

Her parents exchanged worried looks. "Keep this quiet until we know more," Jobal said slowly, "If this gets out and it turns out it has nothing to do with him, it will cost us more than the election." Jobal didn't seem surprised to hear that Palpatine was suspected of doing something underhanded and dirty. Anakin wondered just how much Padme's parents suspected.

"How is Padme now?" Sola demanded, tears in her eyes.

Anakin clenched his jaw, trying to force the words out of his mouth. It took a few tries, but he was finally able to tell them what the nurse had told him. By the end of it, all three of them looked just as sick as Anakin felt. "My poor baby," Jobal whispered, putting a hand to her mouth.

"And, what about Ahsoka?" Sola asked again. Now there were tears falling down her cheeks.

Oh, right. Ahsoka. How would he explain Ahsoka's injuries? He thought of an excuse as fast as he could. "She was also injured, but not as bad." Sola's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and she opened her mouth to ask how so, but Anakin continued on. "She tried to help Padme get the information, and while they were leaving, she slipped and fell down a flight of stairs." He tried to sound normal, but he saw the suspicious glint in Sola's eyes.

"That's terrible. Is she okay?" Jobal asked.

"She's fine. Ben is with her now." Anakin assured her.

"And, how are you doing, Son?" Ruwee asked suddenly, making Anakin pause.

How was he doing? Awful. He hated that he couldn't be by Padme's side while she was getting surgery. He hated that she was in pain, injured and he couldn't do anything to alleviate it. He had never been good at using the Force to heal, and he doubted even with this surge of power that he could, so he didn't bother considering it.

He must have had a pained look on his face, because Ruwee frowned and then his face softened into a weak smile. "You really love my daughter, don't you?"

Jobal gave her husband a sharp, warning look. "Ruwee," she hissed, "They…you know…. Aren't together anymore…."

Ruwee shrugged. "I don't know why, when it's clear the boy is obviously head over heels for her. I'm not blind."

The harmless bickering between his in-laws made Anakin smile a little—how he wished he could have that with Padme again someday. They had sometimes bickered like that before, but rarely. Usually, if they were bickering, it turned into an all-out fight. Anakin suddenly found he missed even their fights.

"Yes, sir," Anakin shoved his hands into his pockets and said with a small smile, "I love her very, very much...with every fiber of my being."

A huge smile spread across Sola's face at those words, and Anakin had a feeling that even if Padme never forgave him, she would know about this particular conversation. Ruwee nodded and clapped a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "If a good man like you loves my daughter that much, I highly doubt that whatever happened between you two will continue to be a problem."

" _Ruwee,"_ Jobal scolded, "You can't get involved with Padme's relationship like that!"

"What?" Ruwee shrugged again. "I'm only speaking the truth."

The two continued to bicker, and Sola turned to Anakin. "I'm sorry," she started to say, shaking her head in mild amusement, "My parents can be…"

But, Anakin burst out laughing, interrupting both Sola and Padme's parents. "I'm sorry," He said between chuckles, "I just…maybe I'm going crazy from being overly stressed but…" He managed to get control of himself as he turned his attention back to Ruwee. "Thank you, Sir. You really have no idea just how much that means to me." He had always wanted the approval of Padme's parents but had never been able to have it due to the nature of his and Padme's relationship. But now, even if Ruwee hadn't _technically_ given him permission to marry Padme (and Anakin hadn't actually asked for it), it still felt…good. Really, really good. Truthfully, good didn't even adequately describe what he felt. He felt a tremendous surge of _joy_ at Ruwee's praise.

Ruwee and Jobal seemed to relax some, and Jobal smiled at him. "Don't worry, Anakin. Padme is a fighter," She said, her voice soothing, "She'll pull through this. Just watch."

Anakin nodded. He could feel the pressure of unshed tears behind his eyes, and it was all he could do not to cry. Yes, she would pull through. He knew that. It didn't make it any easier at the moment, but Padme had always been a fighter. It was what had drawn him to her in the first place. Yeah, she would pull through.

All he had to do was wait.

* * *

And, waiting was the order of the day. It was another 2 hours before a woman with black hair and one blue highlighted streak stepped out of the swinging ER doors. "I'm looking for the family of Padme Amidala," she called out into the waiting room.

Anakin had again spent the whole time pacing, and Sola had tried multiple times to get him to sit down, but Anakin, being the stubborn man he was, refused. It must have driven Ruwee up a wall, because he had announced that he was going to go get coffee for all of them and had left only five minutes before.

Therefore, it was only Anakin, Jobal, and Sola who hurriedly swamped the poor woman. "How is she?" Sola demanded at once.

Looking closely at the woman, she didn't look to be a nurse. She looked like an actual doctor. Anakin tried to make out her name on her badge, but the shiny material reflected the glare of the fluorescent lights overhead, making it difficult to make out.

Giving up, he looked up at the woman…and found her to be frowning at him. "What?" He asked, somewhat defensively. He tried to think back to anything he could have done wrong, but he didn't think he had.

She just shook her head. "Nothing. I'm sorry, it's just that…" She took a deep breath, and suddenly she no longer seemed so curious about him as she turned to address all three of them. Her blue eyes became steely, and a strange calmness overtook her features. "I'm Dr. Che. I am the physician overseeing Ms. Amidala's case."

Dr. Che….why did that name ring a bell? Dr. Che's eyes flashed back to Anakin, as if searching for a sign that he recognized her name. He frowned, but he couldn't quite place the name, so he opted to say nothing. Dr. Che seemed a little disappointed by that, but she cleared her throat and continued on. "If you would come with me, I would like to see the three of you privately in my office."

"Why?" Jobal asked, her voice rising with worry, "Is Padme going to be alright?"

"Oh yes, she's going to be fine," Dr. Che quickly assured them, and Jobal's shoulders slumped in relief. "But, I would like to discuss her injuries in detail."

Sola looked back towards the glass ER doors. "Dad went to get coffee…perhaps we should wait for him…"

"No," Jobal said, shaking her head. "I need to know what's happening with my baby. I'll tell your father whatever he missed when he gets here."

Anakin wasn't sure that was such a good idea: if it were him, he would want to know the details of his child's health immediately. But, at the moment, he couldn't _technically_ be considered part of Padme's family, and he decided that his input on the matter would probably not be appreciated. Besides, he also wanted to know how Padme was doing.

So, they followed Dr. Che through the double doors Anakin had stared at for so long, walking into what Anakin could only describe as controlled chaos. There were sick and wounded people being carted to and fro, and doctors and nurses rushed busily past, hardly paying attention to anything that wasn't directly involved with their respective patients. Again, Anakin wondered about the lack of medical droids—humans were so susceptible to error and emotion. He didn't understand how someone could do this for a living.

"It's just around this corner," Dr. Che said after they had passed down multiple winding hallways. Anakin might have lost his way had he not been trained to remember such trivial things. Anakin followed at the back, his stomach in worried knots, wondering what could be so important that Dr. Che needed to speak with them in private, when he heard a gasp from ahead. "Obi-Wan Kenobi!" Dr. Che suddenly exclaimed.

Anakin blinked, his mind coming back to reality. Sure enough, Obi-Wan had just turned the corner, a frown on his face as he looked at Dr. Che, who he had evidently bumped into. "I'm sorry," He said slowly, shooting Anakin a look that said, _Do you know this woman?_ Anakin shrugged. Obi-Wan's frown deepened, and he looked at her again. "My apologies, but do we know each other?"

Again, Dr. Che stared at Obi-Wan with blatant curiosity, tilting her head to the side, but when he asked her that, she seemed to remember her professionality. "I'm sorry. I should introduce myself. I'm Dr. Che, and…"

"Dr. Che?" Obi-Wan's eyebrows shot up, and if Anakin wasn't mistaken, it seemed as if Obi-Wan actually recognized the woman. "As in, Vokara Che?"

A huge smile spread across her face. "The one and only."

Suddenly, Anakin remembered who this woman was. "Of course! How could I be so stupid?" He muttered under his breath, and Vokara, the once Twi'lek Jedi Healer who had mended not only Anakin's first amputated arm, but also multiple other injuries both he and Obi-Wan had sustained over the years, turned to give him a pointed look over her shoulder.

"Of course, _you_ would forget me." She chided dryly, and Anakin cleared his throat in embarrassment, his cheeks flushing.

"Wait, do you three…know each other?" Sola asked hesitantly, and immediately Vokara seemed to remember where exactly she was and that she was still expected to be professional. Anakin remembered Vokara as being very strict in her professionalism, especially when it came to her patients, but Anakin doubted that she met many people from their galaxy here, let alone ones who actually remembered her.

"Yes. We knew each other a long time ago." She glanced sideways at Obi-Wan, "Does this mean you're with Anakin?"

"Yes. I am." Obi-Wan responded with a nod.

Vokara looked back at Jobal for approval, and Jobal nodded her head. "If Obi-Wan is a friend of Padme's, I have no problem with him being with us."

Vokara nodded, and shot Obi-Wan a look. "You two will need to meet with me privately later to," she hesitated, glancing at a very confused looking Sola and Jobal, "catch up."

"Of course." Obi-Wan replied with a wan smile, and as Vokara continued to lead them to her office, he fell into step next to Anakin.

"How is Ahsoka?" Anakin muttered so that only Obi-Wan could hear.

"Tired, but she's going to be fine." He nudged him as Vokara opened her office door and led Jobal and Sola into the room, "She told me to tell you, 'Don't worry about me, Sky Guy: Worry about Padme.'"

Anakin rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help but smile. "She knows me too well."

"That she does." With that, both men stepped into the room.

Jobal and Sola took the only two seats opposite of Vokara's desk, so both Obi-Wan and Anakin moved to stand behind them, leaning back against the wall. The office was small, and unlike most offices in this world that were usually decorated with the personal touches of the owner, Vokara's office was only filled with the necessities that a doctor would need, save for a plush blue chair that Vokara now sat in, taking a deep breath. "As I said, Padme _is_ going to be fine. It won't be an easy recovery for her, but with some physical therapy, she should be back to normal in a few months time."

"Just how bad are we talking here?" Sola asked.

"Well," Vokara started, "She broke both of the bones in her left forearm: We had to do surgery to fix that, and I expect that to take the longest to heal. She also had a few broken ribs on her left side, but thankfully, they didn't puncture a lung." Anakin let out a breath in relief: The broken bones were bad enough. He couldn't imagine his wife being in even more pain than that. "She does have a concussion, a severe case of whiplash, and a mildly sprained left knee, and a severely sprained left ankle."

Jobal's hand went to her heart, and she let out a distressed groan. "My poor baby," she said, and if Anakin wasn't mistaken, it sounded like she was about to cry.

"These will all heal in time, Mrs. Amidala," Vokara assured her, before she paused, a strange look passing over her features for a brief second before it was gone. "But I do have some rather…unfortunate news... to give you, I'm afraid." She sounded as though she were choosing her words carefully, and Anakin immediately straightened in concern. If a doctor was choosing words carefully, there was something terribly wrong. The Force welled up within his chest, confirming his suspicions…which only made his anxiety worse. He glanced over at Obi-Wan, who seemed to register the same feeling in the Force, as he had a worried look on his face as well.

Anakin didn't miss these confirmations from the Force.

"What is it, Doctor?" Jobal asked, her voice filled with worry, clasping her hands tightly together in her lap.

Vokara took a deep breath before she answered. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but we were not able to save the baby."

Stunned silence filled the room. If a pin had dropped, it would have sounded like exploding dynamite. For several long moments, no one spoke.

" _ **WHAT baby**_?," Sola asked, but Anakin hardly heard her. Dr Che's words were ricocheting in his head over and over again, but somehow he couldn't make sense of them. Of course, on the surface he understood them, but when he tried to make them apply to his Padme, to himself (because he knew with certainty that he was the father), to _them,_ he just…couldn't. Anakin barely registered Obi-Wan shifting away from the wall, giving him a concerned look, as if he were waiting for Anakin to snap.

And, maybe he would.

Vokara continued on, as if her words weren't ripping Anakin's world to even smaller shreds. "Ms. Amidala was pregnant, but unfortunately, the trauma of her injuries was too much this early in the pregnancy, and she miscarried the child. We had to call an Ob/Gyn specialist in surgery."

With every word she spoke, Anakin felt them burrow deeper into his befuddled brain, and the realization that this was really happening, that he had yet again lost a child, began to become too heavy a burden. His breathing suddenly became shallow, and he felt as if the breath had been knocked from his body. Padme had lost her child. Padme had lost his child.

No, Padme had lost _their_ child.

And, then the dreaded question that he couldn't handle automatically entered into his consciousness. _What if that was Luke and Leia?!_

"I don't understand, Dr Che. Pregnant? How far along was she anyway? I mean, Padme hadn't said anything to any of us about this!," Jobal said. Sola agreed with her mother, silently shaking her head affirmatively. But, Anakin knew _exactly_ how far along Padme was. _The Gala...Oh Force, this happened the night of the Gala!_ The understanding permeated his fogged senses as memories of that night suddenly assailed him.

Anakin didn't say any of that out loud, feeling it was too personal and was a private matter between he and Padme only; however, his brain registered Dr. Che's next words. "Well, she was only about a month along at most in her pregnancy. In fact, the Ob/Gyn doctor we called in feels confident that she was so early that she, in fact, probably wasn't even aware of this herself yet." _Which explains why she hadn't told me,_ Anakin thought to himself. Suddenly, Anakin felt lightheaded and dizzy.

"Anakin!?" Vokara's concerned voice seemed rather far away…everything was muffled in Anakin's ears. He could feel the wide-eyed gaze of both Sola and Jobal upon him, staring openly. He felt Obi-Wan grab his right arm, and at first Anakin didn't know why, but then he realized his knees had buckled and given out from underneath him, and Obi-Wan was trying to support his weight.

"Here," Sola said, her voice sounding far away, and he vaguely had the sense of Obi-Wan practically dragging him to the chair Sola had just given up for him.

"I'm sorry," he could hear Vokara saying to…someone. He didn't know who. He stared at his knees, his hands shaking, trying to keep himself from having a complete meltdown. "I didn't realize that Anakin was the father…"

In the midst of his despair, Anakin could barely recall that Vokara hadn't been aware of his relationship with Padme before. He couldn't blame her, as they had had to keep it a secret, but even if she had known, he didn't think there was a way she could have broken this news without him feeling as if the entire world were being ripped away from him. To think that they might have just lost Luke and Leia… _again_ …

He was breathing hard now, struggling to keep himself from having a panic attack. "Will...will she s-still be able to have children?" Anakin managed to get out. Perhaps it hadn't been Luke and Leia. Perhaps there was still a chance they could…

After some hesitation, Vokara responded, "Yes. The OB/Gyn assures us there was no permanent injury. After her body heals from this, she should be able to safely have other children."

Anakin let out a shaky breath and nodded his head. It wasn't much, but he supposed it was better than nothing. That's what he told himself, at any rate. He rubbed a trembling hand down his face, and when that didn't make the pressure behind his eyes go away, he pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep...but shaky...breath. Still, silent tears managed to slip through, and they slid down his face. He vaguely registered the pressure of Obi-Wan's supportive hand on his shoulder, could feel Obi-Wan sending what comfort he could offer through their connection in the Force.

"We can't tell Ruwee about this," He heard Jobal say, "If he found out…it wouldn't be good for his health, not with the stress of everything else going on." She hesitated. "Well, at least we won't tell him now."

"I agree." Sola said, and her voice was solemn and serious, and Anakin couldn't recall the last time he had heard her sound like that. "But, who will tell Padme?"

"I will." Anakin answered immediately. There was a moment's pause, and he half expected someone to object. He didn't look up as he explained, "It was my baby, too. I was the father. I'll take responsibility for this."

"Anakin, It's not your fault," Obi-Wan said quietly, and Anakin knew this but…Oh Force, _why_ had Padme left her parent's home?! Now more than ever, Anakin wanted…no, he _needed_ to know why, to try and understand.

"I'm so sorry, Anakin." Vokara said with a sigh, "I should go check on Padme. She'll probably be unconscious for a while, but you can visit her at any time." Oh, Anakin had no intention of leaving her side even for a minute. He had to figure out a way to break the news to her about their baby, and he needed to know that she really was going to be okay. "Oh. And, here are her things." She handed Sola a plastic bag. "I'll be here if you need me. When she is out of recovery and we get her settled in a room, I'll let you know. You can wait in the ER waiting room until then." And with that, she left the office, leaving the four in silence.

"Ben is right," Sola said as she opened the bag, "This isn't your fault, Anakin. Don't blame yourself."

"I know." It was so hard to talk. He just wanted to be alone with his wife. He wanted her to remember him. He wanted to be back in their apartment at 500 Republica on Coruscant. He wanted their children back. He wanted so many things that he could never have.

Sola sighed, continuing to rifle through the bag. "Well. It looks like everything is here…wait a second…" She frowned, reaching deeper into the bag, and pulled out something that Anakin couldn't see. She looked puzzled, and Anakin wondered what Padme could have had that would have caused that reaction in her sister. "What are these? I've never seen these before."

"What are you looking at?" Jobal asked, and in response, Sola held up whatever it was she had found.

And this time, Anakin's world did stop. He stopped breathing. His mouth dropped open in shock. Momentarily, the tragedy of losing yet another child was buried deep within his heart.

For in Sola's hands were two items that he and Padme had once treasured. On a delicate silver chain hung the japor snippet he had carved for Padme when he was nine. Dangling next to it in Sola's other hand was his Padawan braid.

Anakin straightened up in his seat, his hands itching to grab them both from her and cradle them in his fingers reverently. Swallowing hard, he forced himself to stay still, however. "Those are mine," He breathed out softly. "But how did she…"

He couldn't finish the sentence. "Anakin is right: I've seen those in his possession before." Obi-Wan said, and Anakin could hear the unspoken question in Obi-Wan's voice: _How did those get here?_

But the question that reverberated through Anakin's mind was not necessarily that. Instead, as Sola handed the snippet and braid to him, Anakin looked at the items that Padme had kept safe in an ornate mahogany jewelry box in their bedroom in their apartment on Coruscant for so many years, and wondered…

 _How and why did Padme have these?_

* * *

 **I REALLY tried not to have this one be a cliffhanger, but it's a long chapter and I just...couldn't write anymore. I PROMISE it's the last cliffhanger for...well, at least a while. Things are about to calm down for a bit as I begin to transition the story out of climax mode to the next stage of their lives.**

 **Sorry for the late update. The past few weeks have been...bizarre to say the least. Seriously, very, very bizarre. Hopefully that's going to go away though. I'll update soon!**

 **The song for this chapter is Keep Breathing by Ingrid Michaelson.**

 **Also. I've now seen the Force Awakens 5 times. Because...reasons. (sideways look)**

 **Review! Those reviews seriously got me through the past week. Like...I can't even say how much they did.**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	31. Across the Stars

**From both myself and my Beta, SW, this chapter is dedicated to Rosiethehobbit17. I hope this will give you the distraction you need, May the Force be with You, Always!**

* * *

 _Beep, beep...Whirr...beep, beep._ Once again, the blood pressure cuff automatically started up, as it had been doing every couple of hours since she had been brought to the room, the readout of which was electronically recorded at the nurses station down the hall. This was followedby a softer series of beeps coming from the IV as it delivered saline fluid at a steady drip to keep her hydrated, as well as providing her antibiotics and pain medication. The nurses had been coming in at regular intervals to change out the various bags of medications and reset the machines as necessary. She still hadn't woken up since surgery.

Anakin sat in the chair next to her bed and held Padme's hand, just as he had been doing the past twenty-four hours since the "baby news" bomb had been dropped, as Sola had called it. Anakin recognized this, but it didn't feel like that much time had passed. He absently rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand and knuckles in the softest of caresses. Currently, Padme's left arm was placed in a bright blue cast from her hand to her elbow and was lying on a small indented foam pillow stretched across her hip to support the weight of her arm and keep it steady. She had some pillows propped against her left side as well for support, and she had a brace on her left leg from her left knee to her ankle with additional pillows under her left leg to cradle and support it.

Twenty-four hours before, when Anakin had first walked in the room, she had also had a swollen bottom lip which had two large cuts on it, two black eyes, and a bandage wrapped around her head covering the nasty gash she had sustained. Her head was resting in a special indented pillow to support her neck. Needless to say, upon seeing his wife like that, Anakin had not reacted well, and as soon as Ruwee, Jobal, and Sola had left to go grab some food, Vokara had begun using the Force to help heal Padme's wounds faster at Anakin's request.

"I don't normally do this unless it's dire circumstances," Vokara said as she focused on healing Padme's face and head first. "I have too many patients, and someone would start to notice that my patients consistently seem to heal abnormally fast. But, it's the least I can do for old friends," she said with a small smile and a glance at Anakin, who nodded in understanding.

Anakin had been enormously grateful, and by that morning when the bandage was removed, the only trace of any facial injuries was a small scratch on her temple. Anakin was not the only one in slightly better spirits after Vokara began Force-treatment: Ruwee, seeing that some of Padme's injuries were healing so fast, no longer seemed as stressed out.

Anakin had refused to leave Padme's side. Even when visiting hours were over and only one person was allowed to stay, Anakin had insisted that he wouldn't leave her side. He knew it was selfish, but after everything that had happened in the past few days, he needed to keep her in his sights. Ruwee had started to object, but Jobal, who at least had some idea of what Anakin was struggling with, had understood and insisted that she, Ruwee, and Sola go home to rest. "Anakin will take care of her, Ruwee. At this moment, Padme needs him more than she needs us. He loves her. Let him stay."

Anakin didn't know if he agreed with that, for in his opinion, every child needed their parents, and he still wasn't sure how Padme felt about him, but Ruwee had reluctantly agreed with his wife, and they left after giving Padme the softest of kisses across her forehead.

A few times,, Obi-Wan had come in to sit with Anakin. He never said much, not with words, but he always reached out to Anakin through the Force, giving what comfort and support he could. There really wasn't much that Obi-Wan could say, not in that moment. Obi-Wan didn't know what it was like to lose a child...and literally not one, but three children, and if the baby Padme had just lost was indeed Luke and Leia…

It would just make things that much worse.

Obi-Wan, ever the perceptive Jedi and friend, sensed that there was nothing he could say to make it better. So. he did what he could, and Anakin felt a fierce sense of brotherly love for his best friend and mentor. _How could I have_ _ **ever**_ _viewed Obi-Wan as an enemy?_ , he wondered to himself.

But now, as Anakin held Padme's hand, he sat alone. Obi-Wan had left to go get Anakin some food. Sola had gone home to be with Darred and their girls. Jobal and Ruwee had gone home to contact Satine and prepare statements for the press. Vokara had finished doing some work on Padme's leg and had gone to help other patients. So, Anakin was now left to his incomprehensible thoughts while he waited. Over and over again, his mind repeated the same things in no particular order.

Baby. Padme. Pregnant.

Lost.

 _How_ would he tell her?

Padawan braid. Japor snippet.

 _Why_ did she have those?

 _How_ could she have them?

 _When_ would she wake up?

Did she hate him? Did she still think he was crazy?

So many questions. Questions without any real answers. So many unspoken words between them, so many lies and secrets that needed to be sorted through. Where would he even begin?

He sighed heavily for what felt like the thousandth time in the past twenty minutes, and he lowered his head into his other good hand, rubbing his temples between his fingers. He was no closer to answers than he was twenty-four hours ago. He felt the braid and Japor snippet in his pocket, and they seemed to weigh him down further.

Padawan braid. Japor snippet.

 _Why would she have those?_

A knock startled him out of his thoughts, and he turned towards the door. Standing there was Ahsoka, smiling that sad, soft smile she gave him whenever either one of them were stressed. If he hadn't been so exhausted, so distraught, he might have tried to cheer her up. But, all he could do was offer a small smile. "Hey," he said, his voice a whisper.

"Hey, Sky Guy," her voice was also quiet, and she stepped into the room. "They just released me to go home. My family is waiting for me downstairs, but I wanted to stop by and check on Padme first."

He realized that he hadn't gone to see her, and immediately, he felt a twinge of guilt. "I'm sorry I didn't come to see you…" he began, but Ahsoka shook her head.

"Hey, it's okay. I didn't expect you to. It doesn't matter what our relationship is, your wife comes first. It should be that way, and if I have a husband someday, he'll come before you, too." She gave him a small smile and sat down in the chair next to him. "How is she doing?"

Anakin sighed. Again. "She's going to be fine. Vokara Che is here in this world, and she's been secretly using the Force to help heal her injuries. Already she looks much better." _Stay positive_ , he told himself: If he couldn't fix her injuries, the least he could do was try to focus on what had already been accomplished.

"Good. I'm glad," she paused. "Obi-Wan told me about…you know." Anakin struggled to keep from repeating the same awful words in his head at the mention of it. "I'm so sorry, Sky Guy."

"Thanks. Me, too." Anakin's voice was husky as he glanced over at Padme again.

Ahsoka was quiet for a while. "It's not your fault. You know that, right?"

Ahsoka knew as well as Anakin did that he usually found a way to blame bad things on himself, and for a moment, Anakin wasn't sure how to answer that question. Truthfully, he hadn't thought about it. But, as he examined the situation in his mind and searched his feelings, he answered her truthfully. "I know."

"You _do_?" Ahsoka sounded genuinely surprised.

"Yes." Anakin nodded, before his expression darkened. "It's Palpatine's fault. This whole mess, all of it, everything that's happened—it all started with _him_." He looked at her seriously. "He needs to be stopped, Snips. Do you know where Padme sent that email?"

Ahsoka frowned. "She sent it to her father. Has he checked his email?"

"Not that I know of, but he knows there is an email with potentially incriminating information out there. Do you have his number?"

"Already on it." She pulled out her phone and began to text. "Oh. By the way, Mindy has called me like five times wanting updates since you haven't answered your phone. She's frantic for news, but she can't get out here until tomorrow, and she wants to know how Padme is doing." Anakin opened his mouth to remind her that he had more important things on his mind than calling Mindy, but Ahsoka held up a hand to stop him. "I know, I know. Don't worry. I'll tell her. But, don't be surprised if she gives you the silent treatment."

Anakin snorted. "I'll believe that when I see it."

"Yeah, it'll probably last for like half an hour." She finished texting and put the phone down. "There. Let's hope he can get someone trustworthy to decode that."

"I could probably do it," He suggested, "It shouldn't take long to figure out…" He didn't finish. Ahsoka was already sending another text to Ruwee.

"Done. And, I told him how Padme thinks you're a real tech superstar." Ahsoka grinned.

"Superstar?" Anakin questioned the unfamiliar term. Sure, he'd seen some pretty big stars in his lifetime, but what would constitute as a 'superstar' he couldn't imagine.

"It's just an expression." She grinned and rolled her eyes at him. "I'm glad you still have your sense of humor, Sky Guy."

"I'm glad you're still reliable as always, Snips." He truly did smile then. It felt so strange to smile in that moment, but also nice.

Ahsoka smiled back and stood carefully, hissing a bit in pain. Anakin began to get up to help her, but she waved him off. "I'm fine. Don't worry. I've had worse, you know." Once she was on her feet again, she looked down at him. "It's going to get better. You'll see," she said seriously and gave his shoulder an encouraging squeeze with her hand.

Anakin nodded in understanding, but he tried to imagine what life would be like tomorrow, or the next day, or even weeks from now. In his head, he knew that life couldn't always be miserable, but his heart was so torn at that moment that it seemed like 'getting better' was an impossibility at that point.

He didn't say any of this, however. He just watched as Ahsoka turned and headed for the door. She paused before she left, turning back to him. "You know," she said, "I know it's never been your strength, but…you really should try to meditate. It might make things at least a little better."

He hesitated as the Force warmed within him, confirming her suggestion to be a wise course of action. Still, just because he had the Force again, that didn't mean that he would be able to achieve the inner peace that he had sought for so long.

But, then again, he had also never been able to let go before either.

"I'll give it a try," He finally said, and watched satisfaction flicker in his former Padawan's eyes.

"Good." She smiled, "Chin up, Sky Guy."

"Thanks, Snips." Again, he smiled, and she returned it before she left him alone again with his unconscious wife.

 _Can I really do this?_ He wondered as he gently let go of Padme's hand, positioning himself just right in his seat. He took a few deep breaths and closed his eyes, letting the Force fully wash over him. It wrapped around him like a cocoon, filling his whole being with light. The world seemed to fade away, and the sorrows and worries he still felt seemed to diminish. If he focused on them, he knew they were still there, but for the first time in his entire life, he felt…

Peace.

* * *

The first thing that Padme was aware of was the grogginess. She felt like she'd been pumped with a crazy amount of drugs, and she struggled to gain awareness, or at least open her eyes. But, her eyes felt like they were glued shut, and eventually, she settled for just allowing her body to slowly wake up before she tried opening her eyes again.

As she slowly became aware of her body, she began to realize that she was also in a lot of _pain._ She could feel that the bones in her left arm had been connected, and she could feel a cast encasing her arm. The bones throbbed constantly, and if she wasn't mistaken, she could already feel an awful itch beneath the cast. Every time she took a breath, she could also feel a sharp, staggering pain in her left side. Her left leg, propped up on something soft and fluffy, felt slightly better than it did before, but it was still painful.

What no longer hurt, she noted, was her head. Before, the pain had been almost unbearable, but now her head felt completely normal. _Good. Improvement,_ she thought.

The more she assessed, the more her body began to wake up until finally, slowly, her eyes cracked open.

She blinked, trying to adjust to the sudden dim light in the room, but when her eyes focused, she recognized immediately that she was in a hospital room. She was in a rather stiff bed that was slightly raised so that she could see the room she was in better. There was a turned off, small, flat screen TV suspended from a bracket near the ceiling by the corner wall. There were various instruments and machines that were taking measurement of things she didn't have much interest of understanding. To her right, there were a few cushioned chairs that were all empty except for one.

In that one chair, with his eyes closed, breathing deeply, was Anakin.

Her breath caught in her chest, sending a wave of pain through her, but she didn't care. Anakin was right there by her side. She was alive, and he was alive, and she was so close to finally, truly, reuniting with him. She opened her mouth to call out to him, to wake him up, but before she could, a thought stopped her. She closed her mouth again.

Wait. Anakin had changed. He had changed more than she could ever know. He had changed into Darth Vader right before her death, and he had been willing to destroy everything they believed in just to keep her alive. Now, it was obvious that he wasn't Darth Vader any longer, but he was still…different.

She quietly observed him, thinking of everything that had transpired between them over the past few months. She recalled the look on his face when he first woke up on her couch, looking at her like he was seeing a ghost. She remembered every curious question he had asked her, every peculiar look he gave her whenever he thought she wasn't looking. Mindy had once said that he looked at her like he had found the other half of his soul that was missing. He had always treated her like she was his other half back in their galaxy, a half that he was terrified to lose.

But, then he'd treated her differently here, too. He was careful around her, as if he were afraid she would disappear. When she had kissed him at the beach, he had pulled away from her, even let her go on a date without flying into a jealous rage like he would have done back in their galaxy. And, when they had briefly gotten together here, he had exhibited some of the signs of being over protective like before, but when she had rejected him the morning after the Gala and refused to believe him when he tried to explain, he didn't try forcing her into believing him. Perhaps he had done it because he knew she was frightened, and the knowledge that she wasn't who she thought she was would have crippled her emotionally without her memories. She didn't know. Either way, the most important thing was that he had let her go in their relationship, just as he had physically let her go in the building, knowing that she may die.

But, she hadn't. She was still alive, and so was he, and now that she was face to face with him, she didn't know what she was going to do. Should she wake him up and tell him immediately that she remembered everything? It was obvious _he_ remembered, as he'd begun to tell her before she'd pushed him away. But, now she remembered too, and as she looked at him, she realized that she truly had to make a choice. Would she pretend that she didn't know and move on with her life without him? She realized that it was very likely...in fact _probable_... that after her death in their galaxy, Anakin had continued on as Darth Vader to do much, much worse than just killing Jedi younglings. Most relationship experts would say to run from a guy like that, and using the lost memory she had previously experienced in this world seemed like an easy way to get out of it.

Or, she could tell him the truth and forgive him. She could start over fresh with him and have the life they'd always wanted together. A clean slate from this point forward.

 _Unless he goes back to being evil_ , a very small voice whispered in her head. It had a point. She didn't know just how much he'd changed. It was possible, she supposed, that he could revert back into the monster he had become at the end of her previous life.

She wouldn't know until she woke him up and listened to the rest of his story.

She considered all of this.

Deciding to hold her final decision until after she heard his side of the story (which was only fair to _him_... _Benefit of the doubt and all_ , she reasoned), she opened her mouth and tried to say his name. Her attempt failed, as being unconscious for an unknown period of time had made her vocal cords tight. She cleared her throat, about to try again, but as soon as she did, Anakin's heart-stopping blue eyes (she had always loved the color of his eyes) opened.

Seeing her awake and watching him, he straightened, a strange look passing over his face, but before she could identify it, it was gone. He smiled weakly, but she could detect the uncharacteristic unease in his eyes. "Hey," he said, his voice quiet.

"Hi," she managed to say on a croak, clearing her throat again. _Well_ , she thought, _this conversation was starting out smoothly._

"How are you feeling?" She could see bags under his eyes and noticed that he had at least a day's growth of beard on his face, and she had a sneaking suspicion that he hadn't slept very much since the building had collapsed.

Before she answered his question, she needed something else first.

"May I have some water, please?" she whispered hoarsely through dry lips.

"Oh, sure," Anakin replied and got up to pour her a cupful of water from the pitcher on the bedside stand. He placed a straw in the cup and then carefully held it to her lips. "Drink slowly, okay? Careful," he said.

She drank several sips, feeling the cooling water against her parched throat. "Thank you," she said and watched him place the cup back on the table.

He nodded. "Sure."

Watching him, Padme decided to be honest in answering his question. He had always been able to see through her lies anyway. "I'm in a lot of pain, although, my head doesn't hurt anymore." She watched relief flood his eyes, but he didn't offer an explanation as to why it suddenly felt so much better.

"Good. I'm glad. Your doctor said you should recover fully, but your arm would take a while to heal." She must have made a face because he quickly added, "Don't push yourself. I know you don't like to wait around, but you need to rest, Padme. Please, if not for me, then for your parents, listen to the doctor's orders."

Her parents. She had almost forgotten how her parents would feel about all of this. She groaned, closing her eyes. "They're freaking out, aren't they?"

"To put it lightly, yes." Anakin was being serious, but she could hear just a faint hint of amusement in his voice. She opened her eyes again, meeting his, all of her doubts and hopes rushing through her all at once. Anakin must have felt that, because his mouth turned down into a frown. "Are you certain nothing else is wrong?" he asked.

This was it. The moment of truth. She took a careful, deep breath, ignoring the sharp pain it caused in her side. "I think we need to talk," she answered him quietly, seriously.

Immediately, Anakin leaned forward, more serious than she had ever seen him. "Yes, we do." There was a moment's hesitation in his eyes. "Padme, I have to tell you something."

"I think there's a lot we have to tell each other," She replied, her mind working to decide where to start first. "But, for starters, I'm ready to listen to your story."

"Okay, but first I have to tell you…" he stopped, his frown deepening as the meaning of her words really hit him. "Wait. As in," he hesitated, looking at her as if he were expecting this conversation to be some sort of a trap. "You're ready to talk about our... um... _my_ galaxy?"

She almost corrected him in saying that it really was both of their galaxies, but she didn't. Instead, she nodded. "Yes. I'm ready."

Anakin sat back, clearly surprised. Whatever he had expected her to say, it wasn't that. "Okay. But, I really do need to tell you…"

"It can wait." She assured him. "I'm not going to run this time." She looked down at herself. "Well, I actually can't run away even if I wanted to. But, I don't want to. I'm ready."

He held her gaze, searching. When he was finally satisfied that she was serious, he sighed. "You might change your mind about that. My story isn't a good one."

 _I know_ , she thought grimly. "I can handle it. Go ahead," is what she said.

Anakin nodded, giving in, but for a while he didn't say anything as he decided where to begin. "You were once a queen and then a senator. I was once a slave and then a Jedi. You were loved by millions across the galaxy we lived in. I was thought to be the Chosen One by the Jedi, the one who would bring balance to what we called the Force. I wasn't ever supposed to fall in love or get married, and you were supposed to be a perfect role model for your people to look up to. But, we did fall in love, and we did get married...in secret.

"Then the Clone Wars happened. It put an added strain on our relationship. I was usually off fighting in battle, and you were usually getting yourself deeply involved with the politics of the war. Both of us were afraid of losing the other, but you were much better at maintaining control over your fear. I, however, let fear rule me, and it led to so many fights between us.

"My fear of losing you was what destroyed us. After three years of marriage, you…you became pregnant," his voice choked on the word pregnant, and that strange look from before flashed through his eyes again before he continued, "And, at first we were so happy. _**I**_ was so happy. I wanted to give our baby what I never had: two loving parents, a secure, safe home, where they could get anything they ever wanted. I wasn't sure how we would hide our family from the Jedi Council, since marriage for the Jedi was forbidden, but in that moment, I didn't want to worry about that. I just wanted to prepare to raise our family together."

His expression darkened. "But, then I had the dream. In that dream, you died in childbirth, and I wasn't there to save you. You see, I'd had dreams that had come true in the past, and I was terrified that this one would come true also. I felt like if you died, I wouldn't just lose you, it would be _my_ fault." He looked down at his hands which were clenched into fists against his knees. "I tried to seek help from the Jedi. They didn't give it. They just told me to let go, but that was something that I just couldn't do. I loved you too much to let go, and I couldn't just sit around and wait for you to die.

"So, I turned to Palpatine." He looked at her again. "He's not a good man Padme, he…"

"I know," Padme interrupted quietly. She almost asked about the email, but she didn't want to interrupt the story again. She was afraid that if she started another conversation topic, she would never get the courage to ask him for the truth again.

Anakin seemed satisfied that she believed him about that. He continued. "Anyway, I didn't know that at the time. He had always seemed like a friend to me, and when I turned to him, he offered, what I thought, was an actual solution. He told me that by using the Dark Side of the Force, I would be able to stop you from dying." He paused, trying to get the courage to keep going. "A Jedi is _never_ supposed to use the Dark Side. If they do, they fall from the Light and they become a Sith , which are evil and the exact opposite of the Jedi. I knew this, but I was so scared of losing you. So, I considered the idea, even after I found out that Palpatine was the Sith Master that the Jedi had been trying to hunt down for years.

"When I was presented with the moment of choice, I could only think about those awful dreams of you dying, and I couldn't let it happen. So, I betrayed the Jedi. I turned to the Dark Side. I knew it was wrong, but once I did it, I didn't think there was anyway that I could undo the horrible things I'd done." He paused, looking at her again, and the tortured look in his eyes made Padme's heart break. She almost stopped him then, but she knew that she had to hear the story if she were going to make the right decision. "Padme...I killed _children._ I **hated** every second of it, but I reasoned that if it saved you, I would do anything Palpatine asked of me."

She had known this. She had seen this in her dreams even before she regained her memories. Still, to imagine her husband being capable of such atrocities…

"But in the end, I still lost you. You came after me to the planet Mustafar where Palpatine had sent me on a mission. We argued, and you tried to convince me to run away with you, to leave it all behind. You tried to get me to come back. And, maybe I would have, I don't know. But, then I saw Obi-Wan come out of your ship, and in that split second, I was certain you had betrayed me." He took a shuddering breath, and his next words were strangled. "In my anger, I lashed out and I…I _Force_ _choked_ you. I hurt you, and I put our children in danger." He didn't speak for a while then, and she could see that he was struggling with the knowledge of what he'd done. "Obi-Wan ordered me to let you go, and I did, and you dropped unconscious to the ground. Obi-Wan and I then fought, but instead of killing me, he cut off my legs and left me to burn on the riverbank next to the river of lava." Padme sucked in a harsh breath—she had _not_ known _that_. Anakin quickly added, "I survived...how, I don't know. I should have died, but I lay there in agony until Palpatine arrived, found me, and took me to get treatment for my injuries. After that, I had to live in a special suit that basically gave me life support. I was more machine than man, a cyborg almost."

He shook his head. "Obi-Wan took you to Polis Massa in the Outer Rim where you gave birth to our children. Turns out, you were pregnant with twins, a boy and a girl, but we hadn't known that before. You died shortly after giving birth, and even though I realized my mistakes, I thought I had lost both you and our children. For a long time, I didn't care who I was. I accepted fully my role as Darth Vader, the apprentice to Palpatine, the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, who became the Emperor of the new Galactic Empire. I murdered senselessly, ruthlessly, without mercy. I hunted down the Jedi and executed them. I killed whoever and whenever my master asked me to. It wasn't until much later that I began to realize that I was basically a slave, a puppet, to Sidious. I tried to come up with ways to overthrow Palpatine a few times over the years, but every time he always seemed to be one step ahead of me and would find a way to keep me subjugated under his thumb.

"Everything changed, though, when a spirited young senator from the planet Alderaan tried to smuggle the plans for our ultimate weapon, the Death Star, back to the Rebel Alliance. I didn't know it until I arrived here in this world, but that senator was one of our children, our daughter Leia." He paused, taking a few weak breaths, his lower lip trembling. He refused to look at her now. "I didn't know, Padme. Had I known who she was…I would like to think I would have acted differently, but I don't know that for sure." Another deep breath. "I tortured her for information. I allowed Commander Tarkin to blow up her entire planet right in front of her own eyes. I allowed him to schedule her for execution, thinking she was just another Rebel sympathizer.

"But, she didn't die. She was rescued by our other child, her brother, Luke. Even before the Death Star Plan incident, I had met Leia on various occasions across the galaxy, and I still had no clue she was our daughter. But, with Luke…I-I could feel something special about him. The Force was very prevalent, very _strong_ in him. Obi-Wan was training him to be a Jedi, and then I killed Obi-Wan on the Death Star, and Luke used the Force to help himself destroy the Death Star. While I gathered resources to destroy Palpatine and take his place as Emperor of the galaxy, I sent bounty hunters to scour the galaxy to try to find out information about the boy, and that's when I discovered that he was our son.

"I didn't rest after that. I hunted Luke across the galaxy with determined focus. I tried to do it in secret, but Luke's Force signature was too strong, and eventually, Palpatine also sensed his presence and figured out his identity. I was ordered to bring Luke before him. When I did, Luke was given an opportunity to kill me. But he didn't. He insisted that there was still good in me, and that he needed to save me from myself.

"Palpatine tried to kill him for his refusal to kill me. I might have let him, but…but Luke had put faith in me that no one had since you died. He looked like me, all blonde hair and blue eyes, but he was natured so much like you, and I…I couldn't let him be killed. He was my son, and even though I hadn't really loved anyone but you for years, I couldn't help but feel the love of a father towards him." Another deep breath. "So, to save Luke, I killed Palpatine, and in the process, I sacrificed myself to do it. I died not long after that with Luke holding me in his arms." He still refused to look at her. He closed his eyes, running his hands through his short golden curls. "He _saved_ me, Padme. Luke…you would have been _so_ proud of him. Of both of our children. Leia was so much like you. She had your dark hair and brown eyes and…" he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. I'm babbling, but I just….I wish things had been different.

"When I died, the Force gave me a choice. It gave me the choice to do things over, to have a second chance at life. I didn't fully believe it was possible, but I didn't want to waste the chance either. I wanted to do whatever I could to make things right. So, I accepted. I had no idea that it would lead me so far away from home, or that I would wake up in an alley in this world on a stormy night and get hit by Mindy's car. I had no idea that I would wake up on your couch and see you again. I had no idea that I could fall even deeper in love with you than I had been before, and I _never_ thought that when given the choice, that I would let you go." He opened his eyes then, meeting hers. "But, I did. And I'm so, so sorry that I kept all of this from you. It was wrong of me...And, I know that by telling you all of this, I'm going to lose you again. But, you needed to know the truth, Padme. I didn't just ruin my life, but my actions also ruined your life. No amount of apologies will ever fix that. But, I do want you to know that I will _always_ love you, no matter what you decide. If you decide that you never want to see me again, I completely understand."

There was a note of finality in his voice. He fully expected her to push him away forever. She could see it in his eyes. In her own eyes, tears were welling up and spilling down her cheeks. Just as she'd suspected, it was not a happy story. Yes, he had done evil, horrific, atrocious things that any sane person would have condemned forever. Any sane person would have decided that there was no redemption for him. He hadn't just hurt her, but he had also hurt their children. She shouldn't have forgiven him for that. She should have ordered him to go away and never see her again, but…

She couldn't.

The man before her wasn't the Anakin Skywalker she knew before, nor was he the monster that had done his best to kill everything her husband had stood for. No, _this_ man was her Anakin and _so much more._ He was as honest as he could have been under the circumstances he'd been thrown into. He was loyal. He was gentle. He was protective. He had put her first so many times since he had come into her life again, and here he was, willing to do it yet again, even at the cost of his own happiness.

She didn't need the Force to tell her that the man before her was a truly changed man.

Her silent tears turned into sobs, sobs that wracked her body with pain, but she couldn't stop. She cried so hard, she could hardly see. "Padme?" She could hear the worry in his voice, "I know, I should have told you…I'm so sorry…sorry doesn't even cover it….Force, I'm just making this worse, I…"

"Oh, Ani," She blubbered, stopping him. She wiped at her eyes with her right hand just enough that she could see the frozen, worried expression on his face. "Ani," She breathed out and reached her right hand out for him, and he hesitantly took her hand in both of his.

"Padme," his voice was hesitant but filled with hope, and he seemed to be choosing his words carefully, clearly terrified of making it worse for her. All she wanted was him though. "You...you just called me Ani," he said with wonder.

She sniffled, nodding. She tried to speak then, to tell him the truth, but the words wouldn't leave her mouth.

He shifted then, reaching into his pocket with his right hand, grabbing something that at first she couldn't make out. When he held up the japor snippet and his padawan braid, her sobs just started all over again. "Where did you get these from?" his voice was gentle, but also confused.

She opened her mouth, closed it, then swallowed. It took her a few tries, but she finally said, "Thanksgiving afternoon, I went up into the attic at my parents' house with Ryoo and Pooja to look around, and we found a mahogany box that had my initials on it in in the very back corner of the attic. They were in that box." The moment of her own truth had come. She met his eyes. "When I opened the box and found them in there, I touched them…I-I don't know what happened, maybe it was the Force, but I…I suddenly _remembered."_ Anakin sucked in a deep breath, and she could see the uncertainty, see the cautious hope in his eyes. His beautiful, blue eyes that had always mesmerized her since the day he had come into her life again when he was nineteen, all those years ago on Coruscant. "Ani, I _**remember...**_ everything."

His skin paled, his breathing hitched, and for a moment, he just stared at her, mouth agape, not quite believing what he was hearing. He swallowed hard once, and she squeezed his hand. "I remember meeting you for the first time on Tatooine in Watto's shop when you were nine. You asked me if I was an angel. I remember you racing in the pod race and winning to help Master Jinn and Obi-Wan and I get the part we needed for our ship. I remember meeting you again when you were nineteen and Obi-Wan's padawan, being assigned as my protector. I remember that picnic we took by the falls on Naboo when you tried to ride that shaak." She paused and chuckled at that memory.

She continued, as he continued to stare at her and hope began to blossom in his gaze, "I remember going back with you to Tatooine to try and save your mother. I remember fighting with you and the Jedi on Geonosis. You teased me about that being a 'diplomatic solution,' and I told you it was 'aggressive negotiations." She watched as he, too, grinned at that memory. "I remember you losing your right forearm in the fight with Count Dooku. I remember our first kiss on the balcony at Varykino..and I remember marrying you on that same balcony with just Artoo and Threepio there with us." She blushed, "I remember our wedding night and how nervous we both were." She glanced at him through her eyelashes and saw the smile on his face widen, and a flush on his own cheeks. " I remember all the nights we spent together at our apartment at 500 Republica. I remember that when I really missed you while you were away on missions, I'd sleep in one of the Jedi robes you left behind because it always smelled like you. I remember Threepio fussing over everything, and Artoo helping both of us on various missions. I remember when you achieved your knighthood, and you gave me your padawan braid as a gift. I remember fighting by your side both on the battlefield and off. I remember being friends with Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka, and how every time we were summoned by the Jedi council, I was always afraid that they had found out about us and you would be expelled, and that you would be devastated. I remember telling you about my pregnancy and the look of amazement on your face when I did. I remember when you gave me the japor snippet you made for me and how I treasured it and wore it often for you." She took a careful, painful breath. "Most of all, I remember that I loved you, that I have _always_ loved you, even when I didn't always see it. And, all I want now, Ani...what I have _**always**_ wanted, is your love, and I don't care how hard it will be, I just want…"

She didn't get to finish. Suddenly, Anakin went from frozen in the chair to moving. He moved faster than she could see, and suddenly, his mouth was crashing into hers, his warm hands clasping her face to him.

She had thought that their first kiss at Varykino all those years ago was amazing, that their first kiss here on the beach was wonderful. She had thought that the kiss in the ER on the night of Finn's death was fantastic. She thought the kisses they shared the night of the Gala were incredible….but, **THIS** kiss blew every kiss they had _ever_ shared, in this galaxy or their last, out of the water.

There was desperation and need, yes. But, even better, there was absolute _joy_ in this kiss. He cradled her face in his hands as he kissed her deeply, his insistent mouth parting her lips, sliding his tongue gently, lovingly across her own in the sweetest of caresses. Had she been standing, her knees would have buckled out from under her. She couldn't breathe as he kissed her, and she kissed him back fervently with every fiber of her being, trying to show him in that one kiss just what he _really_ meant to her. Her heart throbbed in her chest, painfully, sweetly, and she wrapped her good arm around his neck to draw him closer to her, wrapping her fingers in the golden curls at the nape of his neck.

He pulled away slightly, gasping for air, his forehead on hers. "Oh, _Padme_ ," he breathed, "My Angel…" It seemed everything he needed to say...could say...was conveyed in just breathing her name, the reverence, the honor…the pure _love_ he felt.

Her nickname. The one he reserved only for her. She couldn't help it. She crushed him back to her and eagerly leaned back in and kissed him again.

And again.

Again.

 _ **And again!**_

She lost count of the kisses they gave each other. At one point, Anakin pulled away, asking in a tortured voice, "But are you sure, Padme? I've done unforgivable things, I…"

She placed a quieting finger against his lips. "I care about who you are _now_ , Anakin" she interrupted, "And, right now, you're my Ani, my Jedi, and I love you _so_ much, Honey, and I just want your love forever, like you promised. So, stop worrying and shut up and _**just kiss me!"**_

And, so he did.

Soon, they were both left breathless. "Ani, please lay here with me and hold me," she requested.

"With pleasure, Milady," he grinned. He carefully climbed up on the hospital bed and lay beside her, mindful not to jostle her left arm or leg, placing his right hand gently on her hip, the other arm sliding under her shoulders, his hand tangled in her hair, and then laying his forehead against hers. Even through the blanket, she could feel the warmth of his hand burning her skin, and she hated that she was injured and had to rest.

So instead, she decided to be content in the moment. There was plenty of time to tell each other every detail of the lives they had led apart from one another. There was plenty of time to start over. For now, they were happy to just be there together in the moment, staring into each other's eyes with love and adoration as their breath mingled.

"I never thought this day would _never_ happen," he whispered , kissing the tip of her nose.

"Neither did I." She whispered back. "Ani?"

"Yes, my Love?"

"Thank you."

He shifted to look down at her, frowning in confusion. "For what?"

She wished she could move her arm so that she could hold him, hold him like she used to. "For coming home to me."

Anakin smiled, and kissed her again, softly this time. "You will always be my home, Angel."

Padme smiled, too, and she marveled how, against all of the impossible odds stacked against them, they were there, together and alive but... _ **Together.**_

Her Ani. Her Jedi.

His Padme. His Angel.

"I'm not sure I'm allowed to be on this bed like this," He murmured against her temple after a moment. "I think Vokara will…"

She recognized the name and, had she been in the mood, she may have asked him about it. But, in that moment, she just wanted to enjoy their reunion. "I don't care. Let her get upset." She wanted this moment to last forever. She didn't want any doctors or nurses or family members or friends to come in and ruin it. But, if she was honest with herself, she was getting tired, and her eyes were drooping.

"Honey?" she groggily asked.

"Yes, Angel?"

"Please shave soon. I don't want you to look like Obi-Wan." She smiled softly as he felt the rumble of his laughter beneath her cheek.

"I'll be sure to do that." His voice was amused, but also filled with love and she buried her face against his chest, breathing in his scent. "Padme," Anakin said suddenly, and she could hear that once again he was getting serious. "There's something else that I have to tell you, Sweetheart."

By the tone of his voice, she knew that whatever he was about to say would ruin this moment between them, and she was too tired, too happy to allow that to happen. "Not right now, Ani."

"But, Angel, it's important…" she reached up with her good hand and put her fingertips to his lips, stopping him. She tilted her head back and met his gaze.

"Ani, right now I just want to enjoy _this_ moment. Ok? Whatever you need to say, I promise I'll listen, but it can wait. Right now…I just want you."

His eyes softened, and he nodded. "Alright." A pause. "I love you, Angel. So much."

She smiled and shifted so that she rested her cheek against his chest, hearing the comforting beat of his heart in her ear. He kissed the top of her head, curling his fingers deeper into her hair. "I love you too, Ani."

They stayed like that for a long time, enjoying each other's company, until both their eyes finally grew heavy, and they fell into a deep, happy sleep, wrapped tightly in each other's arms.

* * *

 **It's so weird because I've had this chapter planned since before I ever wrote the first chapter, and now it's finally written and posted. It's weird, but amazing at the same time! I hope you all love it as much as I loved writing it.**

 **I wanted to address the last name Amidala. I totally get that technically, Padme's family name is Naberrie in the old galaxy, but this is an AU set in our world in a country that doesn't usually do multiple last names. So when I chose to keep her whole family's last name as Amidala, it was done solely on the fact that Padme was publicly known as Amidala in her old galaxy. With Padme's parents being politicians and public figures in this world, I figured I would continue that tradition with the name Amidala for the whole family. Just FYI.**

 **Also, if you've PMed me, just so you know, I'm super awful at responding quickly to those. I'll go respond now. I promise I'm not ignoring anyone, lol.**

 **So the songs for this chapter are of course, Across the Stars by John Williams, Stand By You by Rachel Platten (that's sort of Padme's theme I think), and Swallowed in the Sea by Coldplay.**

 **Anyhow, review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	32. Moving Forward

"So, basically, you're telling me that I'm the only one who has spent her whole life not remembering my previous life?," Padme asked as Vokara used the Force to continue working on Padme's sprained leg. Ah, the Force. That explained why her head no longer hurt, but according to Vokara, the leg would take her another day to mend, and the arm would still need to stay in a cast for a month (instead of the original two months), and even then, Padme would still have to undergo physical therapy for a few weeks to regain full use of her arm as before. She was not looking forward to that, but now that she was reunited with her husband, she felt like she could accomplish anything.

"No, not everyone, Padme," Anakin corrected. As soon as Vokara had walked in and found Anakin sharing Padme's bed (both of them having been asleep), she had ordered him off, which had woken Padme up. He still sat strictly by her side however, holding her right hand in both of his, rubbing his thumbs gently over her knuckles. "As far as I know, the only people who remember _everything_ are Obi-Wan and myself. Ahsoka remembers most stuff, but not every detail."

"I am the same." Vokara replied, but her voice was distant as she focused on her work. It was strange to see Vokara as a human instead of her blue, Twi-Lek self.

"Yoda doesn't remember anything specific, just impressions, but he is still a Force wielder." Anakin continued with a thoughtful frown. "Maybe it has something to do with the way you came to this world. Obi-Wan and I only know everything because we were both placed here specifically by the Force…and even we don't know how that was possible. Other than that, it seems like the Force is choosing what information to reveal at different times...and to whom."

That made Padme feel slightly better, but not by much. It was strange: Now that she had reunited with her husband and she was stuck in bed until she was given the okay to go home by Vokara, she had time to really think about what all had happened. She had literally lived twice, grown up twice. She had led two different, yet similar lives, in two different galaxies. Sometimes it felt like her life on Earth was the only real life, and that her previous life was just a vivid dream. Other times, it felt like her previous life was the one that was real. It was all very confusing, and she tried not to think too hard about it.

"I assume that if Vokara still has her powers here, you do as well, Ani?" Padme asked.

"I do. I had very limited ability, though, up until I let you go and the building collapsed. Now, however," his frown deepened, becoming troubled. "I feel too much of it."

She never thought those words would ever leave her husband's mouth. He had always been trying to learn to control _more_ of the Force. He had always _wanted_ to be more powerful, even as a Jedi. To hear him say this was...well...surprising, to say the least.

"There." Vokara stopped what she was doing, stepping back. "You should need just one more leg treatment, and then your leg should be fine." She gave Padme a stern look. "But, if anyone asks how you're healing so quickly…"

"I know, I know...I won't tell them it was you," Padme assured her with a smile. She realized that now that she knew the truth, she had a responsibility to protect their secret. She wasn't sure what this world would do if it found out about people with special powers living amongst them, but based on all of the alien movies Hollywood had put out there on the market, she had a sneaking suspicion that it wouldn't be good for Anakin or the rest of the Jedi if the truth ever got out.

With her parents being politicians in this world, she especially had to keep the secret from them. They loved her, but they also had a duty to their country.

And, they wouldn't understand or believe it.

She shuddered at the thought of the government coming and taking her husband from her and quickly forced the thought away. _It'd be like a weird version of E.T.,_ she thought. _No wonder I never liked that scene in that movie._

"Thank you," Vokara said with a nod, before she glanced over at Anakin. A strange look passed between them, as if there were still secrets that only the two of them knew. Padme opened her mouth to ask what was going on, but Vokara shook her head. "Rest now, but if you need me, don't hesitate to call." She left before Padme could say another word.

However, Anakin was still with her, and he was now looking down at their entwined hands, a sick look on his face. Suddenly, Padme wasn't so sure she really wanted to know what he had on his mind, but she had a strong feeling that whatever it was, it needed to be said.

With a sigh, she asked, "Ani, what is it that you needed to tell me?"

Anakin actually flinched. _Flinched?_ It had to be awful if he physically reacted to her question like that. She only remembered one time when he'd done that, after he had lost control of his anger and had attacked Clovis and she had almost left him because of it. If he was flinching now…Well, this wasn't a good sign.

"Padme," his voice was rough, almost strangled, and his grip on her hand tightened. "Sweetheart, I want you to know that I love you. So much."

"Okay," Padme said slowly, suddenly afraid of what he was about to say. Maybe she should stop him and pretend the issue didn't exist. If she was anyone else, she might have done that, but Padme didn't run from the truth. So, she braced herself for whatever he was about to say.

"And, what's happened…well," his eyes met hers, pleading with her to believe what he was saying, "It's not anyone's fault but Palpatine's. OK? This is _not_ your fault, Angel."

A lot of awful things had happened because of Palpatine. No surprise there, and Padme didn't even know all of them. It seemed like Anakin was about to tell her one of them, though, and it felt as if her heart had dropped into her stomach. "Ani, you're scaring me." She said, her voice shaking.

Anakin sighed, and that strange look crossed his face again. This time, it stayed, and Padme finally identified it as being tortured. "I don't know how to tell you this, but Angel, you didn't just break a few bones in the car crash." He paused, seeming to struggle with the words. "Padme, you were pregnant when Maul smashed into your car."

What? Did she hear him right?

Did he just say she was...

 _Pregnant?!_

As Anakin gazed at her with loving concern, gently rubbing her hand and trying to gauge her reaction to the news, she just blinked at him. She couldn't fully comprehend the words at first. Her mind slowly began working out what he was trying to tell her. His face remained a mask of concern as he watched her struggling to take in his words.

She was pregnant? She had been pregnant once in their galaxy, and now she was…

No. Wait. Anakin had used past tense.

Her throat tightened, and she felt pressure behind her eyes as she choked out, " _Were?"_

Anakin looked like every word he spoke was physical torture. "Yes, Angel. You…we lost our baby. You were too early in your pregnancy, and the baby couldn't survive the combined trauma of the car accident coupled with the building exploding."

Suddenly, she couldn't breathe. She hadn't even _known_ she and Anakin had conceived the night of the Gala (which had to be _when_ , as it was the only time they'd been together in this world), and yet to know that she had been pregnant with their child and to have lost their baby…

 _Or babies. Oh, no! What if that was Luke and Leia?!_

"Angel," Anakin groaned, and he reached up to gently start wiping her tears away. At least, she assumed that's what he was doing. She couldn't even feel the tears falling down her face. He continued to say something to her softly as he stroked her cheeks, but she couldn't focus on it.

Her baby, Anakin's baby…possibly _babies_ …now gone. Lost to them. Forever.

It was beyond crushing.

She felt like she had literally been gutted.

She wanted to demand that Anakin tell her this wasn't happening to them. She wanted to go and hunt Palpatine down herself. He had taken so much from her, from _them_ already— and by some miracle from the Force, she had gotten her husband back. Butnow _this_ … **this** was irreplaceable. She couldn't do anything except cry as sorrow and grief for their loss threatened to overwhelm her.

Anakin clearly didn't care that Vokara had ordered him off the bed. As soon as she broke down, he was back on the bed, pulling her carefully into his arms, holding her tightly as she sobbed into his chest, twining his left hand in her hair, murmuring soothingly into her ear, letting her know he was there for her...that they would get through this _together_.

They didn't get much time to mourn their loss; however, as her parents walked in not long after she had started crying. Her father, who by the look on his face clearly did not know she had lost a baby, asked her with some concern why she was crying. Through her tears, she took one look at her mother's grave face and had realized that, while her mother knew about the baby, her father did not for some reason. Probably a good reason. So, she wiped her eyes, and she'd made something up. She didn't remember what she'd said, or even if her dad had bought it, but he didn't press the issue.

She was happy to see her parents. It was good to know that they were still very much alive and happy in this world, and that they loved her just as much here as they had previously in her old life. But, in that moment, she really didn't want them there. She didn't want to dry her tears and pretend that everything was okay when it wasn't. She only wanted to be with her Ani and have him hold her while they mourned their lost baby.

But, it would hurt her father's feelings if she asked him to leave. So, she forced herself to concentrate on the moment, deciding to take it as a distraction. However, as Anakin carefully climbed off the bed once again, she continued to hold his hand in a tight grip, drawing strength from his presence. He entwined their fingers, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. _I'm here, Angel,_ he conveyed through his touch.

Her parents weren't the only ones who dropped by her room in that very inopportune moment. While her father was talking to Anakin about sending the encrypted emails to him to work on (he had received Ahsoka's texts), Mindy suddenly blew in the doorway, breathing as if she'd run a marathon through the hospital hallways. It was possible, knowing her.

"I knew it!" She cried, interrupting her parents. "You're going to be broken forever!"

Her parents, having known Mindy for a number of years, didn't even blink an eye at this interruption. Anakin, who was getting used to it, just rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Do you have to enter every room yelling, Mindy?"

"Yes, I do." She shot him a glare. "And, do you have to ignore _all_ of my calls and texts?"

"Yes, I do." He shot right back, his lips twitching in amusement at Mindy...being Mindy.

Even in the midst of her sorrow, Padme couldn't help but smile at the exchange. "Hello to you too, Mindy." Truth be told, she was glad to see her best girlfriend. Mindy, in her own unique way, was a soothing balm to Padme's battered spirit.

Mindy ignored Anakin and sat down on Padme's other side, careful not to touch her. "Be careful with her left side," Anakin warned, and Padme could hear his controlled annoyance.

"I'm sorry, but as of right now, I'm officially ignoring you," Mindy pointedly declared to Anakin, as she shot another dark look at him before turning her attention back to Padme, who was mildly amused at their bickering. "So, have they caught this hit and run jerk yet?"

"No, afraid not" Padme said quietly with a shake of her head. She knew Mindy knew the truth about Anakin and Obi-Wan and her, and she longed to tell Mindy that she remembered now, too and that she could be completely open with her again. But, her parents were right there, and she couldn't start talking about Jedi, Sith Lords, and past lives and galaxies at that moment. They would have her committed to a mental institution for her own safety. No. She would just have to tell Mindy the real story later.

"Well, have you at least gotten your stuff out of your car?" Mindy asked.

Padme raised an eyebrow, looking down at herself. "Oh yeah, the doctors totally let me get up and go do that when I got bored," She said dryly.

Mindy huffed and rolled her eyes. "So, you haven't." She shook her head and sighed. "I guess I can go do that for you."

"You don't have to, Mindy, dear" her mother said, "Ruwee was about to go take care of that actually, and look for a new car…"

"Oh, Dad," Padme interrupted, "You shouldn't." She had been the one to buy her car. She'd worked hard her sophomore, junior, and senior years at college plus over the summers at a part-time job to earn the money for it. Her parents had only given her the house because they were proud that she had worked so hard and graduated from college with honors. Padme had paid for herself since she was able to get her first job as a teenager anyway. It just felt…strange...to let her parents get her another car. After all, she had insurance.

Her father, however, did not agree. He frowned. "Padme, I'm your father. Fathers are supposed to step in and help when their children need it. Right now, with everything that's happened to you in the last month alone, you need my help. I can't fix everything, but I can do this. So do this, I will, young lady, and you're not going to stop me." He shot her a pointed look that brooked no arguments.

To say that Padme was touched would have been an understatement. With so many emotions careening through her already, her father's obvious display of parental affection was enough for tears to well up in her eyes again. She managed to stop them from falling, however...but only just. "I love you, Daddy," she managed to say, her voice tight.

Ruwee's face softened, and he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "I love you, too, Sweetheart." He leaned back, squaring his shoulders. "So, Mindy, you come with me, and we'll go clean out Padme's car, get her stuff, and I'll contact the insurance company, get pictures of the damage, and collect the police report." He turned and glanced over at Anakin who had observed the exchange quietly. "And, Anakin, I would like you to come with us, as well."

Anakin bolted upright in the chair, a look of surprise on his face. "Who? Me?," he asked, startled by Ruwee's suggestion. Anakin looked at Padme, as if worried that she would disappear if he left her side. "But, what about…" he began.

Padme wanted him to stay. She wanted him to hold her and never let go. She wanted him to be surrounded by her love, as she was enveloped by his. But, she also knew that her father wouldn't have asked him to go with him unless he felt it necessary, and Anakin looked like he could use a break from being in the hospital room with her anyway. So, she squeezed his hand and tugged him toward her, pulling him out of the chair and down to her to whisper in his ear. "Honey, you should go with Dad and Mindy. I need to try to rest anyway, and really, I'm not much fun right now. Okay?" He leaned back to look into her eyes, uncertainty about leaving her written all over his face. She gave him an impish grin, cocking an eyebrow, and whispered, "Besides, if you don't want me to start calling you Obi-Wan when you kiss me, then you'd better take the time to go shower and _shave_ while you're out."

That did it.

He gave her a grin and winked at her, leaning down and whispering in her ear, "Well, we can't have _that_ , now can we, Senator?" He softly kissed her ear and then gently bit and suckled her earlobe for a moment to tease her before pulling back to look at her with a tender smile. It took her entire will not to gasp-her parents were _right there._ Oh, he was going to get an earful later.

She captured his mischievous gaze with an answering twinkle in her own. "Go, Ani. I'll be fine. I promise. It's not like I'm going anywhere." She grinned at him, and he nodded in resignation.

"Okay. Fine. But, don't hesitate to call me if you need help." She suddenly remembered she didn't have her cellphone with her. It was probably still in her car (wherever it was), but she didn't tell Anakin that. She knew he'd only stay if she did, and he really needed a break after being cooped up in the hospital with her for at least the past day or two. She nodded her head.

"I won't." she managed to genuinely smile as she felt a surge of love for him. She hoped that he could feel that through the Force, and by the way his eyes softened, he likely had.

He leaned over once again and kissed her lips tenderly. "I'll be back soon. Rest. Please?" He whispered, and she nodded again.

He squeezed her hand once more and then left with Mindy and her father. Meanwhile, her mother sat on the edge of her bed, openly looking at Padme with concern as if she expected her daughter to break. Once the door closed behind Anakin, she said, "Sweetheart," her voice dripping with so much concern that Padme was almost sick with it, "Are you going to be alright? Did Anakin tell you about..."

"Yes, Mom. He did," she replied, wishing to keep the conversation short. She didn't feel like talking about…It. If she talked about it, if she even thought about it, she knew she would break. She was already on the edge, and in that moment, all she wanted was to be left alone so that she could try to lose herself in sleep.

At least, that's what she told herself.

"Do you want to talk about it?" her mother asked, not getting the hint.

Padme sighed. "No, Mom, I don't want to talk about it. Not right now. Really, I just want to try and sleep."

She could tell that her mother didn't quite believe her, but she nodded anyway, reaching over to gently ruffle her hair. "Okay. I'm here if you need me though."

"I know."

"I'm going to the cafeteria to get some coffee and some fruit." Her mother offered her a small, sad smile before she got up and left the room, leaving Padme to be alone with her thoughts.

Padme did try to sleep. She closed her eyes, tried to think of anything except the baby, but somehow, no matter how tired she was, no matter how much she squeezed her eyes shut, she just couldn't succumb to the freedom that sleep so often offered.

She had settled on turning the TV on to find something mindless to fall asleep to when her door opened again. She turned, expecting to see perhaps a nurse or Vokara or even Sola, but instead, she found herself face to face with Obi-Wan.

He closed the door softly, offering her the friendly smile she had been accustomed to for so many years. It was a smile that had always made her feel safe. It was a smile that had been nothing but an offer of friendship, or a listening ear in time of trouble.

But now, looking at him, she only felt a surge of fury at his presence.

He must have felt her anger through the Force, because his smile waned, his eyes reflected concern, and he stopped short near the door. "How are you feeling?" He asked calmly. He was always calm like that, and his Jedi stoicism grated on her already raw nerves, just making her even angrier. She wondered if he had been that calm when he had sliced her husband's limbs off and left him to burn on Mustafar.

"I remember, Obi-Wan. _**Everything**_." She said, her voice hard and clipped.

Obi-Wan sighed, walking over and sitting down in the seat that Anakin had vacated. She watched him walk over and settle in the chair, wanting to tell him to get out, but the rational side of her stopped her. She hadn't listened to his side of the story yet, and Anakin had continued a friendship with Obi-Wan in the last few months. So, if Anakin was pursuing a friendship with him still, she probably didn't have the whole story.

 _He deserves the benefit of the doubt, too...just like Anakin,_ she reasoned to herself.

She didn't want to be rational though. For once, she just wanted to react purely on emotion. She narrowed her eyes and pinched her mouth into a thin line, regarding Obi-Wan warily.

"I assume Anakin knows this?" He asked. She nodded slowly. "And, he probably told you about what I did to him on Mustafar when we fought?"

"How could you?!" her voice shook with rage. "There was still good in him! I _told_ you this, and obviously, I was right! And yet you, his best friend, his mentor….his _**brother**_...didn't just turn from him! No! You _abandoned_ him and you left him for dead! Left him to _burn to death!_ " She was ranting now, unable to stop, beyond furious. "Did you even make _any_ effort to try to save him?! And, did you bother to tell me what had happened to him when you took me to Polis Massa? No! You didn't! You misled me, Obi-Wan! Furthermore, after I entrusted my children to you—which I would _never_ have done had I known that you'd almost murdered their father—you went and separated them!"

"Padme, please listen to me...I understand you're upset," Obi-Wan said, raising his hands in a gesture of calm, trying to placate her. "Anakin and I have discussed this at length over the last few months. There were….many misunderstandings between us before. We had left a lot unsaid, and obviously, he was keeping secrets from me in our old galaxy. So, when I saw that he was struggling, I figured that he would be able to use meditation to calm down. Had I known what was _really_ going on…," He sighed, running his hand through his hair. "But, I didn't know. So, when he turned to the Dark Side, I took it as a personal betrayal, and for the first time since the death of Qui-Gon, I let anger control my actions, especially after I watched him choke you before my eyes, and I-I...left him for dead on Mustafar. I loved him as a brother, Padme, and even though he screamed at me that he hated me…I just _couldn't_ kill him. I know it would have been the merciful thing to do, yes, but I just...couldn't." Obi-Wan looked down at his hands resting on his knees and sighed.

"As for Luke and Leia, I was in no way capable of raising two _very_ strongly Force-sensitive children, especially since the Empire was after my life. I believed if Darth Vader had discovered them, they would have either been raised with the Dark Side as a Sith, or even worse, they would have been raised by Palpatine himself."

"You don't know for sure that Anakin would have raised them to become Sith," Padme defended, but even she knew that, despite there being no _real_ way of knowing, it was very likely that Darth Vader would have done just that.

Even though Obi-Wan obviously knew this, he decided to agree with her to placate her. "Who knows what would have happened, but the outcome would have been dangerous for the children, Padme. Surely, you can see that. Yoda, Bail, and I had to make an immediate decision after your death for the children's welfare. So, Bail Organa and his wife, Breha, raised Leia as their daughter on Alderaan to be a senator—even though she had her father's temperament, she had your skill and political savvy, and she looked so much like you, too." He smiled, as if remembering something. Padme felt the sting of jealousy keenly, and more than ever she wished she had been given more than a mere moment with her two children. "And, Luke was raised by Owen and his wife, Beru, on Tatooine at the Lars moisture farm. He looked so very much like Anakin, but he had your temperament. Luke ended up becoming a great and powerful Jedi…" He paused, looking away from her, his gaze unfocused, as if he were far away remembering past events. "Luke had an opportunity to kill his father. I even told him once that he had to do so if he was going to save the galaxy. But, Luke believed in the goodness of his father, a man who had not done anything worthy of deserving that title. It was that belief that ultimately saved Anakin. It was Luke's faith that proved me wrong, and when I woke up here, I decided to start over and give my friendship with Anakin another chance, which I have."

He shook his head, refocusing on her. "Luke's actions saved your whole family—it saved Anakin, and he very much considers Luke to be his hero. I wish I had made different decisions, but I can't go back and change them. All we can do is move forward. I hope you can forgive me, Padme."

Padme wanted to still be angry at him, and she _was_ angry. But the more Obi-Wan talked, the more that anger at him evaporated, and all that was left was a weariness that settled into her very bones, leaving her completely exhausted. She was angry, sure, but she realized that it wasn't at Obi-Wan. Not really. She already knew that Obi-Wan had also changed, and it wasn't fair to forgive Anakin for his mistakes and not forgive Obi-Wan. Besides, in many ways, Obi-Wan's reaction was very human and most would consider it justified. It didn't mean she was happy with what happened, but the Force had given both these men a second chance, and who was she to get in the way of that? Really, the Force had given _**all**_ of them a second chance...a chance to correct the mistakes made in the past on all sides, she realized with stark clarity.

And, it was time to do just that.

So, Padme let it go.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, giving Obi-Wan a tentative smile. "There have just been…a lot of emotions for me the last twenty-four hours." That was probably the biggest understatement she had ever said in her entire life.

"I can only imagine," in his voice, she could hear the sorrow. It wasn't the same pity he'd had when he found out Padme was pregnant with Anakin's children while he was planning on killing their father. It was genuine sorrow, and oddly, she felt comforted by it. It wasn't the same as having Anakin being there with her, but she didn't have to tell Obi-Wan any details without him understanding what she was going through. He knew her story in a way most people, including her own parents and sister, could never know.

It was moments like these that she was reminded of why Anakin considered Obi-Wan family.

"Thank you, Obi-Wan," She said softly.

"You're welcome, Padme. If you or Anakin need anything, I'm always here. You know that." Obi-Wan gave her a sad smile.

Padme nodded and tried to smile back but ultimately failed, as grief struck her anew. "Obi-Wan," She managed to say with a tight voice, "What if the baby I lost was…?" she couldn't finish. Tears threatened to come again, and she just wasn't ready to break down in front of anyone else but Anakin, couldn't share that loss with anyone but her husband.

Obi-Wan didn't need to hear the end of her question to know what she was thinking. He considered her question carefully before he replied. "Padme, if there is _anything_ that I know about both Luke and Leia," he said seriously, "It's that they're fighters. Just like you, just like Anakin. If they have the opportunity to come to this world to be with you and Anakin, they'll do whatever they can to do it."

He seemed to believe his words, but could she? She hadn't known her children and therefore, couldn't necessarily agree with his statement. She had carried them, birthed them, and yet she knew nothing about the children she'd given life to, other than their names. It was a dumb idea. She should have stopped talking about them. But, at the same time, she needed to know. "Tell me about my children, Obi-Wan. Help me to know them."

So, Obi-Wan did.

For a long time, she listened to him talk about Leia and her mischievous childhood, about her sneaking out to explore Alderaan, and about how she grew up to not only be a senator, but also a major leader in the Rebel Alliance against the Empire. The more he talked about Leia, the more she recognized the many similarities Leia had to both herself and Anakin, and she felt a swell of pride for the daughter she had barely met.

She listened to him talk about Luke and how he had grown up under much simpler, less comfortable circumstances on Tatooine (much like his father had before him), but how Luke had always longed for adventure, longed to traverse the galaxy. Those adventures had often, to Owen's dismay, caused Luke to want to know more about his father and where he'd come from, but Owen hadn't allowed it. Still, Obi-Wan explained, it hadn't stopped Luke from running into two (familiar!) droids that launched him on the path to becoming a Jedi, meeting his sister, and becoming the hero that would save not only his family, but an entire galaxy.

The more Obi-Wan talked, the more Padme felt a powerful longing to know her children, to somehow go back in time and stop herself from dying so that she could raise her children herself. But, it was impossible, and now….

Now, she may never get that chance.

"Padme?" Obi-Wan stopped telling stories, and she suddenly realized that there were silent tears sliding down her face, dripping onto the blanket draped across her chest. "I'm sorry. I guess I shouldn't have talked so much about them…" he said, looking discomforted at her distress.

"No," she said, shaking her head, "no. Don't be sorry. I asked to know about them. It's okay. I _needed_ to know." She took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Thank you, Obi-Wan. You've been a good friend...not only to my husband and to me, but to our children as well."

"And, I will continue to be your friend for as long as I am able, Padme." He promised firmly.

She nodded, not sure if there would be any children to befriend in _this_ life. If she couldn't have Luke and Leia, she wasn't sure she could handle having other children apart from her twins. The loss was just…too much. But, she knew that was something she'd have to discuss with Anakin.

Still, for the moment, she forced herself to stop thinking about it. By this time, the weariness had turned into absolute exhaustion, and even Obi-Wan could see that. He stood. "I'm going to get going. You should get some rest…in fact, you need to."

"I know." She settled back into the pillows, taking deep breaths to calm herself. "I will. Thanks again, Obi-Wan."

"Anytime." He smiled and turned, and then left without a word, leaving her alone in the room.

This time, she welcomed the darkness of a dreamless sleep.

* * *

"For the last time, we are _**not**_ getting Padme a pink Corvette," Anakin rolled his eyes, resisting the urge to drag Mindy away from the bright pink monstrosity that the dealership called a car. As Ahsoka predicted, Mindy's silent treatment towards him hadn't even lasted half an hour. "Besides, she doesn't even like pink that much."

"Fine, not pink, but what about a blue one?" She moved on to a dark blue Corvette, running her hand over it reverently. "In fact, I bet she would _love_ it." MIndy's grin was almost feral.

"You only want her to get one so you can borrow it." Anakin crossed his arms. "Seriously, let's find an actual, plausible car to get her." They had separated from Ruwee to cover more ground. They had chosen a huge dealership in the hopes of finding something suitable for Padme, but it was now taking a lot of time to find something. He was looking for a car that was similar to the BMW, and although he had found cars like that, they just didn't seem…right.

"I am serious. I'm always serious. You just never take me seriously. That's not my problem." Nevertheless, she moved away from the Corvettes with a sigh and continued following him through the rows of cars. "So...She finally remembers everything."

"Yes." He had told Mindy the real events as soon as Ruwee had wandered off.

"And, she's still dating you?" On the surface, it sounded like a joke, but Anakin could hear the genuine curiosity in her voice.

Anakin could hardly believe it himself. He had been so sure that Padme would reject him completely; he had, in fact, been prepared for just that. However, his sweet wife was forgiving and just as loving as he remembered. He didn't deserve it, but he loved her more for it anyway.

"She's not really dating me, I told you. Technically, we're still married." He replied absently, scanning a row of Hondas. Force, this place had everything, he thought.

Mindy snorted. "Well, sorry to burst your bubble there, Galaxy Guy, but you're _not_ married to Padme in _this_ world. And, never have been...here. So _no_ , technically, _legally,_ you're **not** married to each other. At least, not in the rest of _this_ world's eyes. I mean, don't get me wrong...you can totally keep living in that fantasy realm with Padme for the rest of your lives, but until you actually have a legal ceremony here in this world to make it all legit, you'll just be living together...or to use the common term for it, "shacking up"...of course, if you prefer, the politically correct term is, "cohabitating." And, by the way, don't be surprised if everyone constantly annoys you guys with questions like, 'Oh, _when_ will you actually get married?'... Or, my personal favorite, "Do you plan on having babies together since you're not married?" She paused. "Okay, that last question may wait a bit, but just wait. I'd give it a year from now tops before people start asking that particular question."

Anakin stopped walking and frowned. This thought had never occurred to him. Of course, he'd recognized that _technically_ he wasn't married to Padme in this world, but every time he looked at her, he still saw her as his wife. She was his, and he was hers. They had defied all the odds and were fully together again. End of story, right? Somehow he had just…assumed...that everyone else here, whether they also remembered the real them or not, would see them that way as well. But, Mindy's comments gave him pause.

 _Hmph...If we don't also get married legally in this world_ , he thought, as a dark gray Lexus SUV turned the corner and began inching towards them slowly, _then it'll basically be like we're married in secret again_. And, if he married her again in this world, perhaps this time they could both have the wedding they always dreamed of. Anakin just stood there and turned these thoughts over in his mind.

The SUV pulled to a stop next to them, and the passenger side window rolled down to reveal the faces of Ruwee and an oily salesman with a forced smile on his face. "So, you must be the other two," the salesman said, and from behind him, in the driver's side, Ruwee made a disgusted face. "Glad you two didn't get lost. We were worried for a second."

"You're not going to buy her _this_ , are you?" Mindy asked disdainfully, her hands on her hips. "This just screams "Mom mobile."

"No, that's a mini-van,." Ruwee corrected her. "Besides, it's much safer than her last car, and it still looks pretty sleek for an SUV." Anakin, who preferred the freedom his motorcycle gave him, couldn't help but agree with Ruwee: The SUV, although bigger, was also designed in such a way that it looked like it was a vehicle that not only Padme would enjoy, but _he_ could stand as well. "Sir, if you don't mind, I would really like for my daughter's boyfriend here to try the car out with me," Ruwee said.

Wait. Just boyfriend? Not husband? Anakin frowned. He didn't want to be known as just Padme's boyfriend. No, he didn't like that. He was her _life partner_ , and he wanted the honor and privilege of being her husband again.

Maybe Mindy did have a point…

"Alone, preferably...please?," Ruwee added.

The salesman frowned. "But, I have to be in the car at all times," He insisted. "I can't have you leaving the lot…"

"My good man, you already have my information. It's not like I'd get away with it if I _tried_ to steal it. And, as a well known politician…" Ruwee frowned. " Actually, I'm not going to bother mentioning that." This caused Mindy to chuckle before she caught Ruwee's eye and then cleared her throat and said, "Uh, sorry," but obviously not meaning it.

The salesman still hesitated. "No, I just won't, sir." He said with finality, leaning back in the passenger seat.

Anakin's brow furrowed. There was a reason Ruwee had asked for this. But, what was it? Thinking quickly, he cleared his throat, getting the salesman's attention through the open window. "You _will_ let me test drive this car alone with this gentleman," Anakin said, as he raised his right hand and almost imperceptibly waved his fingers at the salesman, the Force swelling up behind his words, reaching out to wrap around the man's mind.

The man blinked, straightening a bit in his seat. "I will let you test drive the car alone with this gentleman." He repeated, and he unbuckled his seatbelt immediately, opened the door and slid out of the car, leaving the door open for Anakin to get in.

Ruwee blinked in surprise. "Well. That wasn't so hard." As Anakin climbed into the SUV that smelled strongly of new leather, he caught a glimpse of Mindy giving him an _I totally saw that, you cheater_ look. Anakin grinned sheepishly back, shrugging his shoulders as he shut the door behind him. "See you two back at the main building," Ruwee called out before he began to drive away.

Neither man said a word as Ruwee drove the car out of the parking lot and onto the street, carefully weaving in and out of different lanes. The car drove smoothly, and Anakin couldn't help but be impressed by it. It felt like they were gliding rather than driving on four rubber wheels.

It was when they were approaching a stoplight that Ruwee sighed. "So." Anakin looked over to the older man to find him giving Anakin a suspicious look. "What exactly are your intentions with regard to my daughter, Anakin?"

Well. At least Ruwee was direct. But then, Ruwee had always been direct as long as Anakin had known him. He had never been shy to ask Anakin about the various measures being taken to ensure his daughter's safety back in their old galaxy. Anakin had always admired the man for it, and he still did now.

Still, when Ruwee asked the question, Anakin's mind suddenly went blank. He hadn't ever had a personal conversation with the man...well, about his relationship with Padme, even though he was technically his father-in-law.

 _Except that, technically, in this world, Ruwee isn't your father-in-law,_ Anakin thought. Well, now was Anakin's chance to start the process of getting to know his father-in-law better and of making this part of his life right.

So, Anakin took a deep breath, looked Ruwee in the eye, and said, "Sir, I'm in love with your daughter. She means the world to me."

"You two were fighting before this whole mess, and you broke up and you moved out," Ruwee pointed out.

Anakin sighed and shrugged, knowing full well that he couldn't tell Ruwee the details of that argument if he ever wanted his approval. He would likely think Anakin was crazy if he told him what their fight had actually been about. "We're not perfect people, Sir. Sometimes we fight, yes, but that just means we have an opportunity to work things out and grow closer together as a couple." He took another deep breath. Force, _why_ was he so nervous? Because he realized with a chill up his spine that that's what he was…nervous. He, Anakin Skywalker, formerly Darth Vader, Sith Lord Extraordinaire, was nervous.

Anakin took another deep breath, swallowed hard, and then calmly said, "Sir, if I may...I would like to ask for your permission to have Padme's hand in marriage. I want her to be my wife."

Ruwee's eyebrows shot up to his hairline in surprise. "Well...ugh...I must say, I certainly wasn't expecting _that_ answer."

"What _were_ you expecting, Sir?" Anakin couldn't help it. He was truly curious as to what his father-in-law had expected him to say.

Ruwee turned back to the road as the light went green and eased off the brake, moving the vehicle forward in traffic. "Well, quite frankly, I was thinking that you two were obviously serious, but that it would still be awhile before you started talking about marriage. Sola also had a fast relationship with her husband, Darred, but Padme has always been the more level headed of my two daughters. I just wasn't expecting…" he sighed. "Have you and Padme been talking about this at all?"

Well, technically, they were sort of married already, or they at least _were_ in his old galaxy… "Yes, Sir." _Just keep it short_ , he decided. _Stop over analyzing things_.

Ruwee was silent for a long time as he drove, making Anakin more nervous by the mile.

Oh Force! _What_ would he do if Ruwee said no?

Well, at the end of the day, when all was said and done, in his own mind at any rate, he would be her husband. Only Padme could tell him that she didn't want to be with him anymore. But, it would mean so much to her, and to Anakin (if he were truly honest), if her father gave them his blessing this time.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to Anakin, Ruwee spoke. "I've never seen her look at anyone else the way she looks at you," he said, glancing over at Anakin. "She looks at you like you're her other half….almost as if, she's been waiting her whole life to...I don't know... _reunite_ with you again." _Oh, if he only knew just_ _ **how much**_ _truth there was to that statement, for both of them_! "She obviously looks to you for strength when she feels like she has none left." He glanced at Anakin again. "I saw how you two were when we came in today. I'm not going to ask you for the real story behind that…it's none of my business really, but whatever it is, you were keeping her together today." Anakin's heart swelled with so many emotions— _sorrow_ for the real tragedy behind what Ruwee had seen that morning in the hospital, _happiness_ that Ruwee saw that much depth and love in their relationship, and _joy_ that he and Padme were _finally_ able to be open like this with each other around their friends and their families, that they no longer had to hide their relationship from anyone.

Another pause. "Anakin, you have my blessing, young man. I would be _honored_ to welcome you into our family as my daughter's husband and our son."

It took a few tries before Anakin could respond. His throat was tight with emotion as he choked out, "Thank you, Sir." He hadn't really known just how much he'd longed for Ruwee's blessing until he'd given it. And, now that he had, he felt as if a weight had been lifted off of his chest.

Ruwee pulled the car back around and continued back toward the car lot. "Anakin, let me be honest with you. Part of the reason why I want to get this car is not just for Padme's safety, though, that is certainly important." He gave Anakin a pointed look. "If you're looking to marry her, both of you are going to need more space to grow."

At first, Anakin didn't understand what Ruwee meant by that. But, casting a glance into the back of the car at the two other rows of leather seats behind them, he suddenly understood, and he couldn't help it when a slight flush crept over his face. "Oh...Well, Sir...I don't know when children will happen," he began, somewhat embarrassed to discuss, well... _that subject.._ with his father-in-law, but Ruwee cut him off.

"I don't expect them to come soon, obviously, but they will happen someday. So, it's better to prepare now than wait until the last minute," he shrugged.

Ruwee had a point. Already Padme had gotten pregnant as soon as they had resumed marital relations in this world. So, who was to say she wouldn't get pregnant again...just as easily and just as quickly as before? After all, now that they were back together ( _Permanently this time_ , Anakin thought with a determined smile) and could actually _live together_ and share a bed every night as they'd always wanted to, physical intimacy was going to be a given between them. They loved each other too much for it _not_ to be part of their relationship. And, Anakin had to admit the thought of finally having children together with Padme and being able to raise them like they had wanted to with Luke and Leia both exhilarated him and terrified him at the same time.

"Oh...by the way, I want you to know, Anakin...I am getting this car for your family. It's a gift for both of you. Not just for Padme. So, I'm putting this car in _both_ of your names." Anakin gaped speechless for a moment at Ruwee, who only smiled in return.

"Sir, I…I don't know what to say! Thank you,"Anakin managed to gasp out in shock, truly humbled at Ruwee's thoughtfulness.

"You're most welcome, Son...and I'm glad to do it. Now, let's go sign all the paperwork and get you the keys, shall we? I know you can't wait to show your new wheels to Padme." Anakin felt the sudden pressure of tears behind his eyes at this gift of confidence, of approval….of _acceptance_ from his father-in-law. He felt overwhelmed by it.

He nodded his head in agreement, "Let's do it, Sir." Anakin shared a grin with Ruwee as they made their way back down the road to where Mindy and the car salesman waited.

"Oh, one last thing, though" Ruwee said as they turned back into the dealership parking lot and pulled to a stop up front by the main building. Anakin could see Mindy pacing inside in the waiting area.

What else could Ruwee possibly say? If he said anymore, Anakin was sure that he would be an emotional mess by the time he returned to Padme that evening. "Uh, yes, sir?"

Ruwee glanced at him, and a dangerous glint lit his eyes. "I told you this once before, but I'll say it here again. If you _ever_ hurt my daughter," he said seriously, "I have no problems going to prison."

* * *

 **Whew! Sorry for the late update, but this week was a nightmare. I had a meeting every day, including Saturday, for 4 hours or more. I was basically going insane. I wanted to get this done yesterday, but I was so tired, I finished it today. Hope you all enjoyed it!**

 **Anyhow, I don't think I have any items of business to address and there weren't any songs that really fit this chapter. But, I have updated the pintrest with Padme's new car. So if you want to look at that, have at it! It's on my profile, just remember to copy and paste it into your browser since Fanfic won't let us post links from outside fanfic anymore.**

 **Anyhow. Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	33. Triumph and Tears

"Are you ready?" Anakin grinned widely, his eyes sparkling with excitement, his hands curled in the sheet that hid his completed project from view. The lab was brimming with activity, each work station home to a student's completed invention, each one ready for inspection for grading by Rex and the panel of judges brought in for this final exam. The room was filled with an excited buzz from all those gathered to watch the presentations, including students, family members, and faculty alike. And, to her mind, Anakin seemed to be the most excited of them all. He was practically giddy with it.

"You bet," she replied. She couldn't help but smile, finding his enthusiasm charming as always.

It had been just over a week since Padme had been released from the hospital and Anakin had brought her home in their new SUV, which they both decided was perfect for them (though Mindy continued to grumble that it was just another "Mom Mobile," much to their amusement). Already her left leg was fully healed; however, her rib fractures were still mending. But, thankfully, Vokara had said only one more treatment with the Force and she no longer would feel any sharp pains in her chest every time she took a deep breath or accidentally rolled over in her sleep. Her arm, still in the blue cast that ended just below her elbow, itched constantly, and especially at night her arm would ache. Vokara had given her some pain medicine to take at night, which helped her sleep, but still, she'd already woken up numerous times in the middle of the night the last week, groaning "ow" in pain.

Anakin had moved all of his stuff home from Obi-Wan's apartment and back into her…now _their..._ bedroom permanently before her release from the hospital, and being a light sleeper, he had woken up every single time she'd cried out and had used the little healing knowledge of the Force he had to help lessen her pain, for which Padme was grateful.

You wouldn't know that looking at him now though. He looked well rested, a veritable ball of energy, with a smile stretching from ear to ear. While all of the other students were a little more dressed up to make their presentations (Padme herself wore a royal blue, capped sleeve, sheath dress that hugged her curves perfectly along with her favorite black pumps), Anakin still wore his oil-stained jeans and white t-shirt that he'd been wearing almost every single day for the past week while he made the last intensive push to finish his project. Padme had his dress clothes ready in a bag for him to change into, but he had been too excited to go ahead and show her his project, so she hadn't bothered to bug him about it just yet.

Padme smiled again at her husband. "I should be asking you that question, though. It's _your_ final exam, after all."

Anakin rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Technology might be a little different here, but at the end of the day, it's not any harder to figure out than modifying a TIE fighter." Padme didn't really know what a TIE fighter was, but she assumed it was the type of ship Anakin had flown as Darth Vader.

She glanced around the workshop at the other students who were busy making last minute adjustments to their various inventions. They all looked pretty cool (although, she couldn't figure out what half of them were), but she had a gut feeling that Anakin's presentation would blow the competition away. "Go for it, Ani," she said with a smile, motioning with her hand that he should remove the drape.

With a flick of his wrist, Anakin whisked the sheet off of his project. "Here he is!" He announced proudly.

Padme's jaw dropped in shock. Before her stood a _very_ familiar droid, a much beloved and greatly missed droid that had saved both their lives multiple times in their old galaxy. Anakin, grinning again at her stunned expression, reached down and turned the droid on, and the lights on the blue and silver domed head blinked on. Padme couldn't help but grin herself as Artoo twittered at them in his droid language.

"Why, hello again, Artoo!," She said with great pleasure, and Artoo's lens focused on her. He issued what sounded suspiciously like a droid version of a wolf whistle, which made her laugh (and Anakin grin) as memories of the years he spent by her side resurfaced in her head. "Ani, he's perfect! Just perfect! Really, I can't even tell the difference!" She looked up in amazement to meet her husband's sparkling eyes. "But, I assume there _are_ differences, right?"

"Naturally." Anakin responded with a nod and another grin, and he had that look in his eyes that told her he was about to launch into a very nerdy, long-winded, technical spiel, which she would never understand and would only leave her with a headache.

"Honey, please remember, I don't know most of the technical stuff you do." She reminded him gently with lift of her eyebrows and a tilt of her head before he could start speaking.

His smile turned sheepish, and he cleared his throat. "Right. Sorry." He squatted down so that he was level with Artoo. "Obviously, the plugins in this world are different, so I modified those so that when he plugs into a computer, he'll actually be able to access data and other things. He also has some tools that would come in handy fixing different machines in this world. I kind of had a difficult time figuring out how to bridge the gap between our galaxy's and this world's available materials, so his wiring is very different than before." He patted Artoo's domed head, grinning proudly. "Still, I think I managed to not only give Artoo all his old functions back, but I also managed to give him the ability to have a personality. Isn't that right, Artoo?"

Artoo beeped and whistled in a way that sounded like an agreement to Padme. "Can you still understand him?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah," Anakin replied, and he reached up to his work desk and grabbed a bound packet of paper. "I've actually made a manual for anyone who wants to learn, too. If not, though, I also managed to create an app that will translate on your phone, tablet, or other PC. Plus, he has a display screen here on his side that his responses can be read on." He handed her his phone with a screen already pulled up. "Here." He then turned to the droid and said, "Go ahead and say hello to Padme, Artoo."

Artoo whistled and chittered, bouncing excitedly from leg to leg like he used to whenever he was happy about something. Sure enough, words appeared on both the phone and the display screen on Artoo's side. "Hello, it's nice to meet you, Padme," she read aloud, and she couldn't help but smile. "Well. He's much more polite in this world, isn't he?"

Anakin shrugged. "Give him time. Once he starts acquiring more data, he'll start developing more personality quirks."

Artoo made another series of beeps, bings, and whistles, and more words showed up on the two screens. "Oh my...Well, it appears I spoke too soon!" Padme said with a smirk, raising an eyebrow while Anakin laughed, shook his head, and then patted Artoo's dome.

"One other thing," Anakin said, "Artoo can also access radio, and if for some reason you need to make a distress call, he can…well, not broadcast a message _per se_ , but he _can_ get in contact with rescue centers and use morse code to get help. And, he can also access some basic television channels and display those video feeds, sort of like a projector."

"No way," she said, not because she didn't believe him, but because she couldn't believe how much work Anakin had put into Artoo with so little time and with not as many resources available as their old galaxy had. It just proved that when her husband put his mind to something, he really could accomplish anything.

"Yes way," Anakin said with a smirk, "Go ahead. Show her, Artoo."

Artoo beeped, and he immediately projected a relatively solid screen. It was sort of like the stuff he'd projected back in their old galaxy, except this was in color and it didn't flicker. She could hardly see Artoo behind the projection. _This is amazingly cool,_ she thought, intrigued by Artoo's new abilities.

"…manhunt for ex-Senator Palpatine of California continues today," Padme immediately tensed up as she realized that Artoo had projected a news broadcast. The blonde anchorwoman began detailing the steps being taken by the US government to find Palpatine, and a picture of the former senator flashed in the upper righthand corner of the screen, now listing him as being at the top of the FBI's Most Wanted list.

Anakin noticed her tension immediately, for he cleared his throat and rubbed a hand over Artoo's dome. "That's enough, Artoo," He said softly, and the transmission cut off instantly. "Sorry, Sweetheart. I left it on that channel when I was testing it out last night…"Anakin said quietly, aware of how upsetting the news feeds were to her right now.

"No, Ani, It's fine. I'm alright, really," She said, but her voice sounded hollow even to her own ears, and she let out a small sigh, her shoulders slumping ever so slightly.

It had started after Anakin had come back from buying their new SUV with her dad. He had left the dealership alone in their new vehicle and stopped by Obi-Wan's apartment first for a shower (and a _shave,_ much to her amused approval _),_ grabbing his laptop before heading back to the hospital, and while she slept after their shared dinner (he had stopped and picked them up a pizza and some Cokes on the way back to the hospital), he kicked back in the recliner chair the hospital provided him to sleep on at night and worked quietly at the emails Ruwee had forwarded him. It hadn't taken Anakin long to decrypt the files (considering how well he knew and understood Palpatine's thought processes), and soon the full extent of the emails was revealed. Anakin wasn't surprised by what he found, not in the least.

Disgusted, yes…Surprised, no.

And, as Padme had suspected, all the files were orders for various assassinations or other terrorist activities. Even the bombing at the Ice Rink was included in there. And, even more damning, some of the emails (though, not all) had Palpatine's name specifically on them, as well as other information that linked directly to him. Perhaps the man had thought he was invincible and no one would find this information in this world— after all, it wasn't as if there were tons of Jedi actively hunting Sith Lords here on Earth. It still astounded her, however, that Palpatine had slipped up _that_ badly.

It wasn't like him.

Her father, infuriated at what was found in the files, had immediately turned the information over to the FBI and CIA. By the end of the next day, Padme had had federal agents in her hospital room questioning her extensively until her head hurt about what she knew in regard to any of these events, and Anakin had gotten upset and finally demanded that they let her rest and for them to just work with the information they had. They didn't listen to him, of course, but instead had turned their questioning onto him since he had decrypted the files, and her headache had gotten worse with their seemingly unending questions and Anakin's resulting sour mood.

But, the evidence was strong enough that the FBI and CIA both agreed to at least look into the senator's dealings. It was when they raided his home, under federally issued search warrants, that they found the place in a complete shambles with a destroyed desktop left behind, and a missing senator. At the federal crime lab, technicians managed to pull some information from the damaged hard drive, and that was when it was discovered that Senator Palpatine was, in fact, a mole, a double agent with strong connections to the North Korean government.

That was when the international manhunt had begun (including the help of Interpol), and news outlets around the globe had not stopped talking about the updates the FBI and CIA kept releasing—if one could have called them updates. They all boiled down to the fact that no one could get a trace on him, and Palpatine had more than likely fled the country already.

As it was, if Padme wasn't careful, she knew she would get too wrapped up in the meaningless chase. Palpatine may have been found out by the government, but she and Anakin knew all too well that he had a backup plan, not to mention backup plans for his backup plans. He wouldn't be caught by some government entity or international police force. No, Palpatine could only be taken down by a Jedi.

And, since she was married to one of the few trained Jedi with full access to the Force (and the _only_ one who was also a former Sith Lord) in this world, she had a sneaking suspicion her husband would end up being heavily involved in that hunt. It was not a pleasant idea for her to contemplate.

So, she avoided the news broadcasts as much as possible.

Now, however, was not the time to think about all of that. Now was the time to celebrate her husband and his marvelous achievement. Looking around the packed room, she could see the envious glances other students were throwing their way, and she couldn't help but feel proud to stand by Anakin's side as his wife and support him as he showed off his hard work.

Anakin stood up again, closing the distance between them, gently putting his grease-covered hand on her elbow. "Angel, are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" He asked her in a low tone, his voice husky with concern. Out of the blue, at the touch of his hand on her skin, a sudden shiver (which had _nothing_ to do with her fear of Palpatine and _everything_ to do with wanting to show her husband how much she loved him) raced down her spine, and it took all of her self-control not to drag him out of the student lab and back to their car so they could go home and celebrate together... _privately_...before Mindy got back to the house from her final exams.

"I'm sure," She said breathlessly, making Anakin frown in confusion. The confusion didn't last though, as understanding dawned in his eyes with a devilish glint, followed by a mischievous smirk across his handsome face.

He suddenly leaned in closer so that his lips brushed her right ear, his hand trailing teasingly down the skin of her right arm to her hand, their fingers intertwining. "Later, my Angel. I promise."

Looking up into his twinkling eyes, she cocked an eyebrow and gave him her most haughty and regal look, which only made him grin wider. "Why, Master Jedi, I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about," She half-heartedly teased, and he laughed softly, his breath tickling her ear.

"Don't play coy with _me,_ Senator. You know _exactly_ what I'm talking about, my love. Just you wait until we get home." She could hear the anticipation and hunger in his voice, and she shivered again, as he made her go slightly weak at the knees.

Thankfully (or unfortunately, depending on how she looked at it), a familiar voice came on over the loudspeakers, making Anakin pull away slightly and turn to the front of the room where Rex stood with a group of very professional, official-looking people who were already looking at the myriad of student projects with varying degrees of interest. "Crap, Ani, you're not even dressed to present…" she began, but Anakin cut her off with a shake of his head.

"I don't build things and work in my dress clothes. _This,"_ with a sweep of his hand, he indicated his jeans and t-shirt, "is the real me. If they don't like it, then that's their problem," he shrugged. When she didn't appear to be reassured, he threw her one of the cocky smiles she both loved and, occasionally, loathed. "Don't worry about it, Angel. I'll make it work." He pulled her hand up to his mouth, kissed her palm, and winked at her. It was then she noted absently that she now had a streak of black grease trailing down her arm from her elbow.

Shaking her head, she didn't bother mentioning that she was always at least a little worried about him, so instead she leaned up and softly kissed his lips as Rex finished his opening remarks and the officials began walking around the room to examine the various inventions and interview the students. "For luck," She said.

"Angel," Anakin said with a sly grin, "You're all the luck I need."

* * *

"Congratulations again, Ani," Padme said after he had filled both of their champagne glasses.

Just as he had predicted, the 'exam' was a complete success—actually, more so than he thought it would be. If he was honest with himself, the major reason why he had decided to create Artoo in the first place and bring him to this world was so that he could have his little friend with him again. The exemplary grade he'd received was just an added bonus...icing on the proverbial cake.

In fact, he hadn't just gotten the full points on his exam. Rex had also submitted the plans he had drafted for his design to be reviewed by the school to earn him yet another full scholarship that would essentially last him the rest of his time at Stanford, and it was nice to not have to pay for school, especially since he was planning on some other major life events that would cost quite a bit of money.

But, that wasn't all. The officials who had been there with Rex were not just judges. They were also scouts, potential investors from various high tech companies. By the end of the showcase, Anakin had received multiple bids and offers to buy his plans and a few job offers to boot, any of which would easily allow him to provide for his wife and, should they be fortunate to have them, any future children.

He hadn't immediately accepted any of these offers. He took business cards from each of the investors, promising to contact them when he had reached a decision. Anakin wanted time to mull over each offer presented, as well as to confer with Rex, Obi-Wan, and Ruwee (all of whom he admired and respected very highly) to get their opinions and advice on what he'd been offered, before finally discussing it with Padme to get her input, and only then would he come to a final decision.

But, tonight was not the time to consider all of that. No, tonight was the time for an intimate celebration with his wife. Just the two of them... Alone at last. To say that the day's events had him in a fantastic mood was a major understatement. In Anakin's mind, there was no better way to celebrate than to spend one on one time with his Angel at home.

They sat on the couch, lights turned off, a few scented candles flickering on the mantle, and a fire crackling in the fireplace. Padme had turned on some soft jazz music on the CD player (which Anakin decided was both enjoyable and very soothing). The room smelled faintly of apples and cinnamon, and all of this added to the romantic ambiance as they kissed and cuddled together on the couch.

Anakin had showered and changed into clean clothes, a nice pair of khakis and a light blue polo shirt (Padme would kill him if he got grease on the furniture), while Padme still wore the blue dress she had worn to his presentation. Jedi was curled up in his new doggy bed by the fireplace, and Anakin could feel through the Force that the dog was already asleep. Anakin grinned as he looked at Jedi, remembering that when he'd moved back into their bedroom, he'd surprised Padme and bought a new plump pet bed for the dog to go in the living room (informing his wife with a wink, " _I'm the_ _ **only**_ _Jedi sleeping in this bed with you from now on, Angel.")_ He had also brought Artoo home with them from the presentation, and somewhere in the house, he could hear the droid moving around, likely scanning and mapping it out into his system.

Padme leaned her right side against him in contentment, and he immediately put his arm around her, gently bringing her closer. He kissed the top of her head, closing his eyes, nuzzling her mahogany curls as he breathed in her familiar scent. She was still too injured to do _everything_ he desired to do, but being together, alone, on a quiet evening like this…Well, it was simply the perfect way to celebrate. He pretended that the house was just theirs, and that Mindy wouldn't be coming home later. _Better enjoy the moment while we can,_ he thought, knowing Mindy _would_ blow in the door and immediately demand to know how his presentation went.

"To second chances," Padme said, raising her glass toward him, a gentle smile on her tempting lips.

Anakin began to raise his glass to meet her toast, but he paused. "Second chances?" He asked, looking down at her curiously, quirking one eyebrow at her questioningly.

"Well, sure," Padme said, motioning around them slightly. "Who knew we would both be reborn here into a totally different galaxy? Who knew we would meet again? I certainly didn't know. I'm just so thankful that I remember everything now about us, and we're able to truly move forward in our relationship together with no more secrets between us."

Oh how he had thought about this very thing multiple times in the past few months—even more so over the last two weeks. At times, he still half expected to wake up back on board his Imperial Cruiser the _Executor_ in that awful suit, and this would all be some cruel dream meant to torment him further. But, each morning that he woke, he found himself in their bed, covered in Padme's white sheets, one arm slung around Padme's waist, her hair a cloud of dark curls in his face. And, each morning, when he realized that it wasn't a dream, that he really _did_ have his beloved Padme back, he smiled and carefully (so as not to bother her ribs) pulled her back against his chest, softly nuzzling the nape of her neck. Every morning as she yawned and woke, making cute little grunts as she stretched, he kissed her, softly at first, then deeper with increasing passion until neither of them wanted to get out of bed and face the day.

"You've got a point, my love" He admitted with a smile, "Cheers."

"Cheers," she replied, and he clinked his glass against hers before he drank the fizzy beverage down alongside Padme. _It's good...very good_ , he decided, as he'd never had champagne before.

For a while, neither spoke, but instead they enjoyed one another's company as they listened to the soft music fill the house, feeling the warmth from the fire even on the other end of the room where they sat. It was all so cozy and content.

"Mindy is talking about moving out," Padme suddenly said.

It took all of his willpower _not_ to shout in excitement. "Oh?" He asked casually, fighting to keep his emotions under control, though his eyes immediately lit up with a wicked gleam at the thought.

Padme wasn't fooled in the least. She playfully nudged him. "Oh, please, that thought makes you so happy you can't stand it, and you and I both know it. Thank you for trying to hide it, though." Anakin grinned sheepishly and shrugged, causing Padme to laugh again. "No, in all seriousness, she's decided that she doesn't want to feel like a third wheel, and she wants to give us our privacy. Although, she did say that she still fully intends to come bug us during the day, so don't get _too_ excited."

"Drat," Anakin teased, earning him another nudge, and he laughed, pulling her closer and kissing her temple. "I guess I can't expect much else, can I?"

"So, what's the deal between you two anyway? Are you friends or what? I've always wondered," Padme asked, looking up at him, genuine curiosity showing on her face.

He shrugged and then sighed. "Well, I guess you could say it's kind of a love-hate relationship. In some ways, her boldness really impresses me, you know, but in most cases, it just drives me up a wall. Still, she did give me some good information on possible Jedi documented throughout world history on this planet. It was quite fascinating actually. She really knows her stuff. I may call on her knowledge again in the future."

Padme smiled wide. "She _is_ full of surprises." She sighed and rested her head on his chest, and he kissed the top of her head again, enjoying the moment.

But, as they sat there in contentment, Anakin felt as if something was…missing. Not necessarily with him and Padme, but with…something, or perhaps someone, else. But, what was it?

"So, I have the memories from both my old life and this life, right?" Padme suddenly asked.

"Yeah," Anakin slowly replied, not sure where this was going.

"And, you only remember your old life?"

"Yes. What are you getting at, Angel?"

"Well," Padme said, and when he glanced down he could see that she was deep in thought. Force, she was beautiful. "I wonder what happened to the memories of this world's Anakin. Did he just completely disappear? Just vanish without a trace? Or, did your awakening in this world cause those memories to be suppressed? And, would it be possible to regain those other memories, too?" She shivered. "I don't know why I just thought about it. Maybe it's still just so strange that all of this has happened not once, but twice, and to both of us. I don't think I want to know how many times it's happened before with other people."

There. That was it. He realized with sudden clarity what was missing, and it caused him to sit up straighter, a jolt of anxiety rushing through his body. "What is it?" Padme asked, sensing his sudden alarm, and she pulled away to look at him in concern. "Was it something I said?"

"No," Anakin shook his head, frowning, his eyebrows creased in thought. "And, yes." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, staring at it for a moment.

"Ani?" Padme asked worriedly, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes," He assured her, but then paused. If he did what he suddenly realized he needed to do, he doubted he would be fine for much longer. "And no."

"Well," Padme noted, "That's a comforting response."

"I'm sorry, it's not you, it's me…" He began, and that caused panic to flicker across her face.

"Are you seriously using that line with me?" she asked, her voice cracking, shock evident in every line of her face. This caused him to refocus on her, and he frowned in confusion, seeing fear in her eyes and detecting in the Force waves of distress suddenly rolling off her. Apparently, this was yet another phrase that had a totally different context in this world.

"I'm sorry, Angel, I'm not familiar with what you're referring to," He said patiently, and she breathed a sigh of relief and seemed to calm down, remembering that he was still learning this world's culture. It had to be hard, too, he realized, living with two sets of memories. It was probably confusing for her, just as being in this world was confusing at times for him. It made him realize just how much they still had to work through as a couple.

"Ani, I'm sorry. That's….that's a line people often use here for breaking off a relationship with someone." She softly replied, looking down at the glass in her hand, a blush rising in her cheeks. "Sorry. For a second I forgot…" she trailed off.

"I know." He leaned over and kissed her forehead tenderly and cupped her cheek, lifting her face to meet his gaze. "But I promise you, I'm not trying to do _anything_ remotely like that, Angel. Believe me." He sighed and looked back down at his phone again. "No. It's just...Lately, I've been feeling like there's still one more thing that I have to do. Until right now, I didn't know what it was." He met her eyes, willing for her to understand all of the implications involved with what he was about to say. "I have to tell my mother the truth, Padme," he said softly.

Padme knew that next to her, Anakin's mother, Schmi, was the most important woman in the world to him. Padme had helped him through losing her back in their galaxy, and she had been there when he had reunited with her in this world. By the serious look on her face, Anakin knew that Padme understood just what he was risking. "Why, Ani?" she asked, "Are you _sure_ you want to do this? What if she doesn't react well…"

"I know, I know," Anakin replied, running a hand through his hair in frustration, "But, my second chance at life doesn't just include fixing our relationship, Padme. I've had to work at fixing a lot of other relationships in my life as well, and I can't feel good or right about my relationship with my mom if I'm always lying to her whenever she asks if I've gotten my memories back. If Obi-Wan has never gotten his past memories from _this_ planet's Obi-Wan from before he woke up here, then it's highly unlikely that I will either, and Mom just sounds so sad every time I tell her I haven't remembered anything." He took a deep breath to try to calm himself. "Like you, I never let my mother go either, and I _have_ to let her go. I _have_ to tell her the truth, and then let her decide what to do with the information. She deserves to know the truth about me, and about the fate of the son she raised in _this_ world."

Padme searched his face for a moment, and he could see her mentally examining his argument carefully before she responded. "Okay." She finally said, "I'll support whatever decision you make, Ani. I'm here for you, and we're in this together." She reached over and grasped his hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.

He relaxed a little, smiling gratefully as he opened up the phone contact list and scrolled to his mother's name. Right before he clicked on it, however, he paused, glancing at Padme. "Stay with me?"

She gave his hand another squeeze. "Always."

Reassured, Anakin took a deep breath and hit the number and called, leaning back against the couch as it rang.

He almost hoped she wouldn't answer, but like always, she did. "Ani?" his mother's voice asked sleepily on the other end, "What's wrong?" She paused. "Did your showcase not go well?"

He let out a nervous breath. "No, Mom, the showcase went very well, actually, but that's not why I'm calling. I'm sorry if I woke you up."

"Oh, I was only almost asleep. It can wait." He heard rustling as she must have been sitting up. "Is this about your trip home for Christmas? You're still bringing Padme, right?"

"No, Mom, it's not that either." He paused, trying to think of a way to start. How did one tell their mother that the son they raised was replaced by an alternate galaxy son? _Just go for it_ , he thought. "Mom, I'm calling because I have to tell you something."

"Okay," He could hear the concern in her voice.

"I wasn't honest with you when I said I lost my memories….I mean, I guess _technically_ it's true, but it's also not the f _ull_ truth."

There was a pregnant pause on the line. "What are you saying, Ani?" From the quiver in her voice, he could tell that he was on dangerous ground.

"Mom, what I'm about to say...well, it's going to sound... _crazy_ to you, I know. You might not even believe me, but please let me tell you _everythin_ g before you send me to a mental hospital." He almost wished she would refuse or hang up, but she didn't.

"Go ahead, Anakin." He couldn't read anything into her voice anymore. She was always good at that—whenever he got into trouble as a child, she had always used a calm, unemotional voice until she'd gotten all of the facts, and then she revealed what she thought about the situation. It was both admirable and frightening at the same time.

So, he told her.

He didn't just tell her about their lives and being separated. He told her about how he became a Jedi, how she had died in his arms, and how he had killed the Tusken Raiders who had tortured her to death. He told her about marrying Padme in secret. He told her about falling to the Dark Side and becoming Darth Vader. He told her about Luke and Leia. He told her about his own death and the Force giving him a second chance and about waking up in the alley here in this world, not knowing where he was anymore. He talked for a long, long time. He told her _everything_ , and when he was done, there was yet again silence on the line. "Mom, are you still there?" He asked, half hoping that they had lost the connection.

"Yes, I'm here." Her voice hadn't changed.

Another pause, and she didn't say anything more, and his anxiety got worse. "You don't believe me, do you?" He said. Part of him actually hoped she didn't.

"Oh no. I believe you. That's too wild of a detailed story to be made up." He tried to read her emotions and again, there was nothing. His mother would have also been a good Jedi had she had the ability to use the Force. Perhaps that was why she had been chosen to be his mother by the Force.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. It was wrong of me," He said, "I just didn't want to lose you after getting you back and…" He sighed, knowing that words weren't enough. He had just lost a child. He knew what it felt like. He still lived with the pain of it every day, and he suspected he would feel it at least somewhat for the rest of his life. He didn't think any words could soften the blow of finding out that her beloved son that she had raised was gone and would likely never return to her the same way ever again. "I'm so sorry, Mom."

There was another silence. Finally, she sighed. "I need to think about all of this, Anakin."

He couldn't tell if that was a good or a bad sign, but he nodded before he remembered that she couldn't see him. "I understand."

"Don't contact me until I contact you." Now this time, he _did_ sense a bit of resentment in her voice, and he flinched as if she'd struck him.

"I understand." He paused, his heart heavy. "I do love you, Mom. I always have, and I always will." He couldn't help it. He had to let her know that. He had been selfish in lying to her since coming to this planet, sure, but the truth didn't change his love for her.

"I understand," She said. "Goodbye, Anakin."

"Goodbye, Mom." He said, tears brimming in his eyes as he listened to the line disconnect.

He let out a shaky breath and dropped the phone into his lap, staring at it, as if she would call back and reassure him that she was okay, that they were okay. Finally, he quietly said, "I don't think we're going to Idaho for Christmas."

"Oh, Ani," Padme leaned against him, giving him the tightest hug she could give with just one good arm. "I'm so sorry, Honey."

"Me, too." Anakin said hollowly, as he hugged his wife close and buried his face in her neck, letting his tears fall in her hair. Padme held her beloved close with all her might, absorbing his grief, sharing her strength with him , comforting him as only a wife can.

They stayed like that for a long while, neither saying anything, late into the night. They would get through this...together.

* * *

 **Whew! What a weird week. You ever have those weeks that are just weird, and a lot of it is for no real reason? That's my week this week. But, alas, a new chapter is here! It's a filler chapter, but an important one. I realized a long time ago that it was important for Anakin to come clean to his mother too. He can't go through life lying to his mother in that major of a way and be totally good with it if he's really changed. So...this was the result.**

 **Honestly, the next few chapters will focus on how Padme and Anakin deal with their new relationship. They've changed and matured, so now it's like they're in new territory and they need to establish themselves in this new world of their relationship. But I've got fun things planned, so stay tuned!**

 **Review! I love hearing from all of my readers, new and old ones alike! You all are just amazing. Stay awesome!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**

 **P.S. To the reviewer who recommended the song "Hurts like Hell" thank you so much. I am in love with that song now and it is on my playlist!**


	34. The Road Trip

"Well, I definitely _don't_ want to sell Artoo's specific plans, that's for sure." Anakin said, "I would like to keep him unique, a one of a kind model."

"So, you could keep Artoo's plans for yourself, but patent _all_ of your designs, and then just sell the plans for the other robots you sketched out here," Satine said from the seat directly behind the front passenger's seat. She had Anakin's plans and was looking them over. "There's so many options…and you could use them for so many different things…jeez Anakin, if you play your cards right, you could be filthy rich."

Anakin, Padme, Obi-Wan, and Satine were currently in the SUV, headed for Idaho and the Lars' ranch for the Christmas holidays. School had just let out, and both Padme and Anakin had passed their semester exams with flying colors. After Anakin told Obi-Wan what had happened with his mother, the group of four had assumed that their trip to Idaho was surely cancelled. However, a few days before the semester had ended, Anakin's mother had called him out of the blue and invited the four of them to the ranch for the holidays as originally planned. Padme had insisted this was a good sign, but Anakin was uneasy by the serious tone of his mother's voice. He tried to talk to her about the situation, but his mother had simply said, "Anakin, you and I will talk when you get here."

Still, he was thankful she hadn't decided to just cut him off entirely, and so, the four of them had finalized their travel plans for the holidays. Anakin and Padme had taken a couple of days and spent it with the entire Amidala clan at Ruwee and Jobal's home, so they could share Christmas with her family before leaving for Idaho to be with his family. Anakin had taken this opportunity to privately discuss the various business offers he'd been given at his school presentation with Ruwee and Darred (as well as show his father and brother-in-law the detailed plans he'd drafted for each droid), who were most impressed with Anakin's mechanical and technological skills and thought Artoo was a beyond brilliant invention. Ruwee and Jobal had agreed to keep Artoo and Jedi (to Ryoo and Pooja's delight) with them at their house while Anakin and Padme were gone to Idaho.

While they were there, Anakin and Padme had ventured up into the attic and retrieved Padme's mahogany jewelry box, and they had once again placed Anakin's padawan braid back in it, but Padme had taken to wearing the japor snippet all the time again, which pleased Anakin immensely. They had the jewelry box with them in the back of the SUV with the rest of their luggage, as Obi-Wan and Satine had met up with them at the Amidala's house (where Obi-Wan had left his truck), and the two couples had left from there headed eastward toward Idaho.

And, so it was that Anakin now found himself putting on a calm front, but inside he was a mass of nerves. What if his mother disowned him? Padme didn't think that would be the case, and he supposed it _would_ have been awkward for her to disown him and yet still have the four of them there for Christmas. But he couldn't help worrying. He would have meditated to calm himself, but he was driving, and driving and meditating didn't exactly mix very well.

So, instead he poured his focus into discussing the matter of his droid plans with Satine, Padme, and Obi-Wan.

"Or, you could start your own business, Anakin." Obi-Wan suggested.

"Hey! That would be pretty cool!" Padme agreed, "Then you could keep control over what is being made _and_ what is being done with them."

He had to admit he liked that idea, too. However, Mindy had recently showed him information about the NASA space program—or what it had been at one time. It had pleased him to find out that this world was at least _attempting_ space travel…until she'd told him that the government had cut the program in 2011. The night before, while Padme finished packing their suitcases, he had sat on their bed and done independent research on the matter on his laptop, and the more he found out, the more interested he was in the program. Obviously, NASA was missing important pieces of the puzzle, pieces of information and skills that _he_ had. If only he could provide them somehow…

"I'm not sure I want to get into having my own business, though." Anakin said, shooting a knowing glance at Padme. Since his idea was still fresh and new in his mind, he hadn't really talked to anyone else about it except Padme, and she fully supported it. "I'm not really a good businessman. I just like to build things, not go through the process of selling them."

"Well, you could co-start the business with someone else." Satine suggested, "People do that all the time. If you know someone who is good with negotiations and planning the business aspect of things, then perhaps you could work together as partners."

Padme's face lit up at this suggestion, and Anakin was sure inspiration had struck his wife. "You know, it's just a suggestion, but you could partner with Ob…. Ben." Since remembering Obi-Wan, she had begun having a hard time remembering his Earth name. He was no longer the only one with that problem. "He's got tons of the necessary experience for the business aspect of things, and you could deal with the physical manufacturing side of it."

"Wait, what?" Obi-Wan choked—Anakin couldn't see him, but from the sound of it, Ben had been taking a sip of his soda when Padme suggested that.

"Sure," Padme shrugged, but by the gleam in her beautiful brown eyes, Anakin could tell she was excited...and serious...about the idea. "Well, I mean...you've always sort of worked together that way anyhow. Plus, Ben, you can't keep living on the savings you made from working on the Lars' ranch forever, and, like Satine said, if you work together and do this right, you could both probably earn more than enough money to not only take care of your personal living expenses, but your other interests as well." Anakin didn't need her to elaborate to know what she was referring to. She was referring to the Jedi Order Obi-Wan and Anakin were planning on establishing here on Earth. Satine didn't know about the Jedi yet, so Padme was trying to convey the message without raising a bunch of questions from Satine, a message that Anakin couldn't help but think had quite a bit of merit.

Satine didn't seem to notice the vague reference. "Plus, by going in together and dividing up the responsibilities, you would both have personal time to pursue other things in your lives as well." Satine added with a nod, as she continued to peruse Anakin's plans.

Anakin had to admit, they had a valid point. Plus, if they were successful in this endeavor, perhaps he could attract NASA's attention that way….

"I would be okay with that if you are, Ben," He said casually, hoping that Obi-Wan liked the idea, too. But, maybe Obi-Wan didn't _want_ to get that involved with him again. He was already partnered with him to re-establish the Jedi Order. Maybe establishing a business together would be too much for Obi-Wan to deal with.

"Hmm...I like the idea as well, Anakin…as long as _you're_ the one actually building things." Anakin grinned in relief—Obi-Wan sounded genuine, and even a little teasing. He wished he could turn around to double check, but he had to keep his eyes on the road. They had reached the mountains near Lake Tahoe, and already the sky was growing dark now that they were nearing sunset. The roads looked clear, but Anakin could tell with the amount of snow on the side of the road that looks were likely very deceiving.

"Perhaps Ahsoka could work with us as well," Anakin suggested, knowing that Ahsoka enjoyed building things, too. She had been quite handy at it back in their old galaxy, and it had been yet another reason why she had been the perfect Padawan for him all those years ago. "She's changing her major to mechanical engineering next semester anyway. So, she'll have the skills needed to work with us on this."

"Good idea. I think she'd like that a lot." Obi-Wan agreed.

They began to bounce ideas back and forth, which mostly consisted of Anakin asking questions on how to establish a business in this world. The conversation flew by for an hour before the snow began to fall. By then, it was completely dark, even though the clock on the dashboard read 4:45 PM.

Anakin cut off the discussion, frowning at the flakes that blew harder into the windshield by the minute. "I don't like the looks of this," He said, shifting in his seat. He pulled his right hand from Padme's left hand and rested it on the wheel.

"I agree," Padme said, pulling her phone out. After a moment, she said, "Looks like there's a bad storm coming in."

"How bad?" Satine asked.

Anakin felt a warning through the Force—he had to find somewhere safe to stop and soon. The idea of pushing forward through the storm didn't sit well with him. "I'm guessing bad."

"It's probably not that bad during the day," Padme said, "But at night? That's a different story."

Anakin hated the idea of pulling over for the night, but he also didn't like the idea of getting into a car accident either, not with their new SUV. He highly doubted Padme wanted to get into another car accident ever again. "Is there an inn nearby?" He asked her.

Padme was silent for a few minutes while she searched, the light of the phone casting an eerie glow across her features. "Yes," She said, "In about three miles, there's an exit that will take us to a ski resort called The Gray Dove Inn. It has great reviews, and the pictures make it look really nice."

"Well," Obi-Wan said dryly, "If you have to get stuck in a snowstorm, you might as well get stuck in style."

"Will it still have rooms open, do you think?" Satine asked.

"Their website says they have vacancies." Padme looked out the window at the dark shapes of the mountains that loomed around them. "It says that there's a ski lift around here, too."

"Ski lift?" Anakin asked with a quirk of his eyebrow, glancing questionably at his wife before darting his eyes back to the road. Anakin had never been skiing and was skeptical of the entire idea.

Padme grinned mischievously and leaned over to him. "Sweetie, when I don't have my left arm in a cast," she said, "We are _so_ going to go! You'd love it, I promise. Snowmobiling is a lot of fun, too."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Ha! Now that I think about it, love is probably an understatement. He'd probably be obsessed with both of those sports."

The sign for the exit flashed into view, and sure enough, in big letters underneath the exit number, was a notice for the inn as well. Anakin began to slow the vehicle, exited, and began a long, painfully slow journey up the canyon towards the inn. Because it was technically a back road, there weren't any lights illuminating their path, and the only thing they could see was the snow falling and the massive snow-covered trees on either side of the roadway. Anakin kept the car close to the side of the mountain, driving slowly, honking before they turned any sharp corners just in case there was another car coming around.

"This is probably a really pretty drive in the daylight," Padme said, and out of the corner of his eye Anakin could see that she had gripped the edge of the door. There were no other signs that she was worried, however. She had been with him on much more dangerous flights before, and he had gotten them through it every single time.

"This is probably even prettier when it isn't a snowy death trap, too," Satine pointed out, and Anakin could hear the worry in her voice. "I assume that being from Idaho you're used to these kinds of roads though, aren't you?"

Anakin had no idea. If Idaho was this bad, he probably _was_ used to it...or at least this planet's Anakin was. As he struggled to come up with an answer, Obi-Wan came to his rescue. "Trust me, Satine, when it comes to driving…anything, really... I wouldn't pick anyone else but Anakin to drive, even if sometimes he drives a little…risky."

"Risky?" Satine focused on that one word. Anakin knew Obi-Wan was trying to calm her nerves, but given that Obi-Wan didn't exactly love all of Anakin's driving decisions, he probably should have kept his mouth shut.

"Well," Obi-Wan said, trying to back track, "I mean _technically_ we've gotten into lots of crashes, but every time he gets us out of it and usually he doesn't total the vehicle…."

"Ben," Padme cut in firmly, looking over her shoulder at him, "Now would be the time to shut up."

"I'm not going to crash. The road has plenty of traction." Anakin said, though that wasn't completely true either. He was just trying to keep Satine from having a meltdown since the man she was dating apparently thoroughly failed at doing that.

Through the Force, he felt Satine calm a little at his words, but he could still feel her anxiousness. Obi-Wan must have also felt it, for he sent Anakin a surge of gratefulness through their Force connection. Anakin smiled: He hadn't realized just how much he had missed that connection between them. It was good to feel a positive Force connection again with Obi-Wan after so many years.

They continued the drive for what seemed like hours, but in reality was only about fifteen more minutes, when the road suddenly opened up to a clearing. Through the haze of the falling snow, Anakin could make out the lights of the massive inn that loomed above them at the base of the canyon wall. The exterior mimicked a very large log cabin, and it had lots of tall windows that were misted over, the golden light from inside streaming through the glass and into the cold snowy world outside.

"Oh, thank goodness," Satine breathed out as Anakin parked the car near the front entrance.

"Yes, good job, Anakin, for not crashing this time." Obi-Wan said, and although Anakin could hear the teasing in his voice, he couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"I am a fantastic driver. I don't need to listen to this foolishness." Anakin said, and now that the car was parked, he turned around and threw Obi-Wan a mock glare.

Obi-Wan grinned, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Well, when you stop crashing, I'll stop teasing."

Anakin raised his eyebrows. "Oh, it's on now." Obi-Wan laughed, but Anakin was totally serious about somehow getting Obi-Wan back for the teasing. Already his mind was whirling with ideas.

"Okay, cut the teasing competition, you two," Padme chided, but when Anakin turned back around she was giving him that knowing smile that he loved so much. "Let's get inside and get warmed up."

Anakin and Obi-Wan exited the driver's side of the SUV and walked round and helped their respective ladies out of the car and then grabbed their luggage out of the back before locking the SUV and then entering the front lobby, which was as warm and inviting as they had hoped with a large roaring fire in the main seating area and lots of squashy comfortable chairs and sofas scattered about. While Padme and Satine went and sat down by the fire to warm up, Anakin and Obi-Wan got them checked in and arranged for the valet to take their luggage upstairs to their rooms. Fortunately, they were able to get rooms on the same floor and in the same wing, Anakin and Padme sharing a room and Obi-Wan and Satine each having their own room.

"It feels so good to be out of the car. I still feel like I'm moving," Padme said as they sat down at a table in the four star restaurant inside of the resort thirty minutes later. Just like the outside of the inn, the inside also maintained the feel of a super fancy log cabin. It was like a rich hunter's paradise, except that the lodge wasn't geared towards rich hunters but rather skiers who wanted to enjoy the slopes and natural beauty that Lake Tahoe had to offer.

"I couldn't agree more," Satine grumbled, sitting next to her at the square table the seating hostess had led them to, which was covered by a crisp white tablecloth with hunter green napkins and a pine and cinnamon scented candle as the centerpiece. Their waitress quickly appeared to hand them menus and then took their drink orders before scurrying off.

"I didn't come close to crashing," Anakin reminded her, "So, don't listen to everything your boyfriend tells you." Padme smiled at that, deciding not to mention that Obi-Wan had a point: Anakin _had_ crashed a lot of ships during his Clone Wars years, usually with Obi-Wan riding along with him. Anakin would always consider his skills to be perfect when it came to driving anything no matter what, so even if he had crashed, Padme was certain that Anakin would have insisted that he had everything under control. Part of Padme was glad Anakin hadn't changed _that_ much.

"Yeah, yeah," Obi-Wan said, rolling his eyes. "But, did _your_ girlfriend tell you that you look like a walking stoplight in that shirt, hmm?"

Sure enough, Anakin had chosen to wear a bright borderline neon red shirt to go with his black jeans for the trip. Padme didn't bother mentioning that he also had a snow jacket that was accented with the same color, and she actually had told him that the combo looked a little _too_ neon. He had smirked and informed her that he had gotten it just so he could tease Obi-Wan a bit. Apparently, Obi-Wan was not a huge fan of the color red.

Anakin, having clearly achieved his objective by the look on Obi-Wan's face, grinned ferally. "She sure did." He announced proudly.

Obi-Wan squinted his eyes at him. "You got that just to annoy me, didn't you?"

"You bet!"

Satine frowned in confusion. "Do you not like red, Ben?"

"I don't love that particular hue of it, no," Obi-Wan glared down at his menu, now avoiding looking in Anakin's direction. "You know, the red shirts always die on _Star Trek_ , don't you?"

"It's a good thing then that I'm not on _Star Trek_ ," Anakin snickered, "You should see my snow jacket," he added with relish.

"I don't think I want to look at you at all during this trip," Obi-Wan grumbled, and Anakin grinned in triumph. Padme met Satine's gaze with a knowing glance and both women rolled their eyes at their menfolk. Somehow, Padme had a feeling that Anakin and Obi-Wan would now be playfully trying to one-up each other for the rest of the trip. _Boys_ , she thought, highly amused at their back and forth teasing.

There was silence between the four of them as they read through the menu, and casually Padme reached under the table with her right hand and grasped Anakin's left hand. He jumped a little in surprise, but then his fingers intertwined with hers, and he gave it a squeeze. She almost considered playing footsie with him, but the table was much too small for that. She was worried that she would accidentally slip and kick either Obi-Wan or Satine and…well, talk about embarrassing if she did.

"I wonder what an elk burger tastes like," Padme mused aloud, looking through the menu.

Satine looked up from her menu with a smile. "Oh, I've had elk before, Padme. It's divi…" she trailed off, her skin paling, as her eyes widened in shock.

"It's what, Satine?" Obi-Wan asked, glancing up at her from his menu, as he felt her anxiety suddenly spike through the Force.

Satine was looking at something to her right just past Padme's shoulder, but when Obi-Wan asked, she quickly looked back at her menu, clearing her throat. "Divine...It's absolutely divine." Padme, curious now at Satine's reaction, frowned and turned around to see what had bothered her so much…

She immediately wished she hadn't.

Walking toward them was a _very_ familiar face, a face she was hoping she wouldn't have contact with again, especially not now with Anakin sitting right next to her. Quickly, she whipped back around, shooting a furtive glance over at Satine before burying her face in her menu, hoping that Anakin was paying more attention to his menu and less to her and Satine. She gulped and blew out a sharp breath.

Of course, it was wishful thinking.

Anakin, with his now abnormally strong connection to the Force, had felt the instant spike of nervousness within her without even realizing he was doing it. He quickly looked up from his menu at her, frowning, giving her hand another squeeze and leaned towards Padme. "What's wrong, Angel?"

"Yes," Obi-Wan agreed, as both he and Anakin looked back and forth from Satine's shocked expression to Padme's pale but pained one, and both men were instantly on guard and suspicious at their girlfriends' sudden behavior. "What _is_ the matter?"

Padme and Satine glanced at each other again in panic, but neither had the chance to say anything before…

"OH. EM. GEE! I can't believe it! Satine! Padme!" Both women visibly cringed before they forced smiles to their faces, and turned around to meet the owner of the voice.

"Hello, Kat. Wow, it's kind of wild running into you here," Padme said in what she hoped was a polite voice. She had to use every ounce of her political persona to keep up the façade. She noticed out of the corner of her eye Anakin beginning to frown as he watched her reaction.

Kat, a blonde buxom woman who was about Satine's age, approached their table…or rather, almost tripped into it. It was only 6:00 in the evening and already she was tipsy. "Heeeeey, girlfriends! Long time no see!" She gushed, leaning against the edge of the table between Padme and Satine. Padme was really glad their drinks weren't there yet, because she had a feeling Kat would have accidentally knocked them over. "How have you two been? You know, things just haven't been the same since you guys left." She put a hand on Satine's shoulder. "So, you're miss big lawyer now, right, Satine?" She put her other hand on Padme's left shoulder. "And, you're also a lawyer, too, I hear!"

"Well, not yet, Kat," Padme reminded her, "I still have to get my masters before I can take the bar exam."

"Right," Kat giggled, patting her on the back. It was a good thing she had just finished her last rib Force healing with Vokara before their trip…

"I'm sorry," Anakin interrupted with a frown, "I'm afraid we haven't been introduced."

 _Oh no_ , Padme panicked, thinking, _Kat, please,_ _ **please**_ _don't say anything about_ …

"Oh, I'm sorry. My bad! I'm Kat." She reached over Padme's head and shook Anakin's hand. Anakin looked a little startled, if not a bit annoyed, but he was maintaining his cool.

He _wouldn't_ though if he found out…

'I'm Anakin, Padme's boyfriend."

Kat nodded and looked over at Obi-Wan, shaking his hand across the table. "I'm Ben, Satine's boyfriend," he said with a polite tilt of his head. He, too, looked annoyed at this intrusion of their meal.

Anakin, curious, looked at Kat and asked, "So, how do you know Padme and Satine? I don't recall seeing you on campus before, and Padme's never mentioned you."

She giggled again. "Oh, the girls and I used to work together! Right, ladies?!" Kat continued on, and instantly Padme and Satine began to panic. And, again, both Jedi noticed the spike in the girls' emotions, and their concern escalated.

"Yeah, but it's been awhile, though," Padme interrupted, her voice raised a little too high, causing the people at the next table to look over at them in annoyance. She cleared her throat. "Well, it's really good to see you, Kat, but I have to go to the restroom. If you'll excuse me?" Padme practically jerked her hand out of Anakin's and abruptly stood up, causing Anakin's eyebrows to rise in shock. Throwing Kat a huge, over exaggerated smile, she said, "You still have my number, right? Text me and we'll catch up then. OK? Bye, Kat." Pushing her chair back, she left the table as quickly as she could, heading for the restroom in the back corner of the restaurant, weaving her way through several tables.

Kat laughed, not getting that Padme was trying to usher her away before she announced to the whole table just _what_ that particular job had been. Padme did _not_ want to deal with a jealous Anakin at the moment. No way, no how. Because, if he found out, she knew it was something that would make him really upset and he would complain to her for _hours_ about it _._

"Yeah, sure, Padme. I have to go find my boyfriend anyway. See you later!" Kat called after Padme's retreating back. Turning back to their table, she failed to notice Satine's now pinched expression and said, "See you round, Satine. Happy Holidays!" And, blessedly, she turned and left towards the lobby.

"Padme?" Anakin called after her with some concern, but Padme was already turning down the hallway leading to the ladies room, blushing madly as her mind raced to try and find a way to explain what just happened to Anakin. Distantly, she heard Satine also excuse herself and the scrape of a chair against the floor as she, too, moved to follow after Padme.

She was so screwed.

* * *

"What was _that_ all about?" Obi-Wan asked, frowning in concern, as he stared toward the ladies restroom door, long after the girls had disappeared behind it.

Anakin frowned again, looking after them as well, his mind whirling with possibilities. Sure, Kat was basically like a blonde version of Mindy on drugs and definitely _not_ the type of person Padme would normally want to hang out with, but his wife rarely panicked like that about _anything_. It was both worrisome and very suspicious. His eyes narrowed. "I don't know," Anakin replied slowly, turning to look the way Kat had gone. "But something's up, and I intend to find out what."

Obi-Wan cringed. "Couldn't all of you have waited until we had at least ordered our food?" he complained with a flicker of annoyance across his face, but he set his menu down anyway, leaning his forearms on the table and folding his hands on top of it, resigning himself to the inevitable with a shake of his head.

"Calm down, will you? I'll be right back." Anakin stood up and pushed away from the table, his tall figure walking briskly between the isles of tables. He would have run to catch up with Kat, but as the other restaurant patrons were rather annoyed with them already by the scene the girls had just caused, he didn't feel like accidentally knocking a plate off a table and causing even more trouble.

In the end, he stretched out with the Force and found Kat texting someone on her phone in the far corner of the lobby, swaying slightly from the obvious amount of alcohol she had been drinking. He approached her not long afterwards. "I'm sorry," Anakin said cautiously, "But, it's Kat, right?"

Kat looked up, blinking at him with an almost unintelligible gaze. He didn't know if it was the alcohol or if she always looked like that, but it reminded him of a Shaak on Naboo—the one time he had actually looked into one's eyes while it was in the process of almost trampling him. It hadn't appeared too intelligent either. At least Mindy was smart once you got past her partying habits.

"Yes," Kat replied with a sultry smile that made Anakin inwardly cringe and then take an uncomfortable step back. "Oh, wait...you're Padme's boyfriend, right?"

 _Well, sort of._ "Yes." Anakin cleared his throat. "Sorry to bother you again, but…"

"Oh, no need to be sorry, Sugar!" She took a step up to him, swaying as she moved, reaching out to touch his arm suggestively, her intentions vividly clear in her eyes.

Oh Boy. Maybe she was lying about the whole boyfriend thing…or she was too drunk to care.

It didn't matter. Anakin gulped and took another _bigger_ step back from her, carefully pulling his arm away from her grasp without making it seem like he wasn't repulsed by her. "Right. Anyway, I was just wondering where it was, again, you said you three worked together?"

"Oh, I didn't get to tell you, did I?" She giggled, snorting rather loudly as she did so. Yeah, he was already thanking the stars that Padme had apparently deliberately dropped contact with _this_ particular female. "We worked at _Hooters_ together, Sunshine."

 _Sunshine?_ _Did she really just call me that? Has the woman no morals?_

Anakin frowned and mentally shook himself, focusing again on what he was trying to find out.

Was the name _Hooters_ supposed to mean something to him?

"I'm sorry. _Hooters_?" He echoed, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

This seemed to sober her up a little. "Are you serious? You've never heard of _Hooters_ before?" Anakin shook his head, feeling his face flush a little with embarrassment. How he _hated_ it when someone else outside his close knit circle caught him not knowing something that should have been obvious to an Earthling. "Well, it's…" she frowned, trying to search for the words to explain it, but either she was too stupid, or she was too drunk. He honestly wasn't sure which it was. "You know, I've got some pictures of us working together there. It was a couple of years ago, but I should still have them somewhere on my phone. I could text them to you, if you want."

Did he _want_ to give this strange woman his cellphone number? No. Obviously, he really didn't, but he also wanted to know what a " _Hooters_ " was. So, he had no choice but to do so, and he found himself giving her his number (albeit reluctantly) and thanking her, but when she started to input his number to dial it, he paused, clearing his throat to get her attention. _I really don't want her to get the idea it's okay to try and keep calling me after this,_ Anakin thought, unnerved by the way she'd looked at ,when she looked up, he waved his right hand before her face and quietly said, "After you send the pictures to that phone number, you will delete those pictures off your phone, delete that number and forget it, and forget that you bumped into Padme, Satine, myself, and Ben here. You will go about your trip as if none of this happened."

She blinked as the Force wrapped around her mind and said, "I will go about my trip as if none of this happened."

Satisfied, Anakin stepped away quickly to head back into the restaurant before she could make another awkward pass at him.

Obi-Wan looked up as Anakin approached their table and sat back down. "Well?" He asked, seeing Anakin's confused expression, "What'd she say?" By this point, their drinks had been delivered, and Obi-Wan picked his up and began to take a sip.

"She said they worked together at some place called _Hooters_."

Suddenly, Obi-Wan began choking on his drink, coughing until he was red in the face. Anakin frowned, waiting to see if Obi-Wan needed assistance, but his friend soon managed to get control of himself; although, Anakin noticed Obi-Wan was now avoiding looking at him, and Anakin had a funny feeling Obi-Wan knew something he didn't.

"Obi-Wan," Anakin asked suspiciously, his eyes narrowed, "What's _Hooters_?"

"Uh," Obi-Wan said, his voice a bit raspy now, "Yes, it's…well, it's…"

Suddenly, Anakin's phone began to buzz in his pocket, and he pulled it out. "Hold on," He said, unlocking it and pressing download on the texts he had just received. It took a few seconds, but the pictures finally began to load up. "Kat is texting me some pictures from her phone…although, it seems I have a lot slower reception here in the mountains."

" _Oh_ , _Kriff!_ Anakin, don't…" Obi-Wan muttered, reaching for Anakin's phone, but just as he did, the pictures finally loaded and appeared on the screen, and Anakin's expression said it all.

It was rare that Anakin's jaw dropped.

In fact, he couldn't remember the last time it _had_ dropped. But, at that moment, seeing pictures on his phone of both Padme and Satine…but mostly _**his**_ _Padme…_ wearing a skimpy, figure hugging, white tank top that showed _way_ too much of her cleavage for his liking with the word _Hooters_ provocatively splayed across her bosom and orange short shorts that hugged her bottom and looked more like underwear, drop his jaw did, and his eyes bugged out in shock at these pictures of _his wife…_ dressed so…so…

" **WHAT THE….?!** " He began to shout, but he instantly got nasty glares thrown his way from people at other tables, and he forced himself to stop and quiet down. "Obi-Wan, explain _these!"_ He hissed through clenched teeth.

He shoved the phone across the table towards his red-faced former mentor who did not look like he wanted to mentor Anakin at _all_ about this particular custom of this world.

Obi-Wan hesitantly took the phone, looking through the pictures as well. Suddenly, his own expression soured at seeing Satine dressed like that. "Well," he began, " _Hooters_ is a well-known restaurant chain…"

"They have their employees wear _that?"_ Anakin interrupted, scandalized, nodding at his phone for emphasis. "What are they, the American equivalent of Jabba the Hutt?!"

"No," Obi-Wan shook his head, " _Hooters_ is a perfectly legal business, Anakin. Apparently, they have really good chicken wings. Not that I would know that, of course" Obi-Wan shook his head and shrugged, sliding the phone back to his obviously upset friend.

Anakin suddenly wanted to throw his phone across the room.

Instead, he filed the photos away for later for…whatever he decided he was going to do with them, and looked back at Obi-Wan with an expression that clearly demanded he continue with his explanation. Obi-Wan sighed. "It's basically a sports bar whose clientele is, to be honest, mostly male, because the wait staff is all female and required to wear," he motioned to Anakin's phone, "That."

"But, _**why**_ call it _Hooters?_ Why that name?" Anakin felt there was more to this than just wings.

Again, Obi-Wan flushed red as Anakin's shirt and seemed to hesitate again before answering.

"Well, umm...you see, it's that...uh…."

"Yes? Out with it."

Obi-Wan heaved another sigh, deciding to just be blunt about it, "Ok, _Hooters_ is a slang term for a woman's...well, you know…," and he motioned with his hands indicating the chest area.

"You mean breasts?" Anakin's eyes narrowed and his lips pressed into a thin line, as Obi-Wan nodded his head yes.

Anakin's frown deepened, and even though he was confident in his love and relationship with Padme, he couldn't help getting upset imagining all of those men looking at her like she was an object, just a prize to be won, instead of the beautiful, intelligent, and competent woman he knew who was filled with so much love and life. He knew she didn't work there anymore, and Kat had said they had stopped working there a few years ago, but he wondered what he would have done had he come to this world while she was still working there.

It wouldn't have been good, that's for sure.

"Text me those pictures of Satine." Obi-Wan said suddenly.

"What? Why?" Anakin asked, bewildered, but he was already pulling them back up anyway.

Obi-Wan leaned forward and took a long swig of his drink, tilting his head toward Anakin and giving his friend a pointed look. "Because, I think you and I each need to have a long talk with our respective girlfriends."

Anakin thought it over for a moment before he nodded and texted Obi-Wan the pictures. "I agree, but we need to wait until after dinner though." He glanced at the irritated customers around them. "We've made enough of a scene as it is."

"Agreed."

* * *

Padme didn't need to technically be married to Anakin to know that something was up.

She and Satine had both freaked out in the bathroom after they each confirmed that neither of them had told their significant other about their old job. It hadn't ever occurred to either of them to do so. After all, neither of them had known their respective boyfriends at the time. Granted, Padme and Anakin had not exactly had the relatively calm relationship Obi-Wan and Satine had had so far. So, it would have been hard for Padme to remember to tell Anakin about it anyway. Still, as soon as she saw Kat, she suddenly realized that it was something Anakin definitely would have wanted to know.

When they had calmed down and headed back out to their table, both of the men had been exceptionally…cool...about the whole incident. Almost _too_ cool. It was as if the girls hadn't acted strangely around them at all and then run off after they had unexpectedly met a very strange woman from their past. She didn't know about Obi-Wan and Satine, but Anakin's abnormal calmness was unnerving, and Padme just wanted to get done with dinner and follow Anakin to their room to get what she knew would be an... _interesting..._ conversation over with.

Because, even though he was acting normal, she just _knew_ that everything was not normal. She could see it in his eyes; though, he was masking it well for the sake of their friends.

Finally, once the waitress had removed their plates after their meal, Anakin leaned over, his hand sliding suggestively around her waist, as he softly whispered in her ear, "Let's go back to our room."

She would normally have been shivering with excitement at those words from him, except this time she knew that something was up, and that Anakin would pull the information out of her one way or another. The mere thought of going through one of his jealous moods exhausted her, and she mentally groaned. But, she managed to keep a smile on her face as she said, "Well, I think we're going to retire. Thank you for joining us for dinner. Goodnight. See you in the morning." Anakin stood up and she followed suit when he pulled her chair back for her and then took her hand in his with a firm grasp. Her stomach was twisted in knots, and she suddenly wanted to throw up.

Obi-Wan smiled pleasantly, seemingly unaware of the sudden tension. "Sure. Anytime. It's our pleasure. Sleep well, and we'll see you at breakfast."

With that, Padme and Anakin headed up to their room.

As soon as they left the restaurant, Anakin's mood almost visibly darkened. His expression was still normal, but something about the way he walked made chills race down Padme's skin. She could _feel_ the tension in his fingers as they flexed around her own.

Oh, yeah. She was in trouble alright.

It was almost a blessing when they reached their room. At least there they could have it out in private. With shaking hands clasped together, Padme stood still while Anakin unlocked the door with the cardkey and ushered her in first before stepping in behind her and shutting and locking the door.

 _I am so busted_ , she thought.

The valet had brought their luggage up while they had eaten dinner, and the maid had been in and turned down the bed and turned on some lights, bathing the room in a soft golden glow. It was a beautiful room that looked as rustic as the rest of the inn and romantically inviting, with a massive king size wooden four-poster bed with white sheets and covers at the far end of the room and a fluffy white rug on the floor at the foot of the bed. Padme kicked off her boots and wiggled her toes in the plush white carpet, walking over and setting her purse down on the wooden dresser before she sat down on one of the white chairs facing the bed, leaning forward, her good arm resting on her knees. "Ani…" she began, but Anakin cut her off.

"I'm glad you can tell I'm not happy." He said as he almost casually strolled toward the bed. Gone was the normal, happy façade he had put forward during dinner. But, at the same time, he wasn't yelling either. In fact, although there was a tight edge to his voice, he seemed rather calm, despite his narrowed gaze and lips pinched in a flat line.

It was a start.

"I know you're upset," Padme began again, "And, I can explain…"

"Explain what?" Anakin whirled to face her, cutting her off, his arms crossed over his chest, one eyebrow raised. "Explain your strange behavior at dinner? Or, would you care to explain the pictures that your friend Kat texted me?" He shot her a pointed look, his blue eyes flashing.

This time Padme's jaw dropped in shock. She had expected him to be suspicious, yes, but to actually go and ask Kat…?

"Hold on a sec," Now it was Padme that had a dangerous edge in her voice, "You actually went and asked Kat about what was going on before you asked me?"

"How was I supposed to ask you, or even Satine for that matter, when you were both hiding in the girls bathroom?! I wasn't about to waltz in there and get yelled at by a bunch of strange women just to get answers from you!"

"You could have waited until we came out, couldn't you?!" Padme was angry now, even though she knew he technically had a point. She had panicked and kind of run off to avoid the subject.

Anakin sighed in frustration, rubbing his hands across his face, and she could see him struggle with holding back curt responses that had probably popped into his head. But, knowing him, he would say one of them anyway.

Instead, he shocked her. "Fine. I'll give you that. I should have waited for you," he said, holding up both hands in acknowledgement of the fact.

Oh. For a moment, she didn't know what to say. She just blinked at him.

She had forgotten, momentarily, that _this_ Anakin, although he was still her Ani, was not the same man she had known before. She didn't know him quite as well as she used to. The old Anakin would never admit he was wrong unless it was painfully obvious, and even then his apology would have been vague at best.

She wanted to stay angry with him, but as he continued his apology, her defenses melted. "When you ran off like that, I was worried and…well, I get nosey when you get like that and I don't know why."

And, she could tell that he genuinely was sorry for it. There was still that dark look in his eyes, but she could also see the sincerity in his dazzling blue eyes and…

She really needed to stop looking into his eyes when she was trying to hold her ground.

"What exactly did she text you?" Padme asked on a sigh.

"Pictures of you and Satine in your _Hooters_ uniform. I'll admit, I didn't know what _Hooters_ was when she told me where you worked, so she suggested she text me those pictures…"

"Oh, _of course,_ she did." Padme rolled her eyes, a look of disgust crossing her face. "I bet she also hit on you, too. Didn't she?"

Anakin blinked in surprise. "Yes, actually, she did. I was repulsed and moved away from her quickly though…"

"Oh, I know. Believe me, _**I know**_. I didn't cut contact with her just because she's incredibly annoying." Padme cleared her throat awkwardly, and glanced down at the floor, shaking her head before looking back up at him . Sighing, she said, "Let's just say Mindy didn't like her either, and she pulled a rather mean prank on Kat once…except that Kat thought it was Satine and I who did it, instead of Mindy. So, she's been rather fake and backstabbing to us ever since."

Anakin frowned. "I'm going to ask you about that later."

"Fine."

He shook his head, leaning his shoulder against the bedpost, shoving his hands in his front pockets. "Why didn't you tell me about all this before?"

Padme sighed, looking down at her hands—one arm perfectly fine, and the other still encased in an itchy blue cast. "To be honest, I didn't think to tell you before, Ani. It's not like we haven't had a lot of other important things to talk about. More important, really." _Like our past. Our future. Our lost…_

 _NO. Don't think about that,_ she thought to herself _._

"I understand," Anakin said, "But... why didn't you tell me when you saw Kat? Instead, you ran off, and even when you came back, you still didn't say anything."

Her face flushed, and she suddenly felt small. He was right. "I thought…I was afraid that...well, after we've been through similar situations in the past…." She trailed off softly, completely embarrassed. Sure, she had had good reason to think that he would blow a fuse and overreact that way, but at the same time, she knew he was different now. She should have trusted him more.

"You thought I'd get mad and jealous and blow up over it." Anakin finished.

Padme sighed, nodded her head and shrugged her shoulders. "Yes, I did." She didn't bother to defend herself, and she couldn't bring herself to look at him either.

Anakin was silent for a moment, and she didn't dare look up. She didn't want to see his anger, or worse, disappointment. She supposed he'd seen that look on her face multiple times, but she hadn't really been on the other side of that look before now. It was a strange, awful, feeling.

Suddenly, he crossed the room, kneeling down on the floor in front of her chair, taking both of her hands in his, ignoring the cast altogether. "Padme," he called her name softly. She couldn't help it. She met his eyes, bracing herself to see her expectations, but instead she found something completely different. Sure, there was hurt. But there was also understanding and…

Love.

"I would be lying to you if I said I wasn't jealous when I saw the pictures of you wearing that outfit." Holy crap! He _admitted_ he was jealous?! He'd never done that before! "I admit I don't want other men looking at you like... _that_. Ok? You're _my wife_ , Angel. I'm the only man who's supposed to look at you that way." He reached up with his hand and gently tipped her chin to look at him, surprising her again when he said, "However, I also understand that it's in the past. I assume it was to earn money for…what, school?"

"No," Padme said quietly, shaking her head "I just needed a little extra money for the BMW, and Satine was already working there, and she made great tip money. So, she helped me get a job there. I only worked there for a semester during my sophomore year."

"Ok, fine. You didn't know me at the time. You didn't know our history together. I get it. I can't change that, and I'm not going to judge you over something like that." He paused, and he moved his fingers from her chin to gently cup her cheek. "What upsets me more is that you weren't open with me about this. We still have so much to talk about, Angel, and we'll probably _always_ have things to tell each other. That's part of growing old together, but we _have_ to be open and honest with each other. This won't work if we aren't." His eyes implored her to understand.

He was right, and she knew it. She had told him that before, in their old galaxy, and he hadn't listened to her. He had kept secrets from her. Had they been truly open with each other like they should have, they might have had a different ending back then.

But, they hadn't ended. Not really. They were starting over in the here and now.

"I'm sorry, Ani," She said softly, leaning into his touch. "I panicked when I should have trusted you completely."

"I understand why you didn't. I hadn't reacted very maturely before." Neither of them needed him to mention it to know what he was referring to.

"Well, I'm still sorry," she said. "Do you forgive me?"

"Of course, Angel," He kissed her forehead tenderly. "Do you forgive me, too?"

"I already have." She kissed him briefly, softly, speaking against his lips, "No more secrets?"

"No more secrets," He replied, smiling against her lips, his eyes dancing with love and mischief.

He tunneled his fingers into her hair and deepened their kiss, gently caressing her tongue with his own, sending shivers up her spine, and just when she thought she couldn't take it anymore, he suddenly pulled away.

"You are _so_ never going to work at a place like that again." He said (only half teasingly), a smile on his face, as he suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her off of the chair and onto his chest, as he fell backward to lie across the rug at the foot of their bed. When she laughed, his voice lowered to a husky intimate timbre as he nuzzled her neck and then whispered in her ear, "Although, if you want to wear those kinds of outfits for me at home in private…well, I won't object."

That cocky grin she loved so much spread across his face, as his hands settled possessively on her hips, and she rolled her eyes at him. "Well, it's good to see that you haven't changed _that_ much," she said, but she couldn't help but smile in return. _Oh, how much she loved him!_

"I'm still your Ani…changed somewhat, sure, but at heart, I'll always be the man you fell in love with." He promised her before he rolled her onto her back and kissed her again.

And, this time, there was no further discussion.

* * *

Satine was sitting on one of the stools at a small round table at the back of the bar next to Obi-Wan, enjoying a glass of white wine. Obi-Wan only had a glass of water, not necessarily because he didn't drink, but because at this moment, he wanted a clear head.

"So," Satine said, putting her wineglass down. The corner of the bar where they were sitting was semi-darkened, lit only with flickering candles on each table and very dim lighting from wall sconces around the room, and at this time of night, there were few people there, allowing them a modicum of privacy. "Are you angry?"

He had just told her about the pictures. He offered to show her the photos he'd seen, but she'd declined, saying that she was well aware of them.

"Am I mad that you worked there?" Obi-Wan asked, "No."

"Good. I made good tip money there, and I got through college that way. And, it's not like I worked at a strip club."

"I said I wasn't mad about that, per se." Obi-Wan reminded her, "I'm not even mad, really. I'm just surprised...disappointed, I guess...that you didn't tell me."

"Honestly, Ben, I never thought to tell you. I have a much better job now that I got because I used that other one to pay for the education that got me where I am today. I have a lot of other things on my mind besides the job I used to work at in college." She took another sip of wine. "Besides, it isn't like you haven't told me everything about your past either."

Obi-Wan tensed, and he glanced around the darkened bar to check to make sure no one was paying attention, sweeping the room with the Force before he spoke. The only person who seemed to be paying any sort of attention was the bartender, and Obi-Wan lowered his voice as he asked, "What exactly are you referring to?"

Satine was silent for a long moment, looking into her wineglass as she debated how to phrase her next words. "When Padme stopped dating Anakin for those three weeks after their discussion about his past, she told me that you and Anakin were involved with…thinking that you were from another universe." She flicked her gaze toward him and waited for him to deny it, but he didn't. He couldn't. He hadn't exactly told her the whole truth, but he had never flat out lied to her. When he didn't say anything, she sighed. "So, it's true then."

"I don't think it. I know it." He said calmly.

Satine was quiet as she processed this. "I told Padme that if you ever opened up and told me, like Anakin did to her, that I would at least listen to your side of the story." She looked at him. "Well? Would you be willing to tell me your story?"

If he told her, there was no going back. He hadn't really made a move towards taking their relationship to the next level because he still had the Jedi Code practically embedded in his soul. He knew that things were different now—obviously Anakin's relationship with Padme was not hindering _his_ ability to be a good Jedi. The man was now so filled with the Force, it almost made Obi-Wan dizzy just being around him sometimes, his Force signature was so strong. But, if Obi-Wan told her, if he…if he kissed her…

It would be real. Perhaps he _had_ grown an attachment, not to any particular person, but to a Jedi Code that was clearly out of date and antiquated and no longer even condoned by the Force.

"Okay. I'll tell you," Obi-Wan said, taking a deep breath, and resting his arms on the table as he began his tale, "My full name is Obi-Wan Kenobi, and I come from a galaxy far, far away…"

It took him a long time to tell her everything. He had been older than Anakin and had lived longer. There was more for him to tell. By the time he was finished, a few more patrons had wandered into the bar, and the TV hanging from the ceiling behind the bar was now playing some hockey game most of the people there could care less about.

But, he did finish, and when he was done, both of them sat there in silence for awhile. At some point during his speech, Satine had finished her glass of wine, and she hadn't called for another glass.

Finally, she spoke. "So, I was a Duchess from the planet Mandalore?"

"Yes."

"And I was a pacifist?"

"Yes."

She turned to him and smiled. "It sounds like I was someone I would have liked."

Obi-Wan couldn't help but laugh a little. "Oh yes, you two are very similar. Padme is very similar to her other self, too."

"And you don't remember this world's Obi-Wan's memories?"

"No."

Satine frowned. "Well. That _is_ quite a story. And it certainly explains a lot of your behavior."

"My behavior?" Obi-Wan quirked an eyebrow.

"Yes. For instance...The only reason you actually asked me out to begin with was because Anakin prodded you into it." She gave him a look. "Don't even try to deny it, either. Then, it took you forever to even start holding my hand in public. And," she motioned around them, "You've brought me on this trip to go back to your home, which most people would consider to be a major step forward in their relationship, but you haven't even kissed me yet."

Obi-Wan flushed, but he couldn't exactly deny any of what she'd said. He supposed he wasn't any good at being a boyfriend, really. Anakin made it look so easy, and yet, whenever Obi-Wan tried, he just felt awkward and out of place being "romantic."

Still, he _wanted_ to do those romantic things with her. Even if he was a little afraid to make the first move.

"So, you believe me?" He asked, deciding to keep the conversation focused.

Satine sighed, turning to face him fully. "I know I shouldn't, but somehow, I just…know it's true. I feel it in my heart. It's still weird to think I had another life before this one, but I can't deny that I haven't felt like something about my life has always been…off. Like I was supposed to be doing something else, but I just couldn't figure out what it was."

Obi-Wan sighed in relief. At least she hadn't outright rejected him. Now that he had been with her for this long, he didn't want her to go. He wanted….

He wanted…

His eyes trailed down to her lips.

Not for the first time, he wanted to lean down and kiss her. He wanted to stop being "virgin lips," as Mindy called it, and actually kiss the woman he loved.

"Obi-Wan?" His heart soared at hearing her use his full name. He normally didn't care what people called him since he had gotten used to both names, but to hear the woman he loved call him that...it was exhilarating. "Do you realize that most women would have given up on this sort of relationship a long time ago?"

"Yes." He was surprised every time she said yes to another date with him after he had taken her on date after date that didn't end in even a peck on the cheek.

She leaned forward, her blue eyes meeting his as she asked, "And, do you know that I am madly in love with you?"

His breath caught in his chest, and he felt a wave of utter joy rolling through him. She had told him she loved him before in their old galaxy, but to hear it again, after so many years…

He suddenly felt like his nerves were on fire.

"I didn't know that for sure," He admitted, leaning a little closer to her as well. Again, his eyes trailed down to her lips. "And, did you know, that despite being a stubborn Jedi fool, that I love you, too, more than I have ever loved anyone before?"

She smiled, a deeply feminine smile that just made her lips seem even more tempting. "I suspected, even if you haven't…"

He kissed her.

At first, it was awkward. He didn't really know what to do. Sure, he had seen movies. He had even seen Anakin kiss Padme. But, watching other people kiss was _very_ different than actually doing it yourself.

His lips tingled as his mouth pressed against hers, but as soon as her surprise wore off, she leaned into the kiss, her lips parting under his. He wasn't sure what to do next, but he followed her lead, opening his own mouth and was surprised...but overjoyed. Soon her arms were around his neck, pulling him closer, while one of his hands gently rested on the small of her back, the other cupping her cheek as they kissed.

It ended better than he ever expected a kiss could feel. He didn't want to stop. He suddenly wanted to keep kissing her, and kiss her over and over and over again, but soon they were gasping for breath and were forced to pull away, their foreheads resting together. "Wow." He said softly.

She smiled gently, her eyes sparkling. "Wow, is right," she breathed.

Obi-Wan leaned forward to kiss her again, but she pulled away slightly, laughing a bit. "We're getting stares." She whispered, and sure enough, Obi-Wan looked and found people looking at them from the corner of their eyes.

"I think we should take a walk," Obi-Wan said, climbing off the stool. Satine followed his lead, lacing her hand in his, their fingers intertwining.

"I love you, Obi-Wan," She breathed, resting her head against his shoulder.

"I love you too, Satine." He watched as Satine's smile brightened, and he kissed the top of her head before he led her off to take a walk around the inside of the lovely resort.

* * *

 **This was a SUPER long chapter, but I hope it answered a lot of your questions, like what does Obi-Wan do with his life/what does he plan on doing, what are he and Satine up to, etc. I just HAD to write their first kiss for you all...it would have been mean to just be like "oh and the other day they kissed, moving on." Now that they've kissed and Obi-Wan isn't as worried about a Force-less, conflicted former Sith Lord, their relationship should move faster.**

 **This chapter also highlights yet another change on Padme and Anakin's relationship. Before Anakin was always jealous, and even when he had a bad feeling about a guy, Padme would just assume it was jealousy and not listen because he got overly jealous so much. Now that's obviously changed...and they had their first argument without them breaking up!**

 **Basically, we have two more chapters before I do my first somewhat major time skip. To answer questions, no, Padme and Anakin have yet to marry in THIS world. They consider each other married because they were married before, but as previously explained, Anakin plans on changing that...pretty soon here.**

 **Also. I am not trying to imply that Hooters is bad or that it's a bad place to work. I wouldn't have any idea. It's just something that I doubt Anakin would like Padme doing.**

 **One more thing. I have not forgotten my decision to include Grievous and Ventress in here, as well as some other characters. Grievous will be showing up soonish, and Ventress...I'm changing her timeline a bit, so she'll arrive around Luke and Leia...which I am crazy excited to write. Those of you who love action, you'll get a LOT of that when Luke and Leia show up. Right now though I need to pull pieces together so Luke and Leia can happen. We're almost there. ALMOST. I dream about this stuff.**

 **The songs for this chapter are:**

 **Obi-Wan and Satine by Kevin Kiner (Clone Wars)**

 **Tenerife Sea by Ed Sheeran**

 **Anyhow, review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	35. Home on the Range

"So, what exactly did Mindy do to Kat?" Anakin asked as Obi-Wan turned the SUV down yet another empty, icy country road. Anakin noticed that even though Idaho was not Tatooine, as there was definitely no snow on Tatooine, it still had the largely empty feeling of his home planet. Obi-Wan had said that there were large mountains on the other side of the state, but this side was relatively flat, with very few inhabitants. They had passed through one "large" city since arriving in the state (if one could call it that), but now they were driving in what looked to be the middle of nowhere. According to Obi-Wan, they were only about twenty or so minutes away from Anakin's home.

Twenty minutes away from discussing his mother's decision with his mother.

Inside, he was a nervous wreck, and he was _more_ than glad to have Padme distract him with a silly Mindy story, despite the rather unorthodox manner in which this particular story had been brought back to light.

Anakin smirked thinking of their two-day stopover in Lake Tahoe. It had started out rather... _wild_...first with the snowstorm that had forced them to seek shelter at the Inn, and then the unexpected run-in with Kat in the restaurant that evening, which had lead to the revelation of this past event in Mindy, Satine, and Padme's combined past (not to mention he and Obi-Wan finding out about Padme and Satine's old job at _Hooters_ ). Fortunately, their stop in Tahoe had ended much better than it began, with Obi-Wan and Satine's relationship taking a turn for the better (Obi-Wan had quietly informed Anakin at breakfast the next morning that he and Satine had finally kissed and expressed their love for each other the night before, much to Anakin's delighted surprise) and with all four of them enjoying a robust day of snowmobiling on the trails, Obi-Wan and Satine on one vehicle and Anakin and Padme on another. As Obi-Wan predicted, Anakin had _loved_ the sport, taking to snowmobiling like a duck takes to water, and he had greatly amused Padme with his declaration of, "I've _GOT_ to get me one of _these_!," when they had returned the rented snowmobiles at the end of the day. Of course, Anakin couldn't forget the growth in his and Padme's own relationship in regard to their private discussion about her old job at _Hooters_ and how maturely they had both handled it _._ Casting a sly glance sideways at his wife, he grinned as he also remembered their rather heated romantic interlude following that discussion, too. Oh yes, he was _very_ glad they had stopped off in Tahoe!

Jolting himself out of his reverie and back to reality, Anakin now sat in the back of the SUV with Padme, their hands intertwined across the drink holder between their bucket seats. He rubbed his thumb absently over her cast. _Just a few more weeks_ , he thought, and _this thing will be off._ Then, they could really start forgetting what Maul had done to her, or rather, _try_ to forget. There were some things, though, some unseen things, that would _always_ haunt the both of them. The sudden thought of their shared loss made him unconsciously squeeze her hand.

Satine, who sat in the front passenger seat, her left hand in Obi-Wan's right, laughed. "Oh, Padme mentioned that, did she? Man, we probably should have stopped her…" she chortled, shaking her head at the memory.

"Probably," Padme agreed, rolling her eyes and shaking her own head at the memory. "Ok, so this one night, right...Mindy was _super_ drunk when she came up with this _less_ than brilliant idea. She decided to sneak onto a golf course in the middle of the night...and she spent _three hours_ trying to capture a duck,

which was just beyond _hilarious_ to watch...but she accidentally trapped a goose instead, and then, she tied the goose to the door knob of Kat's front door of her apartment." Anakin had seen a goose once while he'd been jogging through the park with Padme, and she'd told him that, although they looked pretty from afar, they were quite vicious birds up close.

Yes, imagining a very drunk Mindy wrestling with a goose _was_ hilarious, and Anakin couldn't help but bust out laughing at the thought. _I think I can use this to my advantage one day,_ he smirked with a feral grin, as he mentally filed this tidbit away for another time.

Satine and Padme started laughing, too. "I guess we really shouldn't be laughing, especially since Kat had to call animal control to be able to get out of her apartment, but she was just _so, so_ mad, and she thought it was Padme and I who did it, because she thought _we_ were mad that _she_ got a promotion at work instead of me."

"And, she hasn't liked us ever since," Padme finished the story, smirking at the memory.

"Remind me not to get on Mindy's bad side." Obi-Wan mused with a grin.

"Yeah...Or, she just might tie fifty _chickens_ to _your_ door handle, Obi-Wan," Anakin added with a grin, causing both Padme and Satine to start laughing hysterically again. Anakin watched as Obi-Wan used the rearview mirror to shoot a glare at him, and Anakin merely widened his grin in response.

"Just wait, Anakin, someday _you'll_ do something so embarrassing that you won't bring up the chicken suit ever again for fear that I'll bring up _your_ incident," Obi-Wan warned, rolling his eyes and turning his full attention back to the road with a shake of his head.

"And, when that day comes," Padme replied, raising her eyebrows, her eyes twinkling with mirth, "I'll be sure to mention it for him." Obi-Wan scowled as Satine laughed all the harder. "Sorry, Obi-Wan," Padme shrugged, not looking the least bit sorry. "You're my friend, but…"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it." Obi-Wan grumbled under his breath, and he cast a sideways look at Satine. "Shouldn't you be defending me, since we're dating and all?"

"Oh yes, yes, I'm sorry, Ben, it's just…now that I know you're a Jedi warrior, the thought of you waddling around in that chicken suit…" Satine erupted into another fit of giggles, which only made Padme join in until both women had tears in their eyes from laughing so much.

"Oh, my aching ribs!," Padme huffed through her tears, as she massaged her left side.

Obi-Wan, who shot another glare at Anakin in the mirror, noticed his friend was again grinning madly in triumph at his embarrassment. "This is _your_ fault. Stop bringing it up."

"Never." Anakin said with relish, his eyes filled with a devilish gleam, as Obi-Wan turned down yet another road.

"Anakin, I swear…," Obi-Wan started to say.

"Cluck, cluck," was Anakin's quick retort.

After a moment's pause, the vehicle filled with uproarious laughter once more from Anakin, Padme, and Satine, much to Obi-Wan's flustered embarrassment.

"Disrespectful Padawan," was overheard quietly coming from the driver's seat.

Satine turned around to face Anakin, trying her best to put on a straight face. "Now, Anakin," she chided (or tried to), "That's not very nice. Stop bringing it up."

Anakin raised an eyebrow. "You know, and _he knows_ , that that's not happening. He's going to hear about it until the day he dies."

The corners of Satine's lips twitched, and Anakin could see the struggle to hold back more laughter in her clear blue eyes. "It's still not nice." She turned back to Obi-Wan, batting her eyelashes at him teasingly. "See? I support you."

Obi-Wan sighed as he slowed the car down, and Anakin noticed for the first time that they were driving next to a white gate that widened into an entrance just up ahead. "At least you tried. I suppose it's the thought that counts."

"I'm sorry, Ben. I'll make it up to you later, I promise." Satine said, as she, too, noticed the gate. "Is this it?"

"This is it." Obi-Wan confirmed with a nod, and he turned the SUV through the entrance. The road was not as plowed, so Obi-Wan had to maintain an achingly slow pace as they sloshed through slush-filled divots in the road. "Welcome home, Anakin."

Immediately, Anakin sobered, straightening a bit in his seat as he tried to frantically take everything in. It was all so…different. As he passed by snowy open fields, he tried to picture himself living there, growing up there. When he saw a group of cows huddled together in one field, he tried to imagine himself waking up every morning to help care for them. When he saw a few horses attempting to graze on shoots of grass in another field, he tried to picture himself riding one during the summer.

He couldn't picture it.

"Obi-Wan, how big is the ranch again?," he asked as he stared about him at the seemingly endless rolling fields.

"Fourteen hundred acres. It's a pretty big spread, though smaller than a lot of other ranches in the area."

It was another ten minutes of driving down this dirt and gravel path before they spotted a _massive_ house in the distance nestled against a forest. At least, it looked much bigger than what Anakin had imagined his mother living in. In reality, it wasn't too much bigger than his and Padme's house. But, whenever Anakin pictured his mother sitting in her home in this world, somehow he still managed to think of her in her home with Cliegg on the moisture farm back on Tatooine, the same small farm home that Luke had grown up in with Owen and Beru. And even then, he hadn't put two and two together that this… _this_ was where _he_ had grown up, too. Not until he was actually looking at it.

"This is where I grew up?" Anakin asked, his voice tight as he tried to process all of this. It was overwhelming. He glanced at Padme, wondering if she thought the same thing about her childhood home when they had spent time at her parents' house after she remembered her past. He made a mental note to ask her about it later.

"For most of your life, yes. I doubt you would have remembered your first home. Your mom and Cliegg got married when you were just four." Obi-Wan slowed the SUV down even further until they were basically at a crawl. "Are you okay, Anakin? Do you need…?"

"No, I'm fine," Anakin hurriedly assured him. He had already fretted enough about getting here. Now that he was, he just wanted to get it all over with. "There's just…so much about this world…or rather my old life in this world…that I'm just so clueless about." He did not like the feeling of being clueless. He _hated_ not understanding things in this world most people here thought to be simple and took for granted, and now that he looked around and realized he hadn't even fully considered his own life here, he suddenly felt very small and lost.

Padme, sensing his inner turmoil, intertwined her fingers with his. "It's okay, Ani," she whispered supportively, "You'll get a handle on it. You always do, and I'm right here beside you." She gave his hand a comforting squeeze.

Her words, simple on the surface, struck him deeply, filling him with the strength and courage he desperately needed right then. When Padme looked at him, he saw so much love and trust and confidence that he felt like he could face the whole world…the whole galaxy…. _both_ galaxies.

So, when Obi-Wan finally pulled up to the front of the house and stopped, Anakin felt no more fear as he got out and then helped Padme out of the car.

" _OH FORCE,_ this place is c-c-cold!" Padme cried as soon as she left the comforting warmth of the SUV. "The inside of my nose j-just f-froze… _FROZE."_ She rubbed her nose, and sure enough, Anakin noticed her cheeks were already bright red from the sting of the wind. "I d-don't think I brought enough warm c-clothes for this t-trip…" she moaned as she rubbed her arms with her hands for warmth in the icy blast of wind that buffeted them.

Anakin started to laugh, but then he too realized that it really was _very_ cold…Hoth cold. He no longer had a temperature controlled suit that protected him from the elements. "Um...I think we should get our stuff and go inside all in one trip, Obi-Wan." He said, but Obi-Wan was already one step ahead, pulling on a dark blue, fluffy-looking down jacket and gloves. He was the only one who didn't seem surprised by the weather, and he had already dug out a similar down jacket and a scarf for Satine, who also rubbed her arms vigorously to try to keep warm.

"Sure, but shouldn't your body still be acclimated to this weather? You're technically using this world's Anakin's body, you know," Obi-Wan smirked, and Anakin resisted the sudden urge to throw a snowball in his face. A very _large_ snowball. _You are SO in for it,_ Anakin told Obi-Wan through the Force, quirking an eyebrow at him. Obi-Wan just grinned in response, and Anakin decided he would have to surprise Obi-Wan with a snowball fight later and get him back for all of the fruit he had thrown at him over the past few months during their training…it would be a glorious battle indeed. _And, I WILL win,_ Anakin smugly thought.

Both Obi-Wan and Anakin began unloading all the suitcases from the back of the SUV, and when Anakin grabbed Padme's bag, he quickly opened it and dug through its contents and found his wife another, heavier jacket plus a scarf to wear, which she gratefully took and wrapped herself up with. "S-speaking of which," Padme said through chattering teeth, "I've been meaning to ask…Anakin, you still have the scar over your right eye, but yet you have both of your hands…which you didn't have at this age back in our galaxy. W-Why is that?" Padme started bouncing from foot to foot to try to keep warm.

Anakin frowned, remembering that he had briefly thought about that same question himself when he had first gotten here to this world, but then he'd realized that he had _way_ bigger questions that needed to be answered first. But, life was starting to settle down now, and while they were taking a break from hunting Palpatine down, it was suddenly the perfect time to ask those questions. "I don't know, Angel. Actually, I would like to know why, too." He gave Obi-Wan a questioning look as he zipped up Padme's suitcase again.

"I believe I can answer that question for you." A new, yet achingly familiar voice said, making Anakin's heart beat faster. He straightened up and looked around the back end of the SUV, finding his mother standing there in the snow by the front walkway to the house, seemingly at ease with the low temperatures in her white snow jacket and heavy duty snow boots. When their eyes met, Anakin's attention was instantly drawn to the dark circles under them. She seemed older than she had a few months ago, as if all of the cares in the world had been dumped upon her slender shoulders. She smiled softly, but there was still hesitation in her eyes, as if she were looking at a stranger and not the son she had given birth to in _this_ world.

And, he supposed that _technically_ , that was true.

"Hello, Anakin," she said softly.

Anakin opened his mouth to say "Hello, Mom," but right before he said it he realized that she may not want him to call her that anymore; so, instead, it came out as an awkward, "Hello... mmmmm….uh, hello." She raised her eyebrows, but otherwise, she made no comment.

"Good Morning, Shmi," Obi-Wan greeted with a small smile, his tone friendly, but cautious at the same time.

His mother's eyes flashed to him, and for a moment there was accusation in their dark brown depths, but it immediately melted away into acceptance. His mother was a smart woman. Anakin didn't need to tell her that Obi-Wan knew the truth, and that that was the real reason why he had decided to stay out in California to help Anakin. "Hello, Ben." She then looked toward the girls. "Hello, Padme. It's good to see you again."

Padme nodded and smiled. Her shivering had calmed some, but she still looked like she was trying to curl her body away from the cold somehow. "Hi, Mrs. Skywalker….er…Lars…" Anakin didn't actually know which last name his mother went by, and he hadn't thought about it until that moment. He mentally filed the question away for later.

"Shmi is fine, Padme." His mother assured her with a smile before turning to Satine. "And, you must be Satine." She shook Satine's hand with her own gloved one. Obviously, his mother was quite used to the winters in Idaho. "It's lovely to finally meet you."

"Yes, you, too. Thank you for inviting Ben and I for the Holidays." Satine politely said.

"Don't worry about it." Shmi sighed, "Well. Let's get you all inside and warmed up, shall we?" She turned and, without looking to see if they followed, started up the plowed walkway to the large heavy oak front door, which had a large Christmas wreath attached to it.

They entered the house, and, again, Anakin expected to see the bare, white, insufferably hot interior of their home in Tatooine, but instead, they walked into a large, cozy, warm home decorated for Christmas. The interior was mostly made of some sort of a dark wood with high ceilings with heavy wooden beams stretching the length of the room, lots of glass windows across the back wall of the living room overlooking a peaceful snowy landscape, and a beautifully impressive stone fireplace with a large sectional white sofa in a U-shape before it with a glass-top coffee table in the middle. On the walls round about, there were lots of pictures of Cliegg and Shmi over the years, Owen and Anakin at various ages of youth, and even a few of Obi-Wan were visible, along with some oil paintings of mountainous scenes placed on certain walls. In the far corner of the living room next to the back glass wall, there was a very tall Christmas tree decorated with lots of ornaments and twinkling multi-colored lights with presents piled underneath all wrapped in colorful paper. There were some old stockings hanging from the mantle of the fireplace with the names Cleigg, Shmi, Owen, Anakin, Ben, and Beru on them (plus two new red and white ones with Padme and Satine scribbled on them in silver glitter), and another large wreath hung above the fireplace. The scent of pine and cinnamon filled the house. It was certainly a festive environment for the holidays. As Shmi began to give them a brief tour of the house, Anakin noticed that some of the walls were a sturdy stone material, trapping the warmth of the fireplace.

"Cliegg is out in the barn fixing some equipment at the moment. He'll be in later."

"Sounds like a job for Anakin now that he's back," Obi-Wan mused.

"Yes, I would be happy to help." Anakin offered, almost a little too quickly, and he mentally scolded himself as soon as he did. He sounded like a child eager to please their angry parents to get back on their good side after having done something wrong.

But, his mother just laughed and shook her head. "Oh, I've told Cliegg that multiple times over the years, but after you got that scar that time, he's refused to let you help him out since, if he can help it."

Anakin blinked in surprise. He wasn't expecting _that_ answer.

"So, what exactly happened?" Padme asked curiously.

They had reached the kitchen, where the sweet smell of cookies baking filled the air. Anakin looked around at the large kitchen which was off the back side of the living room. A large stone archway divided the kitchen area from the living room. He noted a set of glass French doors behind the dining table, which sat ten comfortably, and there was a large island in the center of the cooking area made of black wood and a dark gray, black, and white granite countertop. A huge double door refrigerator with a stainless steel finish stood next to the counter and sink area that had the same granite finish as the island, and along the far wall, there was a double oven in stainless steel with a microwave oven next to it. It felt warm and inviting. He then noticed a large tray filled with already completed sugar cookies to confirm his mother had been baking, but he was jolted back to the conversation when Shmi continued speaking.

"Oh, one time, when he was about ten, Anakin decided he wanted to fix something using Cliegg's power tools. Cliegg was always willing to let Anakin use his tools as long as he was around to help him, but this time, he had to go to a stock show that weekend and told Anakin to wait until he got back. Naturally," Shmi quirked an eyebrow and shot her son a knowing look, "Anakin didn't listen, and sure enough, he slipped and got cut across the eye." His mother shook her head at the memory, her eyes far away, as if she were remembering an event that happened just yesterday, not over twelve years before. "Just a little bit closer, and it would have actually hit his eye."

 _Well, that beats Ventress and a lightsaber to the face any day,_ Anakin thought to himself, and when he noticed the wry twist of lips on Obi-Wan's face, he couldn't help but smirk himself. Obviously, his mentor had overheard his thought through the Force. He never thought he would miss accidentally letting his thoughts slip through the Force, but after so long of not being able to communicate, he actually did. For now.

Shmi sat down at the head of the dining table, inviting them with a wave of her hand to join her around the table, but Anakin preferred to stand by the island. A simple white table cloth was spread over it, with red and white flowers as a centerpiece. "Most kids would have been in so much pain, they wouldn't have cared if they got in trouble and would have immediately told their parents. Not Ani. He was convinced that he would be in huge trouble, so he hid himself upstairs in the barn until Ben found him."

Padme rolled her eyes at her husband. "Oh, Ani," She said with a sigh, "It sounds like you were quite the handful for your poor mother."

"Oh, he was." Shmi said, trying to smile, but it was a sad smile, and it quickly faded.

Sensing the sudden awkwardness in the room, Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "Well. I'm sure we can tell lots more embarrassing stories about Anakin's youthful shenanigans later, but right now, I think it's time that I show the girls to their rooms, and we start unpacking. Wouldn't you agree, Padme?"

Padme hesitated, meeting Anakin's eyes, and she didn't need the Force to communicate the message she wanted to share with him: _Are you going to be okay?_

Again, Anakin felt his chest fill with love for the woman sitting before him. How could he have _ever_ doubted her love for him? It was so clear in every look, every gesture, and every action that she made.

Just barely, so that only she could see, he nodded, and her shoulders slumped a little as she relaxed, and she shot him a small smile of encouragement. "Well, I agree. I'm pretty tired after the drive anyway. I think I might lie down for a bit."

"Good idea," Satine agreed, and both women got to their feet and followed after Obi-Wan, grabbing their rolling suitcases from by the sofa and trundling off down the hall to get settled.

Leaving Anakin alone with his mother.

Carefully, he sat down in one of the empty chairs, close enough so that he could have a private conversation with his mother, but not close enough that he would make her feel uncomfortable…if that was indeed how she felt around him now. He waited for her to begin, but she sat silent, staring out at the white world outside of the frosted French doors. After a few minutes of unbearable silence, he cleared his throat. "Mother?" He winced. He hoped she wouldn't forbid him from calling her that now. Even if he wasn't _technically_ the son she raised in this world, she would always be his mother.

She sighed and leaned back in her chair, her hands falling to rest in her lap. "You said that I…I died in your galaxy. Correct?"

Well. He wasn't expecting her to start things out quite _that_ way. He had expected accusations, maybe. But, not this. "Yes." He answered truthfully, trying to block the images from his mind.

"Were we close before that?" She asked, her face still turned toward the French doors. She still hadn't looked at him.

"When I was young, we were very close. You were all I had. Then I was taken away to be a Jedi when I was nine, and after that, I wasn't allowed to have contact with you according to the Jedi Code." He paused, his throat tightening, and now he, too, had to look out at the snowy world outside to focus on something that had nothing to do with the memory. "After I left, I didn't see you again until…" He couldn't finish. It was still too painful to think about.

"I'm sorry." She said, her voice almost a whisper. What did one say to someone in Anakin's shoes? Anakin had no idea, but he supposed sorry was just about as good as anyone would get.

"Me, too." There was another awkward silence. "And, I'm sorry that…"

She was shaking her head, cutting him off. "I don't want to hear apologies, Anakin. You didn't know any of this would happen." She leaned forward then, turning her dark eyes back on him, studying him as if for the first time. "It's just difficult, though. You look and sound just like my Ani…so much so that I just can't believe that you're so different from him."

He didn't know what to say to that. He had never met this world's Anakin before; so, he wasn't sure if his mother was right or if she was just seeing what she wanted to see in him.

She wasn't finished, though. "You said that Padme remembers her past life."

It wasn't a question. "Yes."

"And, yet, she still remembers her memories from her life in this world here?"

His heart sank. He knew where she was going with this.

"Mom, I can't promise…"

"I understand that." She interrupted, giving him a firm look. "I've thought a lot about this, Son, and I think you're wrong. I think _my_ Ani is in there still, inside _you_...just like _your_ Padme was in this world's Padme. I understand that Ben hasn't recovered his memories since coming here, but that doesn't mean they aren't there." Her brown eyes hardened with that steely resolve that he'd seen whenever she was determined to do something. The last time he'd seen that look, she was telling him to go with Qui-Gon and live a better life. "I'm not giving up on my Ani, and I'm not going to push _you_ away just because you can't remember the life you had here in this world. It sounds like you are in desperate need of a mother, and that is what I will be to you. And, someday, whether that's a few weeks from now or even years from now, you'll remember. I know it."

Force, how he'd forgotten how strong his mother was. She said it with such _conviction_ , that he almost believed her himself. He supposed that technically, they didn't know for sure that he wouldn't remember at some point, but he just couldn't find the confidence his mother seemed to have found since he'd last spoken with her. "How can you be so sure, Mom?" He asked, rubbing his hands together in mild concern. He hated the thought of this being a continuing disappointment for her.

Shmi was quiet for a moment before she answered. "Anakin, I never told you this before… _ever._ But, when I got pregnant with you...I had never….Well.." A pause, and she glanced down at her hands in her lap.

"Been with anyone?" Anakin asked quietly, looking at his own clasped hands resting on the tabletop. He remembered when she told him at a young age what had happened. It was as awkward then as it was now. "Yeah, I know, Mom. That's how you got pregnant with me in my old galaxy, too."

Shmi frowned. "Is that…normal...where you come from?"

Anakin shook his head. "No. The Jedi said I was born by the will of the Force. I was supposed to be the "Chosen One" of Jedi lore who would bring prophesied balance to the Force. It…was a title I often resented growing up in the Jedi Temple."

"Well," she admitted, "I suppose that's a better explanation than I've ever come up with, because that's…not normal here, either, but with modern medicine nowadays, it can be possible with certain procedures…but I hadn't undergone that either, so I was very lost..scared even. Still, I wasn't going to tell people about this; so, I let people believe I had undergone one of those medical procedures." She sighed, looking back out the window. "Even Cliegg doesn't know about this. I didn't think anyone would believe me."

Anakin's heart went out to her as he realized how hard…how frightening...it must have been for her to suddenly find out she was pregnant under such circumstances and have no one to talk to about the full truth behind it. He longed to reach out and hug her and give her what comfort he could, but he was still unsure of how she would respond to that, so he kept his hands to himself.

"When I was thinking over what you told me, I realized that perhaps…perhaps, it wasn't just some medical accident that I got pregnant out of nowhere. Perhaps there was a bigger reason, a reason that I didn't fully understand until the night you told me the truth." She took a deep breath and looked back at him. "I realized that no matter what...I _**am**_ your mother, Anakin, and you will _always_ be my son. Always. You have always been special, and I just can't bring myself to give up my faith in you. So, I won't."

He couldn't believe his ears. Despite Padme's insistence that being invited to the ranch was a good sign, he still hadn't been able to fully believe that until this moment. "You're not going to disown me?" He asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

His mother frowned, looking a little offended. "Ani, I said I needed time, not that I was thinking about never seeing you again." The timer on the oven pinged, and she stood and went to get the next batch of cookies out of the oven. "A good parent never gives up on their child. No matter what. So it looks like you're stuck with me."

Anakin watched as she took the cookies out and set them next to the other cookies to cool. "I think I can live with that," He teased, and this time, when she smiled, it was genuine. "I love you, Mom," He said, seriously this time.

She took her oven mitts off and smiled at him warmly. "And, I love you, Ani. Don't you ever forget that."

He wouldn't, not ever.

"So," his mother suddenly said, and he could tell by the tone of her voice that she was done talking about the subject of his…personal situation. For now, at least, "Padme. How is she doing now?"

He didn't need to ask to know what his mother was referring to. He had been straightforward with his mother and told her about the baby. He sighed, looking down at his hands clasped together on the tabletop, as he decided how to put into words what he didn't want to think about if he could help it. "On the outside, she seems okay. However, when she lets her guard down, I can sense that she's having a hard time with it. Anytime I try to bring it up, she changes the subject. I'm afraid if she _doesn't_ talk about it, though, she may end up breaking down over it."

"You can _sense_ this?" His mother echoed questionably, her look a bit skeptical.

"Oh." He'd forgotten that he hadn't exactly given his mother the details of everything the Force could do. "Sometimes, I can sense peoples feelings or even their thoughts. It helps a lot in life or death situations, or in negotiating, but occasionally, it can help with those I'm close to as well."

"So…can you sense what I'm feeling right now?" She asked, coming back over to the table to sit with him again.

Anakin shrugged his shoulders. "If I tried, probably. It works more easily on those who tend to be weak minded. I try not to, though, because I feel it's an invasion of privacy, but sometimes, I accidentally do it or people are projecting their feelings like a beacon, and then it's impossible to miss."

Shmi was quiet for a moment as she processed this. "You know, now that you mention it, you always seemed to know when to approach people about things at just the right time. I just figured you were good at reading people. But maybe…"

"Maybe I was Force-sensitive?" He nodded. "It wouldn't surprise me."

"I'm beginning to realize that I'd better stop being surprised as well." She sighed. "Well. Owen and his wife won't be over with their new baby until tomorrow, right before dinner." She paused. "You don't think the baby might upset Padme, do you?," she looked at him with concern.

Anakin hesitated. He vaguely remembered his mother telling him about Owen and Beru's adoption, but he hadn't thought about it too deeply since then. It was possible that it might trigger a negative response with Padme, and if he was honest with himself, he thought that he might not react well to it either. He was still worried that it may have been Luke and Leia they had lost….

"I don't know, Mom," was his reply.

"Well…I'll caution Owen and Beru just the same." She leaned forward. "So, I want to know all about this Jedi thing. I want to know what my son is getting into now," she smiled and raised her eyebrows at him.

Grateful that she had dropped the subject of his and Padme's lost child, Anakin launched enthusiastically into telling her everything he could about what a Jedi was and what Obi-Wan and he planned to do with the Jedi in this world.

* * *

Early afternoon the next day, Christmas Eve, Padme was helping Shmi and Satine in the kitchen to prepare their Christmas Eve dinner while the boys were helping Cliegg with the cows out in the snow. "I cannot believe Ben got Anakin to wear that ridiculous cowboy hat," Satine mused with a shake of her head and a grin on her face as she finished stirring the glaze for the sweet rolls.

"Oh, I don't know. I think it looked sort of adorable on him," Padme said although, she too smiled at the image of Anakin in the black cowboy hat Obi-Wan had convinced him to wear before heading out the door. With a gleam in his eye, Obi-Wan had told Anakin that ' _only the best cowboys_ ' wear cowboy hats, almost daring Anakin to put it on. Anakin had changed but not _that_ much, and he still took it as a challenge when Obi-Wan had said that. Anakin liked being the best at _everything_ he did, and she doubted that would ever really change.

So, with his black cowboy hat and bright neon red jacket, Anakin had gone out to the field to play cowboy with Cleigg and Obi-Wan, and that was the last they had seen of them.

"It's not the warmest hat he could have worn," Shmi fretted as she checked on the turkey, "I just hope he doesn't get frostbite on his ears."

That made Padme almost drop the potato she was peeling. "Isn't frostbite something you get when you're, I don't know, lost in Alaska or something? Or Antarctica?"

Shmi laughed as if Padme had made some funny joke, but Padme had asked what seemed to her like a reasonable question. "If you aren't wearing the proper protection here, Padme, you can get frostbite just walking out to your car."

"Wow," Padme replied, her eyes wide and her eyebrows arched in surprise. "You know, Shmi," Padme said as she continued peeling potatoes again, "As pretty as the drive was up here, I think I prefer living in warmer states."

"I think I agree," Satine added, which only made Shmi laugh more.

"Oh, you get used to it eventually. But, I can see your point. Besides, you have it good out there in California. You have your own house with a lovely view of the beach from your living room, just a fifteen minute drive to the beach, and you live close to some of the most popular cities in the country. As much as I would love for you and Ani to move closer to us, I can understand why you wouldn't."

Padme relaxed a little at that—she was glad Shmi wasn't going to try to convince them to move back to Idaho. "Well, I do know that Ani misses you. A lot."

"And, I miss him," Shmi agreed, "But, Ani has _never_ been the type of person to sit still in one place and farm for a living. Owen was a little upset that Ani moved out there to go to school, but Cliegg and I were not surprised one bit that he made the move."

The more Padme talked to Shmi and wandered around the house that this world's Anakin grew up in, the more curious she became about this Anakin who had lived his whole life being free of the responsibilities of being the Chosen One. She wondered if he was drastically different from her husband, or if he was very similar.

She finished peeling the potatoes and put them in the pot to soften. "Well, the potatoes are well on their way to being mashed," She announced proudly.

"And, the glaze for the rolls is finished," Satine said with a flourish.

"Great," Shmi said with a smile, "I'm basically done with the turkey, so dinner should be ready in an hour. Why don't you two go get the boys and bring them back in?"

"Sounds like a plan," Satine grinned, "I can't wait to see how Anakin fared at playing cowboy."

Already Padme was laughing to herself because, knowing Anakin, it probably wasn't going very well. Anakin was a Jedi who belonged in a garage or hanger bay tinkering with machines, not out in a snowy field rounding up cows. Her husband was talented, but that talent stretched only so far.

After bundling up in as many warm clothes as they could find, the girls headed out to the pasture near the barn to find Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Cliegg.

It wasn't hard. They heard Anakin cursing...loudly...before they even caught sight of them.

When they arrived at the paddock, both Obi-Wan and Cliegg were leaning against the fence, bundled up in warm clothes and definitely _not_ wearing cowboy hats as they watched Anakin face down a group of about ten cows. "Aren't you two supposed to be helping him?" Padme asked as they approached the fence. When they stopped, both girls bounced from foot to foot to stay warm in the late afternoon chill. Over and over Padme kept imagining herself getting frostbite, and she was already dreaming of getting back inside so that she could warm herself by the fireplace before dinner.

"Yes," Cliegg said, shooting her a sly grin, "But, it's _so_ much more fun watching him struggle."

Sure enough, Anakin was doing anything but controlling the cattle. Padme supposed that he was trying to get them out of the paddock and back into the open pasture, but the cows simply were not cooperating. Currently, he was running around, madly trying to move them toward the gate, but anytime he approached them, they scattered around in panic, the whites of their eyes showing as they ran from the strange man in a cowboy hat, their hind legs kicking up snow and dirt as they went, spraying Anakin with the icy muck.

Obi-Wan was having the time of his life…and capturing this Kodak moment on his cellphone with devilish glee. Obviously, Anakin was about to learn what 'payback' _really_ meant.

He laughed uproariously (but kept his cellphone steady) as Anakin attempted to jump onto the back of one of the cows, which only made the animal panic even further and buck him off, sending him tumbling into the mud. "USE THE FORCE, ANAKIN!" Obi-Wan cried in between laughs, which only got him a very _...colorful_...response in return from Anakin, making Obi-Wan laugh all the harder.

"The Force?" Cliegg questioned, a quizzical look on his face.

"It's an inside joke," Satine quickly replied before Padme could think of an explanation. Padme shot her friend a grateful look. Obi-Wan would need to be more careful with his references.

Still, Anakin picked himself up off of the frozen ground, the cowboy hat falling to the earth unnoticed, and he turned to the cows, extending his right hand toward the small herd. "You _**will**_ go out into the pasture!" He ordered in exasperation, but the cows just looked at him stupidly, standing still chewing their cud.

He tried it again.

And, again.

But, the cows did not budge. They just stood there blinking at Anakin.

"Moooooooooo." One of them moaned at Anakin, the only response to Anakin's attempts.

Obi-Wan was practically howling with laughter now at the scowl clearly evident on Anakin's face, and Padme couldn't help but chuckle (although, she hid it behind her hand). Satine was now hiding her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking with the force of her laughter.

"They don't understand English, Ani!" Cliegg called, but he still made no move to relieve his step-son from the predicament.

"Well," Satine managed to get out between giggles, "You two really should try and help. Dinner will be ready in about an hour."

"Oh, alright. Come on, Ben, let's go help the poor boy out." Cliegg clapped Obi-Wan on the shoulder, and once Obi-Wan was able to get control of himself and put his cellphone up, they moved to help Anakin. Within minutes, the cows were safely out of the paddock and back into the pasture.

Cleigg and Obi-Wan made it look so easy, much to Anakin's disgust.

"So far, I think that was my favorite present this year!" Obi-Wan announced a little too cheerfully as the three men walked back to the fence where the girls were waiting. Anakin was covered in snow and mud, and he did not look happy at all.

"Oh, go lay an egg, Chicken man." Anakin growled, another scowl on his face.

This time, Obi-Wan didn't get upset. "Anakin?" he called out with a sly look.

Anakin looked over at his mentor, eyebrows raised.

" _Moooooooooooooo_ ," Obi-Wan declared with relish, his eyes wide and dancing with mirth, his grin turning feral.

Anakin's eyes narrowed in annoyance. Clearly, Obi-Wan's wish for Anakin's own embarrassing moment had come true. "By the way, you forgot your hat, _best cowboy!_ " Anakin's scowl deepened at this additional dig, and Obi-Wan laughed even harder.

"Alright boys, let's hurry up and get inside before Shmi gets upset." Cliegg called out as he walked toward the back door of the house, and Obi-Wan and Satine followed after him, both still chuckling with laughter while Anakin stopped to grab the hat from off the frozen ground.

Padme waited for Anakin to get the hat and join her before she followed. "I'm sorry, Sweetie," She said, meaning it, even if it _had_ been funny to watch Anakin attempting to wrangle cattle.

"He's never going to let me live this down," Anakin grumbled, but he seemed to calm down some in her presence, taking her hand in a loving clasp. "Did you have fun with my mother?"

"Yes, she's as lovely as ever." She laced her gloved fingers in his, slowing her pace down. "Was your whole day….um...Like _that_?" She quirked her eyebrows at him.

Anakin rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Unfortunately. I think I like those things better as my burger...With bacon on it."

Padme laughed, and leaned her head against his shoulder. "I think I would have to agree."

Anakin sighed. "Well, at least something good did come out of it."

"Oh?"

Anakin nodded. "Cliegg is letting me borrow his truck tonight." Suddenly his cheeks seemed to redden, and she wasn't sure if it was because of the cold or if it was because of something else. "I thought it would be nice to throw a bunch of blankets and pillows in the truck bed and go stargazing tonight. Just the two of us." He cast her a sideways glance and squeezed her hand.

Padme paused, her mind immediately imagining how cold it would be at night when it was already so cold now. "Isn't it a little cold for that, Ani?"

"Well, yeah," Anakin admitted sheepishly, and she realized the red on his cheeks was because he was worried about her reaction, not necessarily because of the cold. "I just thought it could be...romantic...having some time alone like that, just you and me. And, with all of the blankets and pillows, plus our body heat, we should be warm enough." He shrugged. "We don't have to go out for very long. I just thought…you know with all the city lights, we don't see much of the stars and…"

"Ani," She interrupted. He was babbling now, and although it was really cute, she could also tell that he was very worried about her reaction to it. "I'm happy to spend time with you, and it does sound nice to go stargazing. We're far enough from the city lights here, so I bet that we'll see…well maybe not more stars than we've _ever_ seen before, but quite a bunch nonetheless. Plus," She leaned into him playfully. "I'm sure you can keep me warm if I get cold."

That certainly replaced his worried expression with a sly grin. "Oh, I'm sure I can think of something," he said, making her giggle, as he leaned down to give her a quick kiss.

"It's a date then."

* * *

Anakin wasn't kidding when he said that he was bringing tons of blankets. The back of the truck was so full, it looked like Anakin had dragged all of the blankets and pillows he could find from every room in the house. They had driven a little ways across one of the paddocks behind the house, and Padme had no sooner climbed into the truck bed when Anakin climbed up and threw another five blankets over both of them before he pulled her to his side, holding her close in his arms. That, combined with being stuffed from the big dinner they had had (which had been delicious), Padme almost felt like she could close her eyes and sleep comfortably out there. _Almost._

Dinner had been lovely, if not a little bit...awkward. It had been awkward not because Owen, who normally helped Cliegg out on the ranch, had tried to convince Anakin to move back out of the "cursed" city to work on the ranch. No, it had been awkward, at least for Padme, because Owen and Beru had brought along their newly adopted baby, an adorable little girl named Kylee. She wasn't older than a few weeks, and she was still very tiny in her pink footed sleeper and fleece blanket. Shmi's eyes had often drifted to the baby girl, and Padme could tell that she was holding herself back from completely fawning over her.

Padme knew why. She knew that Anakin had told his mother about…the incident. She knew that his mother was trying to be sensitive about it for her sake, and from the worried glances Beru kept giving her throughout dinner, Padme suspected that Beru was trying to be sensitive about it as well.

Under normal circumstances, Padme would have insisted there was no need for their concern. In fact, Padme opened her mouth to tell them that. But, she just…couldn't. Having a baby was something to celebrate, but every time Padme looked at little Kylee, every time she saw the new parents doting over her, Padme couldn't help but think that had she not lost their….perhaps she could have been doing the very same thing with Anakin a few months from now.

So, Padme was glad when Anakin also hurried to eat his dinner and excused them from the table.

Now, however, she didn't want to think about that. Now, she just wanted to relax and enjoy being alone with her Ani.

She rested her head on his chest, listening to the steady drum of his heartbeat, and looking up into the beautiful sky above. "Look, there's the Milky Way." She said, pointing it out with her right hand. "I've only ever seen pictures of it…."

"It's beautiful," Anakin agreed, "I wish we could see it back home in California."

As much as Padme hated the extreme cold, she couldn't help but agree with that statement. "Well. Maybe someday we can move out to the countryside, and we can go stargazing whenever we want in our own backyard." She paused. "Although, let's pick a warmer state, shall we?"

Anakin laughed, the laughter rumbling through his chest, and tenderly kissed her forehead.

"Anything for you, Angel."

She smiled at his nickname for her and briefly buried her face against him, breathing in his scent, before she looked back up at the sky. "Okay. I did some research while we were waiting for Owen and Beru to arrive. Are you ready to be astounded at my infinite knowledge of this galaxy?"

Anakin laughed again, burying his fingers in her hair and leaning his head against hers.

"I'm ready, Angel."

She squinted up into the sky, looking for what it was she had in mind. When she found it, she pointed it out. "Okay. So, back in Roman times, they had this story to explain the constellations Ursa Minor and Ursa Major, which are right….there." She pointed the stars out to him, and once he confirmed that he saw them, she continued. "Well, according to Roman mythology, there was this pretty woman named Callisto, who the lead god, Jupiter, fell in love with. However, Jupiter was already married to Juno, who pretty much hated it whenever Jupiter slept with other women."

"I can't see why," Anakin said, amused.

"Yeah, who would be upset by a little thing like that?" Padme teased back, nudging him playfully. "Anyhow, so one day Callisto gets pregnant and has a son, and Juno just automatically assumes it was Jupiter who fathered the son. So, in revenge, Juno turned Callisto into a bear so that she would no longer be pretty to Jupiter."

"I think the phrase 'Hell hath no fury like a woman spurned' works into this story," Anakin pointed out.

"Ahhh...Nice. Did Obi-Wan tell you that one?"

"No. Mindy did."

"Do I want to know _why_ she told you that?"

"Not really. Continue."

Padme considered pursuing it anyway, but she decided to shrug it off. "Anyhow. So, her son grows up to become a hunter, and one day he's out hunting in the woods, the same woods that Callisto the bear lives in. Well, Callisto sees him, recognizes that he's her son, and totally forgets that she's a bear now and runs to hug him. Naturally, this freaks the poor kid out, and he tries to shoot her with an arrow. Jupiter, however sees all this—not sure why, maybe he was still stalking Callisto—but to save them, he freezes both of them and turns them into the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor." Padme nodded proudly. "And, _that_ is all you need ever know about the stars in this galaxy."

"Is that because it's the only story you remember?" Anakin asked, kissing her forehead teasingly.

"Maybe."

He laughed, pulling her closer as he shifted. "Oh, Padme, I love you."

"And, I love you, my Jedi." She leaned up and kissed him, enjoying his warm mouth pressed against her own, their breath mingling in puffs of mist in the cold air.

Suddenly, Anakin pulled back, but only barely. "Padme?" He asked, his voice a whisper.

"Yes?" She wanted to lean in again and kiss him some more, and perhaps do more than that, but she waited.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

She paused. What was he getting at? They were already together, and even though they had far from a perfect relationship, she thought they had already established this. "So do I, Ani, She said slowly, "But, I thought we had already….?"

"I know, Angel," Anakin said, "You know that, and I know that. Honestly, I don't care if other people know that or not, but in _this_ life…" He sighed, looking back up at the stars. "I want our second chance at this life to be everything we _should_ have made it the first time around. Which means that I don't just want to be open with you." He looked back into her eyes, his expression one of both adoration and seriousness.

"I want to be open with everyone else, too."

It suddenly dawned on her what he was trying to say, and Padme was frozen—and this time, it had nothing to do with the cold. "What are you saying, Ani?" She whispered, her eyes wide, unable to break his gaze. Even in the dark, the stars seemed to twinkle in his cerulean blue eyes.

"I'm saying that I want to do the right thing by you." Then, he was lifting his hand, a hand she had thought was empty but now found a white ring box in it. "I've already asked for your father's permission and everything." He continued as he opened the box.

Her heart was beating madly in her chest. She hadn't even thought…she just looked at him and saw her husband. It was so automatic after she remembered her past life, that she hadn't even considered that they would legally marry in this world.

However, as she looked up at him, focusing, for the moment, solely on him instead of the ring, she realized with a happiness that filled her whole being and took her breath away, that she wanted _this_. More than anything, she wanted to fully be with Anakin again in _every_ sense in this world, to truly _belong_ to him.

"Padme," Anakin breathed, his voice barely a whisper, "Angel…" Tears filled her eyes, as she listened to him (tears that the cold pretty much froze before they could fall). Anakin hadn't been able to do something like this last time. They had just jointly decided to marry after the events on Geonosis, and she had been lucky to find something that would resemble a wedding dress in her wardrobe.

But now…now they could do it right.

"Will you marry me again, and be by my side forever as my wife?"

Her answer was absolute, unreserved, without question. She didn't even have to think about it. Now, tears did fall (or attempted to), but she was smiling widely as she whispered, "Yes, Ani…even if we are born again and again into a billion galaxies, my answer will always be yes."

She hardly finished speaking when his mouth crushed against hers, and she eagerly kissed him back, twining her fingers into the curls of his hair, breathing him in, tasting him, enjoying every moment of just being with _him._

Her Jedi.

Her Ani.

Her husband.

When they pulled away, they were breathing hard, and Anakin moved to trail kisses along her jawline, soft kisses that sent shivers down to her toes. "Did you even look at the ring?" He teased into her ear, "Or, am I all you need?"

"Oh, you're all I need alright," Padme agreed happily, leaning into his kisses. "But, I do appreciate the ring."

Anakin softly laughed and pulled away again, holding up the ring box. "Give me your left hand."

Padme awkwardly shifted and gave him her hand. "Thankfully the cast doesn't cover my fingers," she said as Anakin took the ring out of the box and slipped it tenderly onto her ring finger.

She took a good look at it for the first time as he watched her with those intense blue eyes.

It was gorgeous, and just perfect for her, for _them_. It was white gold, the band encompassed by smaller diamonds, and at the top a much larger diamond was shaped into a round halo style with more smaller diamonds circling around it. Padme was not an expert on diamonds, but it did not look cheap. "Oh Ani, it's beautiful!" She gasped in awe, looking back up at him, her eyes wide in shock. "It looks so expensive though…"

"Ah, ah," Anakin chided, smiling as he put a finger gently to her lips. "You deserve it, and so, so much more, Angel." Then, his lips were on hers again, and she happily kissed him back, lying there under the stars long into the night.

* * *

 **YES! They are OFFICIALLY engaged now! YAY!**

 **The goose story was actually a true story. I knew a guy who actually did do that to one of his friends, but unlike Mindy, he wasn't drunk. Also, I know the constellation story sounds random, but it isn't. It's foreshadowing... I mean I'm not turning anyone into random bears or stars, but...just trust me.**

 **Sorry for the late update. I wanted to update faster because I seriously want to get to the later plots...but last weekend when I usually do the majority of my writing, I had some rather upsetting things happen and to someone with anxiety...it didn't go well. So I took last weekend off and pretty much played video games all day to cope (if you want to know, I beat Assassins Creed Syndicate and Uncharted 2). I didn't even talk to people for most of the weekend. It was bad.**

 **But this week is much better, so I'll get a bunch done this three day weekend! :D**

 **Oh, I loved the song that was recommended to me, "I'll be Good" by Jaymes Young. It totally is a good Anakin song. :) I love music recommendations, so don't hesitate to shoot any my way!**

 **My playlist totally changes though when Luke comes into the picture...the story is much more action packed at that point, so I go from relatively chill music for the first past of SC to like...Skillet and a bunch of other hard core sounding stuff.**

 **Speaking of which...**

 **The song for their engagement scene is Midnight in the Garden by Atli Orvarsson (weird name...)**

 **Anyhow, enough of my rambling. Review! You guys are the best! 3**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	36. The Breakdown

Christmas was a strange holiday. Anakin understood the reasoning behind birthdays, but _this_ was like birthdays on drugs. Still, as he sat on the couch with Padme curled up against his side, his arm wrapped around her, and surrounded by the people he cared most about, he couldn't help but think that this would probably become his favorite holiday if they were all like this.

It had been a wild morning. Anakin and Padme, after being out late the night before, had announced their engagement to Anakin's family around the breakfast table. His mother had been overjoyed and immediately jumped up from her chair and enveloped Padme in a big hug before hugging her son and giving him a kiss on the cheek. Cliegg, a more reserved man like his son Owen, smiled and congratulated them and welcomed Padme into the family, shaking Anakin's hand firmly as he did so. Owen, of course, had to make a joke about Anakin _finally_ settling down, and although Anakin laughed for Owen's sake, he couldn't help but look at the man who had raised his son and feel…resentment? Jealousy? He wasn't sure what to call it exactly, but he silently vowed that if he did have the opportunity to raise Luke and Leia in this world, they would be raised to be proud of their Jedi heritage, not be discouraged away from it.

Even if Anakin could technically see why Owen, at the time, had wanted to keep Luke from finding out about Anakin and the Jedi, it still...irked him nonetheless.

Right after breakfast, before they moved into the living room to open presents, Padme had called her own family to tell them the wonderful news. As she did so, Obi-Wan quietly approached Anakin with a small, knowing smile and a clap on the shoulder. "Congratulations, Anakin. I'm glad she said yes." Obi-Wan had gone with Anakin when he'd purchased the ring (after Mindy had snuck into Padme's jewelry box and gotten one of her rings for him to take so he could get the correct ring size), and he'd been the voice of reason while Anakin had stressed out about finding the perfect ring in such a massive collection to choose from.

"Thanks," Anakin smiled back. "It feels fantastic."

"That she said yes?"

"No…although that feels great, too," Anakin replied with a quick grin—he hadn't been _too_ worried that Padme wouldn't say yes. They had pretty much already established that they were going to be together again. "It feels fantastic to finally be _open_ about our relationship." His gaze wandered to Padme, where she sat on the couch, phone in hand as she talked to her family with a huge smile on her face. Again, he was struck by how beautiful she was, especially now, and just how much he truly loved her. She practically radiated utter joy. "I'm happy that I can _finally_ give her what she really deserves this time around." He added softly, a small smile on his own lips as he watched his wife talk with her family.

"I'm happy about it, too." Obi-Wan quietly agreed. "And, I'm so sorry things were different before…" He trailed off, and Anakin already knew what he was thinking: things may have turned out differently had they been allowed to be open about their relationship in their old galaxy.

"It's in the past, Obi-Wan," Anakin said with a shake of his head, deciding not to dwell on it any further. He had done enough of that. "Now we can change things and move forward." He quirked his eyebrows and shot Obi-Wan a sly, knowing grin, "And, now _**you**_ just need to pop the question to Satine."

 _That_ successfully caused a blush to rise on Obi-Wan's cheeks. "I…well….we haven't…we're still…"

Anakin laughed, clapping his best friend on the shoulder. "Don't stress, Obi-Wan! Do it when you're ready." Obi-Wan sighed, visibly relaxing before he nodded, making Anakin laugh harder.

Then, the gift unwrapping had begun.

Anakin had _never_ seen so much gift wrap in his entire life. The longer the morning went on, the more paper littered his mother's floor. Anakin was pretty sure that he could swim in the paper if he wanted to.

Obi-Wan had received a nice tablet pc with a matching case from Anakin and a fancy leather briefcase from Satine. "You can use the briefcase for your company you're going to start with Anakin," Satine said with a smile, prompting a huge grin from Obi-Wan before he leaned over and kissed her softly.

It was the first time Anakin had ever seen him kiss…well...anyone. It was _really_ strange, almost surreal.

Satine had received Chanel #5 perfume from Padme (which was apparently a _big_ deal as Satine squealed, loudly, over it), and Obi-Wan gave her some beautiful gold earrings (prompting her to kiss him in return, and all of a sudden Anakin felt bad for all the times he had kissed Padme in front of Obi-Wan, if it had felt as awkward for Obi-Wan as it did Anakin).

Padme had received a lovely cashmere sweater from Shmi and Cliegg, and a gift certificate for what Padme called a "Spa day" from Satine, which Padme seemed quite pleased about. "I'm _so_ going to need this once this stupid cast comes off," she said.

"That's the idea," Satine replied with a wink.

Anakin had given Padme a jazz music CD by her favorite jazz artist and a simple silver charm bracelet with one charm so far—an angel holding a tiny diamond heart. "Oh, Ani, it's beautiful!" She exclaimed as she slipped it on her right wrist and kissed him.

 _Yes,_ he decided happily, _I picked the perfect presents this year_ , as he returned her kiss.

He himself had received a black leather jacket from his mother and a book on modern machinery from Cliegg. He had also received a really _sweet_ tool set from Obi-Wan to help him in his "machine building adventures," as Obi-Wan called it.

And, now he held Padme's present in his hands. Everyone had finished opening their gifts, and Anakin held the last present. "You're not the only one good at picking presents," Padme said confidently with a knowing smirk on her face, causing Anakin to lift an eyebrow curiously.

"You know, you're the best present I could have, Angel. I don't need anything else but you." He told her honestly, and he was pleased to see a blush rise in her cheeks. He leaned over, his lips at her ear, his voice lowered to a husky timber so that only she could hear. "Seriously, after over twenty years of being Darth Vader…this new life with you is _all_ I need, Sweetheart."

He had barely finished his statement before she turned her head so that her lips met his in a soft kiss. "I love you," she whispered when she pulled away, gazing adoringly into his eyes. He was aware that his family was snickering at them, but he didn't care. He would have pulled her into a deeper kiss despite them, if she would have let him. "But, I'm also pretty sure you're going to love this present, too."

"She's right. You will," Obi-Wan agreed with a nod, obviously aware of what the gift was.

Anakin sat back, "Okay, okay, if you insist, Milady." He said with a grin as he untied the ribbon and opened the lid to find…

Some sort of receipt.

Anakin frowned as he picked it up. "What is it?"

"You have to read it, silly." Padme chuckled. "It isn't something that I can technically wrap up…"

His eyes were already scanning the company name at the top: California Flight School. "Is this…what I think it is?" He asked, as he turned to her with a twinkle in his eye and hope clearly etched on his features.

"If you think it's flying lessons so that you can get your pilot's license and fly, then yes, it is." She leaned forward so that now she was whispering in his ear, "And, I'll be joining you for that, too."

Now, Anakin was really excited, grinning madly. "Okay, you got me, Angel—you're _fantastic_ at picking presents!" He said before he wrapped his arms around her and planted another firm kiss on her lips.

She laughed, "I love it when I get to say 'I told you so'," she teased him.

"Now Ani," His mother said, "Please be careful, I don't want to lose you…"

"Don't worry about Anakin, Shmi," Obi-Wan laughed, "I guarantee that Anakin will _not_ die in a plane crash—he would be the _last_ person to _die_ in one." Anakin did not fail to notice that Obi-Wan emphasized _die,_ since Obi-Wan knew from experience that no matter how good Anakin was at flying, he was also very good at crashing.

Shmi did not seem convinced, but she didn't argue further. "Just be careful, Son."

"I will, Mom," He promised, shooting a grin at Obi-Wan, who smirked in return.

"Well, I think it's safe to pronounce this Christmas as being more than successful," Cliegg announced as he stood from his recliner. "Now, let's get this all cleaned up."

* * *

Despite the mess, it didn't take the family long to clean everything up and put away their presents, and soon the men were all back outside helping Cliegg with the cattle again (though Anakin decided to forgo the cowboy hat this time), while the women sat curled around the fireplace, chatting over coffee.

"I sort of want to go out and watch Anakin fail at herding the cows again," Satine said with a laugh, causing Padme to grin at the memory.

"Oh, Ani was never all that great at farm work anyway." Shmi said, rolling her eyes. "That boy belongs tinkering with machines, because he can fix just about anything. Anyone with eyes can see that."

Padme nodded in agreement. "It was one of the first things that I noticed about him, actually." Other than the fact that she'd been strongly attracted to him—she wasn't going to say that, but now she understood _why_ she had felt such a strong connection to him instantly when he'd woken up on her couch and looked at her for the first time.

"Owen complains, but I also think he's secretly grateful that Anakin isn't still helping around the ranch. Even Owen knows that Anakin is awful at farm work," Beru agreed, rocking her baby girl, Kylee, in her arms. Padme did everything she could not to look Beru's way while she held the baby. "He won't admit that though. If Owen ruled the world, _everyone_ would be farmers."

"Because that would work out oh so well," Satine rolled her eyes, prompting chuckles from Shmi, Padme, and Beru.

"Yeah, it's good that Owen doesn't rule the world then." Beru smiled, "So, Padme, when are you two thinking of getting married?"

Padme tried to force herself to relax. She had half been afraid that Beru would say something about Kylee. It was an irrational fear, but Padme had known plenty of new moms who talked nonstop about their babies, and, though love kids she did, at that moment, Padme didn't want _anything_ to do with babies. "We were thinking of the beginning of the summer so that we don't have to worry about school. We could have more time for our honeymoon that way."

"Ah, a June wedding?" Padme nodded, and Beru's smile widened. "That sounds lovely. You know, a wedding overlooking the ocean would be beautiful. Although, _planning_ the wedding is the most stressful part of it all, and planning during school may be challenging for you both."

"I know." Padme agreed, "But, Ani and I have waited long enough for this. We want our wedding to be as soon as our schedule allows it."

Beru blinked, clearly thrown off by the 'waited long enough' phrase, since as far as Beru knew, they had only barely begun dating, but she let her curiosity pass and didn't say anything about it. Satine and Shmi nodded knowingly, however, as they were both aware now of their situation. "Well, I'll be happy to give you advice if you need it." Beru finished with another smile.

"Thank you, Beru. I appreciate it." Padme managed to smile, but it faded when Kylee began to fuss, drawing everyone's attention to her.

Beru attempted to calm her down, but Kylee was having none of it, and her fussing soon turned to wailing. Beru sighed, standing up. "I'm going to go make her a bottle." She turned to Padme, who sat on the sofa cushion next to hers, "Do you think you could…?" She froze, a look of concern flashed on her face briefly, and Padme watched as realization dawned on her. "Oh….never mind, I'm sorry…"

"I could take her, Beru," Shmi began, beginning to stand up, but Padme interrupted her.

"No, Shmi." She said, "It's only for a moment. It's fine." She didn't know what had prompted her to say that, but watching Beru panic because she was about to ask a perfectly normal favor to a woman who had just lost her own baby made Padme a little annoyed. Sure, it had hurt to lose her baby, but she also didn't want to be treated like she couldn't do something because of it. They meant well, but the attitude was bothersome.

Beru glanced at Shmi, hesitating. "Are you sure? I mean what with…and your cast…"

"She's tiny. It won't be a bother for a few minutes." She assured her, holding her arms out for the baby. "I'm fine. I'm not a fragile princess that you need to tiptoe around, Beru. It's okay. Really."

Beru hesitated, but this time she relented and carefully handed Kylee off into Padme's arms. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Then she was gone toward the kitchen, leaving Padme staring down at a whimpering infant.

Padme had to admit, Kylee was absolutely adorable. She had soft dark curls and pretty blue eyes that were currently glistened with tears. She was heavier than she looked, which did cause a _little_ stress on her left arm, but not enough for Padme to complain about.

"Padme," Shmi started, and Padme could hear the caution in her voice, "I know I said this to Anakin, but I really am sorry for…"

"I know," Padme interrupted her with a nod, her throat suddenly tight. She would _not_ cry. She had made a fuss about being strong enough to handle this. She would pull through. "Thank you, Shmi."

"Maybe it would help if you talked about it?" Satine ventured softly, attempting to be helpful, but it only made Padme want to retreat back into the room she was sharing with Anakin. She paused and flicked a glance at Shmi and Satine.

Padme shrugged her shoulders, holding Kylee closer, bending down to nuzzle her nose on the baby's forehead. She refused to think about what could have been. "There isn't much to say, is there? It happened. It's over and done with. I just hope…" she broke off, staring off across the room as if deep in thought.

"Hope what?" Shmi asked softly, gently.

 _Screw it_ , Padme thought. "I just hope that I didn't lose Luke and Leia," came her quiet reply.

There was silence.

"Those were your children back in your…past life?" Satine asked slowly, cautiously. Padme nodded, tears springing to her eyes, suddenly unable to speak now.

"You don't know that for sure, Padme." Shmi reminded her. When Padme didn't respond, Shmi exchanged a concerned glance with Satine, then cautiously asked, "Were you close to them?"

It was an innocent question. Shmi was just trying to determine how deep the problem was for Padme so that she could attempt to address it. However, it was the wrong question to ask, because as Padme opened her mouth to respond, it suddenly hit her.

She hadn't even gotten to _hold_ them.

She hadn't just lost her most recent baby.

She had lost her twins as well.

She had _never_ gotten to know them. She never saw them grow up, never saw their first steps. She never heard them call her 'Mom.' She never saw Leia become a senator like her or saw Luke become a Jedi like his father before him. She never got to soothe her children when they were upset, or sing them to sleep, or kiss their scrapes and bruises, or guide them like only a mother could.

The only relationship she had to them was the fact that she'd given them life.

She couldn't breathe, her chest suddenly feeling constricted.

The little bundle in her arms had gone quiet, as if sensing Padme's distress, and Padme couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like to hold her own children to her bosom like this…

Beru was suddenly there, a look of concern etched onto her face. "Padme?" She called, but her voice seemed far away. She held a bottle in her hand. "Do you need me to take Kylee back?"

Padme nodded numbly, and she couldn't get the baby out of her arms fast enough. It had been a mistake to insist that she was strong enough to do that. Before, when someone had insisted she couldn't do something because she was injured, she had ignored them and proved them wrong. But _this_ time, the hurt was too deep, deeper than even she had realized. She had pushed it down so much, she didn't realize….

As soon as Kylee was in Beru's arms, Padme bolted off the couch, visibly shaking. "Padme," Shmi began, clearly alarmed, "I'm so sorry, Sweetie, I didn't think…"

Padme couldn't blame her. She had a feeling that even though Shmi knew Padme had died, she didn't think Shmi knew just how soon after the twins' delivery she had died. But, now it was as if the dam holding back her feelings broke, and her emotions were threatening to engulf her completely.

"I'm...I'm sorry," Padme gasped, feeling as if she were standing on legs of jelly, "I… I just...need time to be alone."

She didn't wait for Shmi or Satine or Beru to try to stop her. She whirled and stumbled away, as fast as her wobbly legs could carry her, down the hall, and to Anakin's room.

It wasn't until she had entered the room and shut and locked the door that she let the tears begin to fall, and she sank to her knees, falling forward, clenching her fists in the carpet, as great heaving sobs wracked her body.

* * *

Out in the paddock beside the barn, Anakin suddenly froze, almost getting knocked over by a cow as he did so. "Anakin, watch where you're going!" Owen hollered.

"Sorry," Anakin called back absently, still distracted.

He frowned in concern. He could feel her. Padme. And, she was in very great distress.

Even though they weren't close to the house, Anakin could feel her pain radiating off of her into the Force as if she were standing right next to him. He hadn't felt this much pain coming from her since that night on Mustafar…It was like a giant quake hit the Force, opening a fissure of great proportions.

And, her pain was hemorrhaging into the Force at an incredible rate.

Obi-Wan jogged up to him. Gone was the smiling friend who had spent the last two hours teasing Anakin about his awful farming skills. The Obi-Wan who approached him was Obi-Wan the Jedi Master, and he frowned in deep concern with his friend. "Anakin…"

"I know, I know. I feel it, too." He tried to think of a reason _why_ she would suddenly be so upset, but he couldn't. "I need to get back to the house. _**Now**_."

"Go. I'll cover for you," Obi-Wan nodded, and clapped Anakin on the back. "May the Force be with you."

 _Kriff_ , if Obi-Wan felt concerned enough to say _that_ ….

"And with you." Anakin's mind was whirling as he turned and began to race back to the house with Force induced speed, his stomach churning with anxiety at what he would find. He hardly heard Owen and Cliegg call after him as he launched himself over the fence and ran like a madman back to where his wife was in pain.

He reached the house in record time, throwing open the French doors to the kitchen. He practically tripped out of his snow and mud caked boots, leaving them beside the door, before he stormed through the room and into the living room where Beru, Satine, and his mother were sitting and talking softly amongst themselves. When he entered, Satine and his mother gave him a worried look while Beru looked more confused.

"You're back early," Beru began, but he cut her off.

"Where is she? What's happened?" He demanded, his voice firm, eyebrows furrowed, looking at each of them.

"She's in your room, Anakin," Satine said quietly, a look of sadness on her face, her hands clasped in her lap.

It was his mother that explained. "Beru had to make Kylee a bottle, and Padme insisted that she would be fine holding her…and she was….upset at what had happened but…" His mother sighed and then frowned, looking down at her own clasped hands, "But, then I asked her if she had been close to Luke and Leia…"

He groaned, covering his face with his hands, starting to understand now. "Thanks," was all he said when he dropped his hands and then rushed down the hall towards their room.

He should have known. If he was honest, he'd been expecting something like this to happen.

When he got to the door, he paused, listening. He heard some sort of sound that might have been crying, or someone struggling to breathe.

That did _not_ calm him at all.

"Padme?" He tried the doorknob, but it was locked. His first instinct was to use the Force to unlock it (it was a fairly simple lock), but just as he was about to do it, he felt a strong tremor in the Force, stopping him. Forcing himself in, even to comfort his wife, would _not_ be a wise course of action right now.

He tried again.

"Padme? Angel, may I come in?" A pause. "Please?"

The sounds in the room quieted for a brief second before starting up again. "NO! Go away, Ani."

Yup. She was crying alright. _Sobbing_ was actually a better word for what she was doing. When was the last time he had seen her do that? He couldn't think of a time when she had ever actually _sobbed_. It only made his anxiety worse.

How could he go away when she was clearly in such great pain? How could he go off to play cowboy and pretend that everything was fine when it very clearly wasn't?

"Padme," He groaned, leaning his forehead against the door. "Sweetheart. Please, let me in. You know I don't like it when you're in pain. Can I help in anyway?"

" _ **Anakin**_ ," Oh Force, he'd never heard her so upset in his entire life… "Give me a bit of time to be on my own...alone." There was no room for argument in her voice. She was _not_ going to open the door, and he wasn't about to violate her wishes by forcing himself in. She _needed_ him to respect her wishes in this.

 _Be what she needs_ , he told himself.

But, at the same time, he also couldn't just go back out to the field or go back out to try to make small talk with the girls when he was so worried about his wife.

He sighed helplessly, rubbing his hand across his face, hating that he wasn't in there with her, supporting her, holding her. "Okay, Angel," He quietly said, "I'm here when you need me." He pulled away from the door before he turned and began to walk down the hall before stopping about halfway down, hesitating.

He couldn't go back out there and worry and pace about while other people asked him concerned questions that he didn't have the answers to. He also couldn't go barging into the room until Padme let him in. But, that didn't mean that he couldn't wait nearby and…well, perhaps meditate. It had been a while since he had meditated last. Perhaps it was a good thing that Padme hadn't let him into the room: at least now he would have the chance to calm down before he went in there.

So, leaning his back against the wall, he slid down until he was sitting on the floor, his knees bent, and he wrapped his hands around his knees, leaning his head back against the wall. He closed his eyes, drawing upon the Force. As he expected, when he reached down deep and began to clear his thoughts, the peace that came with the Force flowed through him, filling him with the Light side.

It wasn't long before he was deep in meditation, drawing impressions from the Force. The meditative state seemed to make him even more aware of his wife's distress, but in meditation, he was able to view it calmly, trying to find a pathway to help her.

When he found the answer, he wasn't exactly sure what to make of it. _Be patient and understanding,_ it seemed to say, _be prepared to be open minded and sacrificing._

Well. He would have tried to do that anyway, but to have it reinforced…

He had a _bad_ feeling about this.

He wasn't sure how long he was there, his eyes closed, his hands lightly resting on his knees, but when he heard the door unlock and open, his body felt stiff and the natural light filtering into the hallway had dimmed. He looked towards the room, blinking as his vision adjusted, but he didn't see Padme. Just the open door. He reached out with the Force, feeling for her presence and found her still to be in their room on the bed. She was still in pain, but the level of distress seemed to be calmed some.

Slowly, wincing a bit as he moved, he stood and cautiously approached the door, peeking into the room.

The curtains had been drawn, so the room was enveloped in darkness, but he could still make out his wife's form lying down on her right side on their bed. "Padme?" His voice wouldn't rise above a whisper—it didn't feel right to speak louder in the suddenly silent room.

There was no answer.

He reached out again with the Force to determine if she had fallen asleep. She had not. She was wide awake.

Taking that as permission to enter, he slowly inched in, closing and locking the door quietly behind him. He then crept towards the bed, waiting for any sign that his presence was unwelcome.

She didn't move. She didn't say a word. She just lay there, facing the wall.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, staring at her back, trying to come up with the right words to say. "Angel," He finally said, his voice pleading, "Please let me in."

She sighed deeply then she rolled onto her back and pushed herself into a sitting position so that they were sitting side by side, hip to hip. Still, she did not look at him, nor did she say anything, but he waited patiently for her to begin.

"I thought I was okay," she finally said, softly, "But, I'm not. Not this time."

A lump formed in his throat at those words. He rarely heard defeat coming from his wife. It paralyzed him, made him feel like a clumsy, awkward Padawan again, clueless about the world outside of the Jedi Order. His mind raced, and he attempted to swallow the lump in his throat. "Angel," he began softly, "I understand…"

He didn't get to finish.

Suddenly, she was surging to her feet, whirling on him, her anger spiking, her dark eyes flashing. Even in the semi-darkness of the room, he could see tears dripping down her cheeks. " **NO!** Just stop, Ani! You can't possibly _know_ how I feel! You're _not_ a woman! You can't know the agony I feel as a woman!" Her voice was garbled, thick with tears and even a tinge of...rage.

He was shocked at the outburst, and his mind blanked. He could only stare as his wife began a tongue lashing that dug into his very soul with each word that she spoke. "You will _never_ know what it feels like to carry another life deep inside you and all that goes along with it! The sore breasts, the morning sickness, the food cravings at all hours of the day and night…" She began pacing by the foot of the bed.

She paused, her hands clenched in fists at her sides, drawing in several deep breaths, her chest heaving with the effort, before continuing, her voice strangled with grief. "Those first precious flutters of movement only a mother can feel…the weight gain, the swollen hands and feet, the fatigue and horrible backache you have the further along you get in your pregnancy, making it impossible to sleep comfortably…"

Her voice was rising, and with it, Anakin's worry increased. He had _never_ seen Padme like this. Ever. Even when she had threatened to divorce him back in their galaxy, she hadn't responded this way.

He opened his mouth to speak, but she wasn't done, not by a long shot.

Her eyes were red rimmed and glassy, her shoulders shaking, but she didn't seem to care. Now that she'd _finally_ let go of the feelings bottled up inside, she couldn't stop. The dam had burst, and her feelings came rushing out in a raging torrent and slammed into him with full…well… _force._

"The pain of having not one, but TWO babies using your ribcage, your spine, for kickboxing practice…and let's not forget the _agony_ of having to birth those precious lives after all those months of carrying them inside you!" She seemed to crumble in on herself, crossing her arms across her chest and clutching her upper arms, her knuckles white against the fabric of her sweater. "You cannot fully comprehend the agony of a mother who went through _ALL_ of that...and I went through it _ALONE_ , Anakin, because _YOU_ weren't there...then to just have the rest of it ripped away from her mercilessly," Her voice dropped to a whisper, her voice raw with the anguish she was feeling. "I _**missed**_ it ALL, Ani. At least _you_ got to see Luke and Leia, to touch them, to hear their voices! _**I**_ never got to hold them…not once! I never got to change a diaper or cuddle them. I never got to nurse them or sing them a lullaby. I never got to hear them speak, watch them walk…never got to hear them call me 'Mom'…I missed it _**ALL**_ , and nothing… _ **nothing**_ can change that! And, to know that I just lost _another_ baby that I'll never get to love, _never_ hold…"

She broke down again into sobs that ripped through her tiny frame, and she had to sit back down on the edge of the bed to keep from collapsing to the floor. Tears rimmed the edges of his own eyes as he moved to the end of the bed and immediately wrapped her in his arms, holding her tight against him, attempting to shelter her from the storm of her grief as he tried to comfort her the best that he could. He let out a shaky breath. "Oh, Angel," he groaned softly, squeezing his eyes shut as he buried his face in her soft curls, pressing kisses to the top of her head, feeling her body shaking with the force of it all.

How many times since he had gotten here had he focused solely on his _own_ agony at having missed out on raising his children? Too many times to count. Yet, he had not _once_ thought about how Padme would react to having lost the opportunity to mother her own children, and he suddenly realized that she was right: her loss and her anguish _far_ exceeded his own. He couldn't, as a father, fathom the depth of this wound that she carried, would _always_ carry, and he felt helpless in that moment, especially since it had largely been his own fault that she had lost Luke and Leia as she had. What could he say? How could he even begin to help her heal this wound? Was it even possible?

More and more, he was beginning to think that it wasn't.

"W-what if," she gasped out between sobs, her words muffled against his shirt, "W-w-what if t-t-that was L-Luke and Leia?" Her hands twisted, grabbing handfuls of his shirt, clinging to him as if her life depended on it.

"I don't know, Sweetheart," He admitted honestly. He wanted to give her assurances that he was sure that it wasn't, but he couldn't be sure himself. He had worried about it every day since it happened, and he _hated_ not knowing. He didn't think lying to her when he himself wasn't sure would be a good idea.

She continued to sob anew, and he began to rub soothing circles on her back as he held her. He kissed the top of her head again, and waited for the storm of weeping to pass, sending soothing waves through the Force to try and comfort her. He didn't know what else to do. There was nothing he _could_ say to make it better. There was nothing he could _do_ to make the pain go away. He couldn't go back in time to change things. They had both agreed to move forward with their second chance at life, but _this_...this was something that had to be addressed, properly mourned for, before they could really do that.

He held her like that for a very long time. By the time she began to calm down, sniffling, the room was completely dark. Still, even after she was quieted down, he held her, offering his silent support, rubbing his face in the curls on top of her head, peppering her with soft kisses.

Finally, she pulled back from him and spoke.

"I think we should use birth control, Ani."

He frowned, unfamiliar with the term. "Birth control?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes." She took a shuddering breath. "I'll take the pill and…"

"Wait...Padme," he stopped her gently, "I don't know what that is."

"Oh. Right." She cleared her throat. "Well, there are many ways to do it, but in this world, when people are, um, sexually active and they don't want to risk getting pregnant, they use birth control."

Anakin was stunned, momentarily speechless. Sure, he had heard of people in their old galaxy trying similar things, but they didn't usually work. "And, it works?"

"Some forms work better than others," Padme admitted, "But, overall, yes."

Immediately, Anakin wanted to reject the idea. The thought was foreign to him. They hadn't ever used this 'birth control' back in their galaxy, and it had still taken them years to get pregnant. Why couldn't they just continue doing what they were doing?

 _Ah, yes, but look how quickly she became pregnant in_ _ **this**_ _galaxy,_ the thought suddenly crept into his mind, and he frowned. _Good point._

"When we're ready," Padme was continuing on, "We can stop, but right now, I just don't feel like I'm ready for children."

"But _why?"_ Anakin asked, astonished. "You'd be such a _wonderful_ mother…"

"Thank you," Padme said quietly, "But, that's not the point, Ani."

"Then what is the point?" Anakin demanded, fighting to keep his emotions under control. "I spent over twenty years wishing that I had done things differently, that I had saved you and our children, and now all I want is to be married to you again and have the opportunity to raise those kids… _with you_ , Angel."

"I understand that," Padme interrupted, and he was afraid she would be angry with him. But, instead she just sounded exhausted. "Believe me, I do, Ani. However, we should also both be ready for that step. I'm so happy that you're ready, but _I'm not_." She paused, and he could feel her struggling with her emotions again. "If I…If I got pregnant right now, and had the baby, and it wasn't Luke and Leia…" she had to take several deep breaths to keep herself under control. "It would _crush_ me, and I'm afraid that I might place unfair resentment on our child, and that's not fair."

He had a hard time seeing Padme putting _any_ resentment on _any_ child, regardless of the circumstances, but he could feel the fear in her, raw and very much real. And, as much as he wanted to argue and try to get her to see it how he saw it, he knew she was right. This whole conversation made it clear that she was right. She _wasn't_ ready right now, and therefore, he wasn't ready. They had to _both_ be ready if they were going to take that major step.

The Force had told him to be open minded and patient before he had come in. He had a feeling that _this_ was what It was referring to.

"Okay, Angel." He said slowly, "But as _soon_ as you're ready, I want to try…"

"We'll talk about it then. I promise," She agreed, and he could hear the relief in her voice.

Anakin sighed, nodded his head, and ran a hand through his hair. "As for right now, what do you need me to do, Angel?"

She was quiet for a moment, looking into his eyes, before she laid back down on the bed. "Just hold me, Ani. I just want you to hold me."

And, so he did, vowing they would get through this...together.

* * *

 **Moral of the story guys...don't bottle things up. Especially in relationships. It's bad. Take my word for it.**

 **So, next chapter is our first majorish time skip...6 months. We've explored some of their relationship after Padme remembers, and now they're going to move onto bigger and better things, including the official start of the Jedi Order on Earth! Woohoo! Annnnd then Luke and Leia. I did outlining. It won't take very many chapters (thank GOODNESS).**

 **The song for this chapter is The Resurrection Stone by Alexander Desplat from the 7th Harry Potter movie.**

 **Oh, and I loved the recommendation of Secret Love Song by Little Mix! Thanks for the recommendation!**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	37. Got Bull?

**Six Months Later…**

"I double checked with the caterer again," Padme said, her eyes pouring over the binder of wedding stuff that she'd set on their picnic blanket. She lay on her stomach, leaning on her elbows, dressed in denim shorts and a t-shirt and flip-flops, enjoying the feel of the early summer sun on her back. Next to her, on his back, wearing khaki shorts, a navy blue polo shirt and canvas deck shoes, with one arm resting across his eyes to block out the sun, lay Anakin, her husband in her previous life, soon to be her husband in this life.

Tomorrow, to be exact.

Tomorrow, as the sun set over the sea, she and Anakin would _finally_ have the wedding they had always dreamed about. It was well planned out—Padme had made sure of that. She had poured over every little detail with the help of her mother and sister and had organized each detail into the binder she now sat over. It all seemed so simple on paper, but Padme just had a feeling something would somehow 'go wrong.'

Although, in the end, what really mattered most was that she was going to be with Anakin, forever this time. They would seal their union again, this time in front of their loved ones…and a bunch of other random people their parents had invited. That was actually the part that stressed Padme out the most, since many of these people were the political gurus she had always admired from afar. Her parents, who did have relationships with them, invited them because they were ecstatic to share their daughter's happy day with apparently the entire country…or at least with the entire State of California.

"Let me guess," Anakin said, and she could hear that he was trying to restrain his laughter. He had always loved teasing her in their old galaxy whenever she got worked up about hosting a social event, and now was no exception. "There was an awful fire and all of the food got ruined so our guests will have to starve."

"You guessed it." She rolled her eyes, glancing over to check on Ryoo and Pooja who were still playing gleefully a few yards away in the grass with a now fully grown Jedi and Artoo. "In all seriousness, they have everything good to go, and they should be there on schedule."

"Sweetheart, isn't it Mindy's job to worry about that?" Anakin asked, removing his arm from his eyes and rolling to his side so that he could look at her, propping his head on his hand. His other arm now snaked around her waist, his fingers sliding up under the hem of her shirt to caress her skin, drawing her closer to him. Her skin jolted with electricity whenever he touched her, and her breathing hitched. Anakin continued on, completely oblivious (for the moment) of what his touch was doing to her. "You and I aren't even going to be at the reception location when they're setting up, Angel. We have bigger things to worry about at that moment...like preparing to say our vows." He arched his eyebrows at her.

"I know," she said with a sigh, "But, this _is_ Mindy we're talking about." Padme gave him a pointed look, and he relented, nodding his head.

"Okay. I see your point." He pulled her even closer, nuzzling his face into her neck, flicking his tongue out to trace the shell of her ear, and sending shivers down her spine. She had to resist the urge to pull the picnic blanket over them so that she could have her way with him… _that_ would not be good to do, however, when her nieces were playing just feet away from them with the dog and the droid. Her sister would rightfully murder her. So, to distract herself from the sensations he was rousing within her, she thought back over the last six months and all that had happened.

First, she had fully recovered from all of her injuries, and thanks to Vokara's continued Force treatments and the rigorous physical therapy she had undertaken, she had regained full use and strength of her left arm. And, true to her word, Mindy had moved out into her own apartment at the beginning of the last semester, leaving Anakin and Padme alone in the house with Jedi and Artoo. Padme did somewhat miss being surrounded by the bubbly personality of her best friend, but like Anakin, who was completely happy that she had moved out, Padme very much enjoyed finally having a home with Anakin all to themselves. As a surprise early wedding gift, Padme had put the house in his name, too, which had been a pretty big moment for her husband, as he had never owned his own home before, and they had certainly never technically owned a home together. In their old galaxy, they had lived in _her_ apartment. So, Anakin was really excited to now actually own a home himself. And, they had certainly made the home uniquely theirs, in every sense of the word, redecorating here and there to incorporate a blend of both their styles, instead of it just being all hers.

And, Padme had enjoyed watching Anakin learn to do household maintenance chores, like mowing the grass. They had gone to _Home Depot_ and purchased a new mower together, and he had tinkered with it so he could work it remotely. It also amused her highly to watch him using the Force to do yard work or other chores around the house when he thought she wasn't looking. And, in an effort to make up to their neighbors for their rather _raucous_ Halloween party last fall, they had hosted a barbecue for their neighbors on Memorial Day, which had gone a long way toward smoothing things over with the elderly couple who lived right next door especially, and Anakin had, like most everything he did (well, aside from making S'mores), quickly mastered cooking on their new outdoor gas grill just for the occasion, having taken 'lessons' from both her father and her brother-in-law on how to use one.

" _Ani_ ," Padme groaned softly, her eyes fluttering closed. "Wait until tomorrow night, Honey."

"Why?" His lips were at her ear, nibbling gently on her earlobe, his breath warm against her neck. He planted a whisper of a kiss on the sensitive spot just below her ear, moaning softly deep in his throat and...she forced herself to pull away, shooting him a wry look.

"First of all, we're in public."

"We're in a largely empty park, Angel." He pointed out amusingly, eyes dancing with mischief...and want.

"Yes, but, we're technically watching Ryoo and Pooja." Padme motioned towards the girls who were now trying to wrestle a Frisbee from Jedi's jaws. Artoo was also attempting to help pull the Frisbee away from the dog using his grappling hook, but it only seemed to make the dog clamp its jaws around the toy harder.

"Ahhh, they aren't paying attention." Again, Anakin's lips fastened on her neck, beginning to trail wet kisses ever lower…

"And, now you're just doing it to make me squirm." She said breathlessly, eyeing him with wry amusement.

"Of course not, Angel. I love you." She pulled away and gave him a skeptical look, and after a moment a little bit of guilt filled his twinkling blue eyes. "Okay. Maybe just a _little_ bit…" He smirked.

She couldn't help but laugh and shake her head at him, and, her wedding binder momentarily forgotten, she sat up and then pushed him back onto his back, leaning down and kissing him deeply, her newly cut, mid-length, straightened hair hiding their kiss from view. He kissed her back wantonly, groaning, his hands going about her waist holding her against his chest…

She pulled away, breathing hard, brushing her hair out of her face. "Seriously, Ani. At least wait until we get back to the house."

"I would, except the house is so _crazy_ right now...We've not had _any_ privacy for almost 2 weeks, Angel," Anakin grumbled in frustration, running his hand through his hair, but nevertheless, he didn't try to tempt her further. "It's so claustrophobic at home right now."

Sure enough, he was right. Both sides of their family were in town for the wedding, and although her family had hotels to stay in, they had invited Shmi and Cliegg to stay at their house, as well as Owen and Beru and little Kylee, as they did not have quite as much money as Padme's family did. So, their house was rather crowded at the moment, and it _was_ kind of crazy.

And, really, the entire last six months since Christmas had been almost a blur for them both between their Spring semester classes, her rehab for her arm, all the work Anakin and Obi-Wan were putting into their new company, plus all the planning for the wedding. They had hired a wedding coordinator to help, but Anakin was still shocked at how much was involved in planning a wedding, with all the decisions to be made on color schemes, flowers, food, music, guest lists, seating charts, and hall rentals. Honestly, it made his head swim, and he was both thankful and grateful that Jobal and Sola were helping. At times, he privately missed the simplicity of their first wedding all those years ago, but he wasn't about to tell Padme that. No, he wanted her to have the dream wedding she _deserved._

So, he kept his mouth shut, stayed out of the way, and basically just let the ladies handle it.

And, they had certainly had a hectic last 2 weeks what with their engagement party, her bridal shower (which Mindy had _refused_ to let him crash, much to his annoyance), the wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, plus packing for their honeymoon (along with having a house full of guests). Amidst all the activity, Anakin had groaned because he'd hoped to turn Mindy's old room into his office so that he could move all the various droid supplies and drawing plans that had cluttered the garage into his new 'office' space, which currently made parking in the garage impossible (much to Padme's annoyance). And, with the international hunt for Palpatine still ongoing, Anakin wasn't happy about having to leave their new SUV (which they _both_ had grown to love) parked in the driveway, especially at night. It was too easy a target for one of Palpatine's goons to mess with. So, in the interim, Anakin had rigged up a multi-camera surveillance system around the outside perimeter of the house which he could access remotely 24/7 from anywhere on either his laptop or his cellphone.

However, until the wedding was over and they were back from their honeymoon, he wasn't going to be able to set up his office, and so, currently both of their extra bedrooms were being used by his family. Even though months had gone by since their loss and the trauma from it had calmed some, that did not mean that little Kylee, who was now six months old and _teething_ , was not a handful, and her crying spells in the middle of the night had driven Padme's light-sleeper husband up a wall. She had pointed out to him that _all_ babies did that, which had prompted a horrified look and a "They _do?!"_ response from him.

Apparently, Sith Lords did not hang out around too many babies.

So, the trip to the park was a chance for not only her nieces to take a break from the craziness that was the wedding, but also themselves.

"Well. Tomorrow, we aren't even going back to the house once we leave for the wedding, and we're going straight to the hotel after the reception for our wedding night," she rolled her eyes at the darkly suggestive laughter from him at the mention of _that_ , "and then the day after that, it's off to Europe for a month!" The mention of Europe made her smile widely, as it always did. She had been to Europe a few times growing up, and she and Mindy had recently gone skiing in Switzerland in their junior year at Stanford during the Christmas break, and going there now with Anakin to show him more of the world she'd grown up in excited her. "You're going to _love_ it, Honey! If I had to bet, I'd say that Italy will be your favorite. Especially Tuscany!" Her eyes sparkled with excitement. Anakin _loved_ Italian food, Tuscan cuisine specifically.

"I don't know," Anakin mused, "I did some reading on Paris. With the bloody revolution that happened there, I think I'll enjoy that location the most." He grinned to show he was teasing, and she rolled her eyes. Men. Anakin may not be a Sith Lord anymore, but he was still _very_ much a warrior at heart. He had recently started reading up on the various wars, conquests, and battles in world history. He was a quick study, and Mindy had an endless supply of history books to choose from; so, it was not uncommon for Padme to trip over a fairly large book on the Crusades or something else history related on her way to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

"Paris, huh? Well, it _**is**_ the city of love," she purred suggestively, giving him a smirk, which caused his eyes to suddenly darken with desire.

" _Really_? Then, I'm _sure_ it's going to be my favorite," he whispered huskily before pulling her in in for another deep kiss, his hands reaching up to tangle in her new shorter hairstyle.

Her cell phone suddenly beeped a reminder for tonight's bachelorette party, pinging it across her screen. She groaned, pulling away. "Ani, we need to get going. I have to start getting ready for my bachelorette party Mindy's throwing."

"You know that's going to be a wild party, right?" Anakin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I made her promise it wouldn't be _too_ wild." Padme said, but even she didn't believe her own words. Mindy had said that about most of the parties she'd ever thrown, and every time the party had been wild. Mindy's version of 'not wild' was definitely _not_ most people's version of 'not wild.' And, that being the case, Padme didn't _want_ to know what Mindy actually considered to be a 'wild party.'

"Right…well, I made it _very_ clear to her that she wasn't to even _think_ about bringing any male strippers tonight." Anakin told her sternly, moving to sit up and faced her with just a hint of jealousy glinting in his eyes. "I don't want you watching other guys taking their clothes off, Angel. Nope. _NOT_ happening." Anakin shook his head and set his jaw and gave her a pointed look.

Padme groaned again and covered her face with her hands before raking them through her hair. "Don't give her ideas. Ugh...You just gave her ideas."

"It better _**not**_ have," he said grimly, "If there are strippers, I don't care if you don't want to hurt her feelings, you _leave._ Understand me?!" Anakin was dead serious now, that possessive gleam in his eye, and she had a feeling that he had _very_ clearly told Mindy that it was _**not**_ acceptable in the clearest way that he knew how without trespassing into Sith territory.

Suddenly amused at his jealousy, she replied, "Oh, okay-y... _but_...y'know, strippers _might_ be kinda fun..." She sighed dramatically with a roll of her eyes. When he growled at her with a scowl on his face, she laughed, quirked an eyebrow and said, "Okay, okay. And, what if I still feel uncomfortable anyway with whatever else she has planned?"

Anakin frowned, thinking. "Well…you could text me a code word, and I'll come over to get you and make up some Jedi emergency that I absolutely need you there for, and I'll come and take you home."

"But, you have your own bachelor party tonight. Remember? You can't just leave." Padme pointed out the obvious.

"Yes, I can. I'm not going to leave _ **my**_ Angel to be surrounded by Mindy's wild shenanigans all night long when she doesn't want to be. If I do that, then you don't have to hurt Mindy's feelings if you leave." Padme wasn't sure Mindy _wouldn't_ take offense even if there was a genuine emergency, but she also didn't feel like going to a wild party the night before her wedding either.

"Okay," Padme agreed, "But, if Mindy turns her wrath on you…"

"Somehow," Anakin said, rolling his eyes, "I think I'll survive."

"Ok. Fine...oh, and by the way, Sweetie...I _**better not**_ find out you've had _any_ female strippers at _**your**_ party tonight. I don't want _you_ watching other women taking their clothes off, either." She shot him her best no nonsense glare, her eyes narrowed. "If _**I**_ can't, _**you**_ can't."

Anakin smirked, amused at feeling her jealousy so strongly in the Force. "Angel, there won't be, I _promise,"_ he assured her with a grin before leaning in for another kiss.

She returned his kiss, but then pulled back with a pointed look. "Alright, but remember...If there _are_ any strippers at _your_ party, _you_ will be in for a very _...lonely_...wedding night, my Love."

"Well, I _can't_ have that, now can I?" he said on an amused whisper before stealing another kiss.

* * *

Padme sat blindfolded in the limo Mindy had rented, a champagne glass in her hand, hoping that none of her friends would accidentally knock against her and spill the liquid all over her dark blue jeans, white tank top, and black cardigan. She carefully drained it just in case, wincing as the bubbly liquid raced down her throat and tickled the back of her nose.

"Do you want more, Padme?" Satine asked from somewhere off to her left.

"No, no thank you. I'm dizzy enough as it is with the car turning left and right and not being able to see and all. I don't really need to get tipsy at the same time."

"Well, get prepared to get _more_ than just tipsy, my dearest friend," Mindy practically sang from directly next to her. She had refused to tell Padme what they were doing, and Padme had lost count of the turns the limo had made almost as soon as they'd left their neighborhood. More and more, her suspicions were increasing, and she had a feeling she would be texting Anakin their 'code word' immediately upon arrival of...wherever it was they were taking her. "It's just too bad that we couldn't go to the club we _used_ to hang out in…" Mindy huffed.

"Oh, not _that_ again," Ahsoka muttered under her breath, reading Padme's mind. Obi-Wan had told her what had happened at the club just after Anakin had arrived in this world.

"Oh hush, Mindy! There are lots of other fun places to go to around town. We'll have fun," Padme heard Satine's voice say from her left.

"Why can't we go to that particular club?" Sola began to ask, but this time Padme was quick to shoot the question down.

"It's not that we _can't_. We just _aren't_. It's just lame. Right, _Mindy_?" Padme's voice was cheerful, but Mindy took the hint. Padme did _not_ want to explain to her family about the incident at the club shortly after Anakin had arrived in this world. Padme hadn't known it then, but Anakin was still very much struggling with his identity at that point after years of being a ruthless Sith Lord. Without explaining that fact to Sola, her sister would not understand, and Padme did not want to have the conversation about whether or not she was sure if she really wanted to marry someone with anger management issues. Sola just wouldn't understand…and Padme wasn't even sure that she would understand even if Padme told her the whole story.

"Yeah," Mindy grumbled, "Lame."

"We're _still_ going to have a good time anyway. So, don't worry about it, Mindy," Beru piped up from somewhere across from Padme. To enable Beru and Sola to be able to come tonight, with their respective husbands out with Anakin, Shmi had volunteered to watch Kylee at Padme and Anakin's house, and Jobal was watching Ryoo and Pooja at the Amidala's house.

Finally the limo slowed and pulled over to a stop, and even from within the car, Padme could hear loud music and voices of already drunk patrons going to and from wherever it was that they were going. "We're here!" Mindy gushed, and Padme heard the car door open before she felt hands gently guiding her out of the car and out into the warm night air.

Padme took a wiff, trying to determine where they were by smell. She could smell the salty brine of the ocean (but that wasn't surprising: It wasn't often that you _couldn't_ smell the ocean in this area)...but was that the smell of grilled beef? And, of course, the smell of alcohol was heavily pungent. "Mindy...," Padme began, but before she could continue, the blindfold was pulled off.

"Ta-da!" Ahsoka proudly announced, raising a hand to show off the building they were standing in front of.

Padme blinked rapidly to adjust her eyesight and comprehend what it was she was standing in front of. It looked to be a large country western dance hall, but she could also clearly smell food, too. She squinted at the lit up letters up above, confirming that it was indeed a bar and grill, similar to a Coyote Ugly. Even early in the night, scantily dressed "cowgirls" were heading in and out, laughing as they met up with their guy friends. "We're going to a country western bar?" Padme asked, a look of shocked surprise on her face. She had figured Mindy would take her _somewhere_ with alcohol, but she didn't think she would take her to a country place. Country…was _not_ Mindy's scene.

"Yeah," Sola grinned, "We figured that since you're marrying an Idahoan…"

"...And, since your fiancé _rudely_ made me promise _not_ to get strippers...," Mindy rolled her eyes and snorted.

"…We should take you somewhere that kind of fits the lifestyle of an Idahoan!" Beru grinned.

"Just wait. I still think you'll end up moving up there," Sola said.

"Not a chance," Padme grumbled, making Satine laugh.

"But, sadly, no cowboy strippers." Mindy scowled. Whatever Anakin did to threaten Mindy, it must have been good, since it worked. Padme made a mental note to ask him about it later.

"Somehow, I doubt Padme is missing much." Satine rolled her eyes. "And, maybe I should have asked this before, but _how_ exactly are you planning on getting in there, Ahsoka? Aren't you eighteen?"

"Shh!" Ahsoka hissed, shooting Satine a dirty look before arching her eyebrows. "I have my ways."

"By which you mean a fake ID, right?" Sola raised her eyebrows and smirked, but she didn't protest further. Good thing, too, because Padme happened to know that Sola hadn't exactly been innocent of that in her own younger days.

"I will neither confirm nor deny anything. I plead the Fifth in the presence of a lawyer and a lawyer-in-training." With that said, Ahsoka turned her full attention back to Padme, holding her hand out. "Cell phone. Now."

"What?" Padme asked, frowning. "Why?"

"Because, I know you, and I know Anakin. I'm not going to have you texting Anakin and then he mysteriously shows up with an excuse to carry you off." Padme opened her mouth to deny it, but that instantly earned her a " _don't even try it"_ look from Ahsoka.

"It's your last night being single," Satine added with a feral grin, "Come on! One last hurrah before you go play boring housewife."

"I will _not_ be a boring housewife." Padme protested.

"No, but you _will_ be a housewife," Mindy pointed out, "Well, sorta...Or…enough of one."

"You get the point that we're trying to make," Sola added, "Seriously little sis, you _need_ to take this night and just… _let go_. Trust me, being married is wonderful and fun, but there's also a lot of work involved in marriage that keeps you from going out with your girlfriends all the time. Right, Beru?"

"Yep! Sola is right, Padme. Marriage does take work, even when you're madly in love. So, just this once, you need to let it all go and kick up your heels like a real Idahoan!," Beru chimed in.

Padme sighed, giving in and handing her phone over, her heart sinking as she did so. She wanted to argue and point out that, _technically_ , to _her_ mind, she hadn't been single in a very long time, and even when she was, she was so much happier now that she had her soulmate back.

But, she didn't.

Instead, she squared her shoulders and followed her friends and bridesmaids into the dimly lit, music blaring, laughter filled, smoky hazed, tightly packed western bar.

* * *

Anakin, meanwhile, was unknowingly having a _completely_ opposite experience than his wife. His groomsmen, Obi-Wan (the best man, naturally), Darred, and Owen, plus his father-in-law, Ruwee, and his stepfather, Cliegg, had all gone out to Red Robin to have an enjoyable, quiet dinner. Anakin had driven himself, Obi-Wan, Cliegg, and Owen in the SUV, and Ruwee had driven himself and Darred there.

And, quiet it was, which was exactly how Anakin preferred it. He had told Obi-Wan that's what he wanted, and Obi-Wan had delivered, picking a restaurant that had food that every man there enjoyed (including bacon cheeseburgers, much to Anakin's delight), and a good variety of drinks. It was laid back, and Anakin felt relaxed as he talked with the family he hadn't gotten to know very well in his galaxy, finding that he liked them much more than he used to, and looking forward to the relationship he could have with them now.

The men had ordered a round of beers with their meal, and they had all laughed at the various marital "tales of woe," that Ruwee, Cliegg, Owen, and Darred had regaled them with. Anakin smirked, realizing he had a few husbandly tales of his own he could impart to their conversation, but didn't dare because Obi-Wan was the only one who could appreciate them. Still, hearing his family members going on and on about various amusing incidents that had occurred with their wives throughout their respective marriages had them all laughing uproariously, and it was just the thing Anakin needed to relieve the remaining stress he felt in the leadup to the wedding tomorrow.

"So, you already have investors lined up?" Darred asked, changing the conversation topic while taking a sip of his beer.

"Yes," Obi-Wan replied, even though technically the question was directed at Anakin. He didn't mind though—Obi-Wan was the one handling all of that aspect of their business anyway. Anakin just sat in his garage or the workshop at school and designed different droids for the company. "We've just settled, and we hope to be fully running with our first factory by the end of the year. We're planning on interviewing potential employees when Anakin gets back from his honeymoon."

Anakin refrained from scowling—he hated interviews. He always had. Occasionally, he'd had to interview men for various high ranking positions on the Executor or other areas of the Imperial Fleet, and he'd hated it. It was dull, tedious, and boring, even if it was necessary. He certainly wasn't looking forward to interviewing people when he got back.

"I have to admit, that's pretty impressive," Owen said, the first indication that he thought _anything_ Anakin was doing was impressive. Owen made it clear that he thought Anakin should be closer to home to help with the ranch. When he had arrived with his family, Anakin had sucked up whatever resentful feelings he had towards Owen over how he'd raised Luke and tried to show his stepbrother everything he could to make him feel at home in the big city, but Owen just didn't seem impressed by any of it. He'd sort of treated Artoo like an abomination and avoided the droid whenever he could. Given that this was the first praise he'd ever heard Owen speak, he couldn't help but soften up just a little bit.

"Thanks, Owen," Anakin said with a small smile, "We're both very excited to see where the company goes."

Owen smiled back, just a little, one of the few smiles Anakin had seen on his brother's face. "I may not agree with everything you do out here, but I'm proud that you're successful, and you're going to be able to support your family."

 _Jeez_ , Anakin wondered, _where had this Owen been his whole life?_ Then again, maybe this Owen had been there for this world's Anakin, and he just hadn't seen it since arriving here. Anakin's smile broadened. "That means a lot. Thank you."

Owen nodded. "Anytime, brother."

It was strange to be called 'brother' by anyone other than Ahsoka or Obi-Wan, but…it was a good strange.

"Hey, speaking of your new and upcoming family," Cliegg said, "Where exactly are the girls taking your bride tonight?"

Anakin shrugged, quickly glancing down at his phone to double check that Padme hadn't texted him. So far, no texts. That was a good sign. Perhaps Mindy had actually listened to him this time, and they were having a quiet evening like the guys were. "No idea," he continued with a shake of his head. "Mindy wouldn't tell Padme, so Padme didn't tell me. I _did_ make Mindy promise not to involve any male strippers though," he added with a growled huff as he took a swig of his beer.

Darred, who had also begun to take another swig of beer, suddenly choked, slamming his glass down on the table as he tried to get control of his breathing again. All of the men at the table turned to him and frowned, watching him as he took several deep breaths to clear his throat. "I'm sorry," Darred wheezed in response to the strange looks they were giving him, "Swallowed wrong. It went down the wrong pipe."

"Are you _sure_ about that, Darred?" Obi-Wan asked, his eyes narrowed and a dangerous edge suddenly in his voice. Anakin looked over at his best man and almost asked _why_ Obi-Wan was getting involved, but then he remembered…Satine was with the girls. If Padme was subjected to something, Satine was going to be as well.

"Yeah, it's fine...it's just…oh, nothing," Darred flushed red and cleared his throat, darting a nervous glance at Anakin and then quickly looked back down at his beer.

Anakin frowned and exchanged a knowing look with Obi-Wan. They had _both_ feltDarred's spike of nervousness in the Force. He was hiding something. Anakin just knew it.

"Darred? Do _you_ know where the girls are taking Padme tonight?" Anakin asked, his eyes narrowed. His brother-in-law stammered and turned even redder in the face.

"Well...uh...you know...I can't _really_ say. I mean...I promised Sola that I _wouldn't_ say anything…"

 _Oh, FORCE!_

Immediately, every possible horrible situation that could occur flashed through Anakin's mind. What if Mindy had ignored him and brought strippers anyway?! And, what if those strippers did _things_ to Padme...things that only _ **he**_ was allowed to do?! What if the party was just plain wild out in the middle of nowhere, and Padme was stuck without reception and couldn't get ahold of him?

He had to check. He had to _know_ that Padme was safe. Already he was pulling his phone out, dialing Padme's number. It went straight to voicemail.

Not good.

He tried Mindy's number. Voicemail.

Sola's. Voicemail.

Satine's. Voicemail.

Beru's. Voicemail.

 _Kriff!_

Obi-Wan was trying their numbers also, and he had no luck either. By the end of it, Anakin was about to explode with anxiety. He had no idea where she was. No clue whatsoever. If something happened, he would have no way to get to her, to help her and, Force forbid, if Palpatine were to send one of his minions after her…He looked at Obi-Wan, whose own face was suddenly stern.

 _What if Palpatine..._ Their Force thoughts echoed each other's, and they both grimaced.

"I'm _sure_ they're fine, Anakin," Ruwee was saying in an attempt to calm down his son-in-law, as the waiter refilled their drinks, "It's just for one night. They're big girls. If Padme doesn't like something, she can take care of herself."

Of course, he knew that, but, now that Anakin had thought of Palpatine, he _couldn't_ calm down. He should have _forced_ Mindy to at least give him their location…not because he wanted to stalk them and be the overbearing husband, but because Padme could legitimately not be safe, and he wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Yes, technically, she had Ahsoka with her, but he doubted Ahsoka had…Wait a minute.

 _Ahsoka._

He immediately flipped to her contact, and before he pressed the call button, he saw her signed into Skype. He pressed the Skype option, hoping and praying that she would pick up, and he would not only _hear_ that they were safe, but actually _see_ it for himself. He clenched his jaw and waited.

For a while, the call continued to ring, until he was sure that she wouldn't pick up. Right before he was about to give up and call her by phone, however, the line picked up, and his screen flashed with Ahsoka's face. She was in a darkened room. Her braids were a little messed up, and her eyeliner was running a little, but she smiled when she saw his face. "Heeeeey, Skyguy!" She greeted, her words slurring a little. He felt Obi-Wan lean over to look at the screen, too. "And, Ben, heeeeey!"

" _Ahsoka_ ," Obi-Wan said, his voice holding that tone that just screamed that he would be giving her a lecture later. Anakin knew that tone all too well. "Are you drunk?"

"What?" Ahsoka scoffed, "Noooo, _why_ would you think that?" She hiccuped.

"Because, you're clearly not yourself." Obi-Wan pointed out, his eyebrows arching.

"Pssh. Whatever! It's a party! I'll do what I want. You're not my dad, Ben."

Anakin hissed in frustration. "Snips, we'll talk about that later. Just…" he hadn't failed to notice the raucous laughter or the loud, blaring music in the background...even though it didn't sound like the usual club music he was accustomed to hearing when he went out with the girls. It was hard to tell though through the phone _what_ kind of music it was. "Look, Snips. I need to know… _what_ are you girls doing? Are you safe?"

"Of _course,_ we're safe, Skyguy!" Ahsoka rolled her eyes, "And, you know...I have a lightsaber if it isn't…" Anakin quickly glanced at the rest of the men, who were busy trying to listen in without making it obvious they were listening in, but by the puzzled expressions on their faces, they had overheard the lightsaber comment and weren't sure what to make of it.

He had to change the subject fast.

"Okay, okay, but what are you girls actually _doing?"_ His fingers gripped the cell phone like a vice, and he struggled _not_ to start yelling and demanding that Ahsoka tell him immediately.

"Ohhhhh, we're at a parrrrr-taaaay," Ahsoka grinned, "A _secret_ party! It's none of your concern. So, shoo. Go away." She made a waving off motion with her hand at the phone.

" _Why_ isn't Padme answering her phone, Snips?" Anakin continued to demand, his concern growing by leaps and bounds.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "Y'knoooow, I just _knew_ you would do this. _**I**_ have her phone, Anakin, _and_ it's **off** so that she can't try to escape with you. Don't worry so much, Skyguy. Just _chill out_ , OK?"

"I have lots of reasons to worry, reasons that _you_ know very well," Anakin ground out through clenched teeth, his eyes narrowed, "Just tell me: _**What**_ _are you girls doing?! WHAT IS_ _ **PADME**_ _DOING?!"_

This time, Ahsoka didn't get to answer. Another face suddenly appeared upside down on the screen staring at him and Obi-Wan. Mindy. Perfect. And, she was clearly _way_ more into her drinks than Ahsoka….not that that was a surprise. "Oh, Looky, looky! If it isn't the allllll powerful, scary _Jedi_!" She crowed, giggling at her own joke, and Anakin resisted the urge to start banging his head on the table.

" _MINDY_ …" he started to say, but she cut him off.

"HEY! _You_ said no strippers, and I _don't_ have any sexy cowboy strippers...unfortunately…but you _didn't_ say anything about a _mechanical bull!_ " The last part she spoke in a tipsy sing-song voice before cackling with glee.

 _Mechanical bull_? He frowned. _What was that?_

He was about to ask, but Mindy suddenly disappeared from view. Ahsoka lifted her head to look at Mindy, as Anakin heard Mindy's voice trailing off, "Can you _believe_ those guys knew Padme and Satine from _Hooters_?! That's so…"

Next, Beru's voice (though they couldn't see her on the screen) could be heard, a little closer to Ahsoka but still moving away with Mindy. "Oh, I _know_! Did you _see_ Padme's face when that one guy grabbed her b-..."

Ahsoka dropped the phone a little so that Anakin and Obi-Wan had more of a view of her nostrils and the darkened ceiling above. They could tell that, wherever they were, the place was packed with people. More shouts of hysterical laughter could suddenly be heard in the background, and the music inexplicably seemed to _increase_ in volume, if that was even possible.

"Hey! Don't tell Anakin about that! Or Ben, either! They wouldn't like to know that those fellas were trying to..." she was yelling after Mindy and Beru, obviously forgetting for a moment that she was still connected to Anakin's phone on the Skype call, but there was another loud yell of some sort in the background that drowned out the rest of what Ahsoka was saying, as she dropped her phone again, holding it down by her hip this time so they had a darkened view of lots of legs and the floor.

"Hey, wait a minute! _**Hooters**_?! Hold on…" Obi-Wan began, the anger registering in his voice matched Anakin's own, but Ahsoka cut him off.

"Hey, we gotta go here, Skyguy," Ahsoka said with wicked glee, as she brought the phone back up to her face. "We'll see you guys tomorrow!"

"NO, Ahsoka!…"

 _Click._

It was too late. The line went black.

Anakin stared at his cell phone for a silent, awkward minute, as if Ahsoka would magically reappear and tell him every detail of what was going on at that party. When she didn't reappear, Anakin slowly looked back up at the other men who were awkwardly looking into their glasses as if they hadn't listened in on his entire conversation, but it was painfully obvious they'd heard every word.

Anakin and Obi-Wan slowly turned to look at each other, their mouths pinched into a flat line and fury etched on every line of their faces.

"We need to go." Anakin said, his voice quiet and lethal. Obi-Wan nodded in grim agreement, a stony look on his face. Standing abruptly, Anakin was suddenly consumed with the need to go and make sure that Padme was okay...and to get her and drag her butt home.

 _Enough was enough of Mindy's 'wild party,'_ he decided firmly.

"Darred, you're taking us."

"Wait, what?! But…" Darred began, but Obi-Wan cut him off.

"This time I have to agree with Anakin," Obi-Wan stood as well. "I think, with all of the trouble our girls have gotten into in the last year, we should _at least_ check in on them." Anakin wasn't fooled in the least—if the girls had run into yet **more** _Hooters_ acquaintances (this time _**male ones**_ at that!) neither Anakin nor Obi-Wan wanted to even _think_ about the possible consequences.

"You might as well give it up, Darred," Owen said with an amused roll of his eyes, as he, too, stood up from the table. "Anakin isn't going to drop it until he makes _sure_ there really aren't any strippers anywhere near Padme and that the girls are all fine. Trust me," Owen shook his head, as Cliegg nodded his, "Once something is in his head, he won't let it go until it's over and done with."

Darred hesitated for a moment, looking first at his father-in-law's amused expression and then to Anakin and Obi-Wan's stony ones, before he finally gave in with a nod. "Ok. Fine. But, if Sola gets mad at me, I'm going to claim that you dragged me out at gunpoint."

"She won't believe it, but you can try." Obi-Wan said before turning to a very amused Cliegg and Ruwee who still sat and calmly sipped at their drinks. "Are you two coming?"

"Nahhh," Ruwee said with a chuckle, "We're too old to be chasing after those girls through a club scene. You boys go on ahead. We'll finish up here, pay, and see you in the morning." Ruwee and Cliegg looked like they were having to fight to keep from breaking out into full blown laughter, both of them just shaking their heads.

Still, a grim Anakin threw his father-in-law a grateful look just the same before grabbing the keys to his SUV off the table and headed out the door with his groomsmen in tow to go collect his rather... _mischievous.._.bride.

* * *

Anakin was almost ready to explode with anxiety by the time they pulled up to the dance hall. Since he had the least amount of alcohol in his system, he took it upon himself to drive. And, since he was listening to Darred give instructions from the front passenger's seat, he wasn't able to meditate and calm down on the drive over, and therefore, he'd resorted to gripping the steering wheel like his life depended on it. So, when he parked the SUV, let go of the wheel, climbed out of the vehicle, and began storming towards the front doors of the bar, his hands literally ached.

Obi-Wan was right behind him. However, unlike Anakin, Obi-Wan had been able to take the time during the drive to meditate and calm down, and just before Anakin marched inside, he felt his best friend grasp his shoulder, stopping him. "Anakin, wait up," Obi-Wan warned, "We don't know what we're going to find when we go in there. Maybe I should go first…"

"NO." Anakin's answer was firm. "No. I promise, I'm…I'm _not_ angry, just…anxious." He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself. "Obi-Wan, I _promise_ I won't do anything irrational."

Obi-Wan stared at his face for a moment, and Anakin knew his friend was searching the Force for a clear answer. Finally, he nodded his head, let go of Anakin and stepped back. "Alright. I'm right behind you," He said as Owen and Darred caught up with them.

Anakin nodded tersely before turning around, pushed the door open, and entered the building.

Immediately, his senses were assaulted with the pungent thick smell of body odor mixed with alcohol and grilled burgers. The dance hall was packed from wall to wall with scantily dressed women in various colors of plaid, denim, and short shorts, and men who wore jeans and the boots and cowboy hat that Obi-Wan had convinced Anakin to wear up in Idaho (an incident that he refused to think about even if this place _did_ remind him of his trip there). Loud music blared over the speakers, but it wasn't the pulsing _noise_ that Mindy frequently enjoyed, but rather it was an upbeat version of the music his stepbrother and stepfather listened to. Anakin suddenly realized he actually kinda _liked_ this music. He certainly liked it better than the stuff Mindy favored.

Looking around, the room was darkened, with the brightest place being, naturally, the bar, but there were colored lights flashing and lighting up various parts of the massive dance floor as well, and scattered about on the walls were big neon signs illuminating the names of several different brands of beer.

Anakin stood there at the door for a moment, scanning the crowd with narrowed eyes, hands clenched into fists, looking for Padme or any other familiar face. He felt Obi-Wan doing the same while Owen and Darred just stood there awkwardly as they waited for Obi-Wan and Anakin to make a move. "Do you see them?" Anakin asked in a tight voice when he didn't see anyone he knew near them.

"No, but…" Obi-Wan was interrupted by a burst of sudden loud cheering coming from the very far back corner of the bar, a corner that, due to the massive amount of people in the place, was hard for Anakin to see. At first, it sounded like just random cheering, but Anakin soon realized that there were words actually being chanted. He began to walk towards the noise, drawn to it, his ears straining to make out the words…

"GO PADME! GO PADME! GO PADME!"

 _ **WHAT?!**_

He began to walk faster, Obi-Wan hot on his heels, pushing between people, earning him some irritated glances and a few _Hey, watch it!_ comment _s_ from those he knocked against, but Anakin didn't care. The chanting got louder and louder, and there was also another noise, a _mechanical_ noise, that he couldn't place….

Finally, he and Obi-Wan burst through the crowd, accidentally bumping into Ahsoka as they did so. She turned to apologize but paused when she recognized who it was, frowning. "What on _Earth_ …Anakin?! Ben?! You can't be _here_!"

Anakin ignored her. His eyes were riveted to the scene before him, frowning as he tried to understand just what was going on.

She was on some sort of mechanical… _thing_. It looked like it was part of an animal's back, but there wasn't a rest of the animal to go with it. There was no seat, just a small leather rope attached to the front.

Padme sat on top of it, one hand wrapped tightly in the rope, the other hand flung up in the air as the thing she sat on whipped around and around, back and forth and up and down. Her hair had fallen around her face, but he glimpsed a massive _feral grin_ spread on her lips just before it whipped her around, and he could no longer see her face.

" **What** …" he asked, eyebrows furrowing, "Is _that?"_

Ahsoka glanced back at the thing. "That? It's a mechanical bull." She shrugged and glanced down at the time on her phone. "Padme's doing pretty good! She's almost been on it for two and a half minutes...at a pretty decent level, too. Impressive." Ahsoka pursed her lips and nodded her head.

As Anakin continued to watch in bewilderment, the thing began to jerk and buck around a little faster, and finally Padme flew off from on top of it and landed flat on her back on the padded surface below. He gasped as he watched her fall, and if it wasn't for the people around him, he would have used the Force to catch her, but instead a _huge_ cheer of " _YEAH, PADME!_ "rose up around him, accompanied by thunderous applause and whistles, from the crowd that had gathered to watch her, reminding him where he was.

He had to be careful.

Still, he was relieved to see that Padme quickly got up, wobbled a little, likely from being dizzy, and smiled and waved for the cheering crowd, seemingly completely at ease. Her hair was now completely tangled, but she didn't seem to care as she picked her way off of the cushioned platform and back onto solid ground.

"Seriously though," Ahsoka snapped, drawing his attention, "You guys _aren't_ supposed to be _here_. Go, before Padme…"

"Well, well, weeeeeelll..." Mindy's voice drawled, and Anakin immediately whirled around and shot a glare at her. "Looky what we've got _here_!"

" _Mindy_ ," Anakin practically snarled, crossing his arms over his chest and trying to restrain himself. " _What_ have you gotten my wife into _this_ time?"

Mindy just rolled her eyes. " _Pfft_...It's just a mechanical bull. It's not like I took her sky diving with sharks or something. I mean...Come _on!_ We had to do _something_ else for fun, since you... _requested_...no strippers." She arched her eyebrows at him, not in the least bit intimidated by the scowl on his face.

"No, but…" He ignored her jab about the strippers and glanced again at the mechanical contraption. Beru was now mounting the bull, and the crowd was beginning to dissipate a little. "That… _thing_. Is it safe?!"

"You're more likely to get killed in a car accident than seriously injured on a mechanical bull. Calm down, Skyguy." Ahsoka sighed, "And, it looks like it's too late to kick you out now. Look who comes."

Sure enough, Padme was now making her way over to them, her eyes set on Anakin, a confused look on her face. Anakin broke away from the girls to meet her halfway, his gaze roaming over her to make sure that she was in one piece. She looked fine, but…

"What are you doing here, Ani?" She asked, and even though he wanted to grab her hand and pull her out of there, take her home, and never let her go, he couldn't help but soften a little in her presence.

He quickly reached up, his hands running over her arms as he looked her over. "Are you hurt, Angel?" He asked, his voice worried.

She frowned and shook her head. "No, I'm fine. But, I somehow _doubt_ that's why you're here." She glanced behind him. "And, why you brought your _entire_ wedding party with you." Her frown deepened. "Did Obi-Wan bring you here?"

"No," He admitted on a sigh, starting to feel a little foolish now. She wasn't in danger. She wasn't hurt. She didn't even seem drunk. And, as far as he could tell looking around the place, there weren't any strippers. "Darred…made it sound like Mindy was going to do something like bring in strippers, and then when I was panicking over that, I realized that I didn't know where you were, and if Palpatine attacked you, I wouldn't know about it. So, I called all of you and finally got ahold of Ahsoka on Skype. Mindy interrupted our conversation and made it sound like it was a _much_ wilder party than it really is. And, apparently, you ran into some guy from _Hooters,_ and he tried to grab…something." He sighed again as he finished his explanation and ducked his head, looking at his shoes, more than a little embarrassed.

"Not tried. Did."

His head shot up, and he stared at her. "What do you mean?!"

"He didn't _try_. He _did_ grab something. My butt, specifically," She said wryly, her lips twisting.

Anakin scowled, and he opened his mouth to demand she tell him what happened, but before he could, she continued, "So, you were jealous and decided you had to come find me." Padme raised an eyebrow. It wasn't a question. She already knew the answer.

Anakin sighed, cleared his throat awkwardly and looked down at his feet again. "Yes. But, to be fair, Angel, Obi-Wan was jealous, too." He glanced behind him, and, sure enough, Obi-Wan was now deep in a conversation with Satine who, like Padme, looked a little annoyed at whatever Obi-Wan was trying to explain.

"I see." Padme said, her voice hard. Anakin winced. He was supposed to try to get better at not reacting to his jealousy. He had done so well since the _Hooters_ incident in Lake Tahoe back in December, but now, here he was, literally crashing Padme's bachelorette party that really was, by Mindy's standards, calm. Padme sighed. "Ani, Honey, I'll be honest with you. Yes, Satine and I did run into a couple of guys we knew from _Hooters_. They came in almost daily to get wings, and this one guy…well, he was a creep and tried to hit on me all the time when I worked there, and tonight, when he saw us, he recognized me and reached out and grabbed my butt," Anakin immediately felt himself flush with anger at this unknown man who had _dared_ to fondle _his wife,_ and he opened his mouth to demand where he was so he could go 'deal' with him, but Padme quickly beat him to it, "And, I smacked him across the face. _Hard._ Then Sola reported him to management, and he and his buddy got kicked out."

Anakin took several deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down, but he still felt the irrational urge to go hunt the man down and 'talk' some respect into him about keeping his hands to himself. _Maybe a Force choke?…_ But, _NO_ , that wasn't the Jedi way, and he _wasn't_ a Sith Lord anymore. So, instead Padme waited as he clenched and unclenched his fists while taking more deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. Finally, he sighed. "Are you angry with me?"

"Maybe." Anakin flinched a little at that. Great. He'd upset her, and they were supposed to get married the next day. What a great way to start out their new marriage...upset and angry.

"Buuuut...I _might_ forgive you."

"Might?" Anakin echoed, his eyes widening in concern.

A feral grin slowly spread over his Angel's face, a devilish glint in her eyes. "Yes. But, _only_ if you get up on that bull... _and_ beat my time." She cocked her hip, crossed her arms over her chest, and lifted her eyebrows at him as she threw down the gauntlet between them.

Anakin blinked in surprise. "Huh?" He said stupidly, looking back up at the contraption that had just flung Beru off.

"Yup." Padme motioned to it with her hand, "You mastered becoming a Jedi, **but** can you master… _ **the bull**_?" She smirked.

"Pfft," A new voice sounded to his left, and Anakin glanced over to find Obi-Wan and Satine now standing there hand-in-hand, having apparently resolved their own argument over _Hooters_. "He couldn't even master _real_ cows." Obi-Wan scoffed, " _How_ is he going to manage a fake one?!"

"I can so master it," Anakin protested with a frown, slightly offended at their scoffing. "I can master _whatever_ I set my mind to. And youall _know_ it."

"OH? Then prove it." Ahsoka was suddenly at his right elbow, grinning from ear to ear. "Show us the error of our ways, Skyguy. Go ahead and _prove_ you're the best."

"I don't need to _prove_ anything, Snips." Anakin scowled at their teasing, but already he was eyeing the bull, analyzing it, trying to figure out a strategy.

"But...you _do_ want my forgiveness…Do you not?," Padme teased him, as she sauntered right up to him, almost touching him and looked up into his face with a grin. "You've already dragged your party here. So, you might as well join in."

"That's _not_ how these parties are supposed to work!" Mindy, now joining Padme with yet another drink in her hand, protested, but she took one look between Padme and Anakin and sighed, giving in. "Ok. Y'know, whatever."

"Wait, what's going on?" Owen asked, joining the group with Beru at his side with Darred and Sola following.

Obi-Wan smirked, "Oh, Anakin's going to get on the bull and show us his... _Mooooooooooo_ ves!" Anakin glowered at his best friend, who simply gave him a feral grin in return, delighted at the idea that Anakin was probably going to embarrass himself again.

Anakin turned and looked at each of his friends, his mind whirling with possibilities. Finally, he locked his gaze with Padme's, saw the challenge in her eyes, and he caved. He grinned ferally, crossing his arms over his chest. "Fine," He said, "It seems like we're going to stick around." He leaned forward, his own eyes filled with a wicked gleam, his voice dark and husky. "Get ready to get into the forgiving mood, Angel."

Smirking, Padme motioned to the empty bull, but Anakin did not immediately get up. Instead, he grabbed her around the waist, pulled her tightly to him and planted a firm kiss on her mouth, and then let go, before climbing up onto the stage to the cheers of his friends and the crowd.

* * *

 **I KNOW. This has been the LONGEST I've ever waited between updates. The reason? I teach and children are infested with disease and I got sick for almost two weeks. I couldn't even read, much less write. It was awful. I'm also behind on grading and grades are due by next Friday...yeah...**

 **And it's a fluff chapter...I hope it's a good one, but it is a fluff chapter. Next chapter is wedding, and action comes back to the story the chapter afterwards. I am super excited to get this story moving again...urg. Stupid, stupid sicknesses...**

 **BUT there was more Ahsoka this chapter. A lot of you requested, so here you are! I didn't have her go with them to Idaho because she has a family and most people spend the holidays with their family and I assumed she would too. However, you will be seeing more of her soon since the Jedi Order is being established and she's important to that.**

 **Anyhow, review! Hopefully you didn't disappear due to the wait... sigh.**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	38. The Wedding

**REAL QUICK. Just so you know, the song Padme walks down the aisle to is the Dallas String Quartet version of "Secrets" by OneRepublic.**

 **The song they leave the wedding to (the 'original song') is the string quartet version of John William's Throne Room and End Credits from Episode 4. I didn't even know it was possible to do that for a wedding, and now I want it for my own...**

 **Just so you have an idea of what inspired those scenes.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

This was it.

Today was _**the**_ day they had _always_ wanted. _Finally_ , the moment was here.

Today, Anakin would remarry the woman of his dreams. His other half. His soul mate. His Angel. His Padme. _Today_ , for the very first time, he would be a husband not only in their eyes, but in the eyes of the rest of the universe. He used to think that it didn't matter what the universe saw: _All_ he needed was Padme. While this was true in some ways, he had learned that lying, that hiding who he was, would only lead to sorrow.

Today marked the culmination of his...of _their_ dreams. No more hiding for _either_ of them.

After today, she would _finally_ bear his name publically for all to see. _Mrs. Skywalker!_ he thought with a swell of pride, as a gentle smile creased his face.

Still. As he stood beneath the gazebo that was built on top of a cliff overlooking the ocean, watching as their wedding guests took their seats in the isles of white chairs, he couldn't help but feel nervous. Really, _really_ nervous. It was anxiety that had kept him awake long into the night.

After crashing Padme's bachelorette party, it had taken him two tries to _finally_ beat Padme's time on the bull, much to Obi-Wan's obvious delight...and he noticed that his best man had hastily put his cellphone away when he'd climbed down off the platform to the cheers of the crowd. Great. _More_ embarrassing video for Obi-Wan to taunt him with.

No matter.

He'd beaten her time, which was _all_ he'd cared about, and he'd grinned wildly before swooping his bride into his arms and kissing her soundly in victory before the cheering crowd, and after a couple of more hours together as a _combined_ party (where Anakin had learned how to line dance _and_ do the Texas Two Step), they had ended the party wrapped in each other's arms, slow dancing together.

After they had finished their slow dance, Padme had been whisked away to her parents' house because, according to Sola, it was "bad luck" for the groom to see the bride before the wedding. He didn't quite believe that, but nevertheless, he had softly kissed Padme goodbye and then gone back to their house where he proceeded to lay in their king size bed thinking of every mistake he had ever made during his first marriage to Padme. Sleep was elusive and a long time coming for him, as both excitement and nervousness roiled around inside him.

There were questions that still burned in his mind, even now as people mingled about, occasionally approaching him and congratulating him. The questions plagued his mind even as his mother, in her beautiful purple dress and matching flowery hat that whacked him in the face, hugged him and kissed his cheek. She assured him that she was _so very_ proud of him and that he was a good man, and that he would do right by his wife. He didn't _disbelieve_ her, per se, but he couldn't help but wonder…

What if he failed again?

He knew that Padme didn't expect perfection from him. He knew that he couldn't expect perfection from himself either—he _was_ human. He _would_ make mistakes. But Padme _deserved_ perfection. She wasn't technically perfect herself, but to _him_ , she was his perfect match, and therefore, perfect. Perhaps, it was like that for her when she looked at him, but that didn't make him worry less.

"Anakin Skywalker." A familiar voice said, and Anakin was pulled out of his thoughts to look down and find Yoda standing there, a serene smile on his face. "On your wedding, congratulations to you."

He relaxed a little and smiled back at the older, shorter man. "Thank you, Master Yoda."

Yoda raised an eyebrow. "Master, I no longer am. Remember?"

Anakin cleared his throat. "Sorry. Old habits die hard, I suppose." He had frequented Yoda's office less and less since the Darth Maul incident, but he had still maintained close ties to his old friend. However, when Obi-Wan and he had approached Yoda to see if he would like to take back the title of Grand Master and help reestablish the Jedi Order, Yoda had politely declined, stating that he was happy doing what he was doing, and that it no longer was his time to lead the Jedi, but rather time for a new, younger generation.

"Quite alright, it is." He assured Anakin. "How are you feeling?"

He opened his mouth to tell Yoda what he told everyone else so far who had asked—he was fine, a little nervous, but fine. But, Anakin _knew_ Yoda would see through the lie. Yoda didn't need to be Force sensitive to see through him (although that helped): He simply understood Anakin in ways that most people did not.

So, Anakin told him the truth.

"I'm nervous, running on only a few hours of sleep. I stayed up for most of the night worrying that I would screw this up again. It's stupid, I know, but now that everyone will finally know that she and I are married, I feel…almost like there is _more_ pressure to be the perfect husband people expect me to be."

Yoda nodded his head in understanding. "Natural, your feelings are, but also heightened by your past. A changed man, you are, young Skywalker. Not the same, you are, but not in a bad way." He put a hand on Anakin's arm (the only place he could really reach), and his smile widened. "A _good_ man, you _are_ , Anakin. A pleasure to know you in this life and the last, it has been."

Anakin's throat tightened, and he opened his mouth to thank his friend, but he couldn't find the ability to. How could he express how much it meant to hear that sort of praise coming from one of the greatest Jedi Masters _ever,_ if not THE greatest? There were no words that would...or _could..._ adequately describe his gratefulness. So, he finally managed to choke out, "Thank you," before he noticed Padme's mother, Jobal, hurriedly making her way towards the front of the venue, wearing a similar purple dress to what his mother was wearing (his mother insisted it was different, but they looked the same to him).

Seeing this, Yoda cleared his throat. "Again, congratulations," he said once more, and Anakin managed to smile before Yoda turned and made his way to his seat. Anakin quickly turned his attention to his mother-in-law, who was breathing hard from her rush down the aisle.

"I just got a text from Ruwee. The limo is almost here," she huffed, looking at Anakin after glancing at the pastor they had hired. "Are you ready?"

Yes. No. _Force_ , he hoped that his palms weren't sweating, but knowing his luck, they probably were. "I'm ready." He croaked after he attempted to clear his throat.

Jobal paused, noticing Anakin's nervousness as only a mother would, and put a comforting hand on his arm. "Anakin. I know you're nervous, but you can do this. Padme loves you. You obviously love her. Trust in yourself and each other, and you both will be just fine. I _promise_."

Her words were so close to something a Jedi would say, that at first Anakin was thrown off, and in his nervous state, he almost blurted that out, but he managed to refrain. Instead, he took a deep breath, drawing upon the Force to wash a calmness over him that he desperately needed in that moment. His muscles relaxed, his breathing evened, and when he focused back on Jobal, he was able to stand a little taller and, with a smile, confidently say, "I'm ready."

This time, Jobal believed him, and she smiled warmly, patting his arm reassuringly, before she nodded to the string quartet to begin, and took her seat in the front row on the bride's side of the aisle. Anakin then glanced over to the groom's side to see his stepfather sitting in the front row next to his mother, who was holding his niece, little Kylee, who was (thankfully) sound asleep.

The crowd went silent. It was a silence that seemed like an eternity, and Anakin again had to call upon the Force to make himself stay calm. Finally, a white limo pulled into view, and parked at the end of the aisle. The music began to play, and the door opened by a waiting attendent.

Obi-Wan was the first to step out. He shot Anakin a brief smile before he turned and reached down to help Mindy out of the car. As the Best Man, Obi-Wan would be escorting Mindy, the Maid of Honor, down the aisle. He had made a face and muttered about wanting to escort Satine instead when Anakin had first broke the news to him (which had amused Anakin greatly), but there wasn't even a little bit of uncomfortableness on his friend's face now. Even Mindy's expression was devoid of any mischief for once. Both of them genuinely smiled as they headed down the aisle, arm-in-arm, as if they had been best friends for years.

Following shortly after them was Ahsoka. She was not led down the aisle by anyone because Anakin didn't have enough groomsmen, but still, she held her head high and proud, and didn't seem the least bit bothered by it. It was really strange to see her wearing the dark purple "v-neck chiffon" (as Padme had called it when she showed him what she'd chosen…how did he even remember that?) dress that the other bridesmaids were wearing, and holding a bouquet of white roses and lilies like the other girls also held. He didn't think he'd _ever_ seen her in anything remotely resembling a dress before, and she was _not_ a flowery type of girl. He made a mental note to save the teasing for later.

His attention was drawn back to the limo where Darred had just helped Sola out of the car. Darred seemed relatively at ease, as if he always had hundreds of eyes on him as he escorted his own wife down the aisle. Then again, Anakin realized, Darred actually _was_ used to that—his wife was, after all, a movie star. Sola, on the other hand, beamed so brightly that Anakin was certain sunbeams would radiate from her smile if it was completely dark.

They were then followed by Owen and Beru (Owen shooting Anakin another genuine smile), and next came Artoo rolling down the aisle wrapped in a dark purple bow. The droid was their ringbearer, which they both felt was perfect since he had been at their first wedding. Anakin had brought Artoo with him to the venue and had him wait behind all the rows of seats until his time to come forward. Anakin smirked at the stares Artoo received from most of their guests. _Guess they've never seen a droid before,_ Anakin thought, chuckling to himself. Looking over at Obi-Wan, he saw an amused smile on his best friend's face as well, as he'd obviously heard Anakin thoughts.

Finally, little Ryoo and Pooja appeared, a white basket of purple flower petals in each of their hands. They plucked little handfuls of the petals out of their basket and tossed them onto the white runner below their feet. As soon as they began walking down the aisle, there were a considerable amount of "aw"'s from the audience, causing both of the little girls to giggle and blush. Smiling, Anakin had to admit, they _were_ very pretty—almost pretty enough to steal the whole show. They wore matching knee-length dark purple dresses with a bow to one side, a ring of white flowers nestled on top of their hair.

Anakin thought that, at least, until he saw _her_ , and then everything else in the entire universe was blown away.

A second white limo quietly pulled up and stopped. As an attendent opened the door, Ruwee was the first to emerge. Even from this distance, Anakin could see the tears welling up in his father-in-law's eyes. Anakin could only wonder what it was like to walk not only his daughter, but his youngest and last daughter, down the aisle. It was hard for him to imagine.

As all their guests rose to stand, Ruwee turned and reached down with one hand, and Anakin saw a flash of white and a smaller hand taking Ruwee's. He straightened his shoulders, held his breath, and his heart rate picked up as Ruwee helped Padme out.

He felt like the floor had dropped out from beneath him. He felt like every nerve he had in his entire body was on fire (and he _literally_ knew what _that_ felt like), and it was suddenly very hard for him to breathe. It was not unlike the feeling he had felt the first time he married her. In fact, he had expected to _not_ feel so sucker punched this time. However, it was like he had been sucker punched...and then hit _again_.

Beautiful was too inadequate of a word to use to describe his bride. Angelic was too soft a word to compare her to. She was…she was…

 _Magnificent_. _Alluring_. _Exquisite_. _Divine_.

Her dress was, naturally, white, with a skirt that looked to be made of that same 'chiffon' material she had used to describe the bridesmaid dresses. The bodice was beaded into intricate flower patterns, and her shoulders were bare. Her chestnut hair was styled into soft wisps, pulled partially back, a few strands framing her face. At the back, where her hair was tied back, a long veil was pinned, the material flowing behind her. In her hand was a large bouquet of flowers that even _he_ had to appreciate, with white lilies and roses accented by small purple flowers he would never bother to learn the name of. The diming sun's rays glinted off of her dangling diamond earrings she had borrowed from her mother. At her throat was the japor snippet necklace he had made for her, the same necklace that had transcended space and time to find its way back into their lives and helped mend the rift between them.

 _Breathe, Anakin,_ Obi-Wan's amused voice reminded him through their Force connection, and Anakin took a deep breath. He hadn't even realized that he had actually _stopped_ breathing. She blinked in the sudden orange light of the fading sun, glancing around at the many guests that had gathered (Anakin knew for a fact that she didn't know most of these people either: They were mostly her parent's guests). After a brief moment, however, her eyes caught sight of Anakin, and her face lit up into a radiant smile that had Anakin go weak at the knees.

 _Force_ , he suddenly felt like a young, inexperienced, nineteen-year-old padawan again!

Ruwee smiled at his daughter and offered her his elbow, and she curled her hand around his arm, and he began to lead her down the aisle. She was so graceful that she looked like she was gliding on air rather than walking due to the length of her dress. Even though the sky was beginning to darken with the sun setting behind them, her presence seemed to make everything appear brighter to him. As he listened to the "oh's" and "aw's" of their guests watching her walk down the aisle, Anakin almost felt inadequate and unworthy in her presence, and he was torn between backing away and running to her and scooping her up into his arms and never letting go.

Of course, he did neither of those things. There was no way he would _ever_ run from her again. He had promised to face his fears and conquer them. He _would_ be the man she deserved this time. There were many people who believed that he could do it, and he would just have to trust the Force to guide him. He also didn't think it would be appropriate to run to her, sweep her off her feet, and go off with her, keeping her all to himself. Their families had worked so hard on this wedding, and they wouldn't appreciate it if he did that. _Besides_ , _I_ _can_ _do_ _that_ _later_ _tonight_ _and_ _for_ _the_ _rest_ _of our lives_.

So, he stood there next to Obi-Wan, watching as her father led her down the aisle toward him, and as he did so, he realized that his face was wet. He reached up, wondering stupidly if it had started to rain, but as his fingers touched his cheeks, he realized that it was not rain, but tears.

Tears of pure happiness. He hadn't even realized he'd started crying.

Distantly, he heard some people say "aw," indicating that they probably had noticed the tears, but in that moment, he didn't care.

 _She_ was his total focus.

She was _perfect_. She could have chosen anyone else in the universe, but she didn't. She chose _him_. Not once, but twice, and both times, she had literally every reason not to. She was the sun, and he was the moon, her direct opposite, but somehow, despite all of their differences and mistakes, they fit together perfectly.

Anakin truly _**believed**_ they were born for each other.

He didn't want to be anywhere else in the entire galaxy, or any other galaxy, than right there, waiting for his Angel. As she approached, her eyes drifted to his tears, causing her own eyes to tear up. Just before she let go of her father, she gave him a hug, whispered something in his ear, and kissed his cheek. He smiled, a wobbly smile, before he turned and then shook Anakin's hand before taking Padme's hand and placing it in Anakin's. He then turned and headed to the seat beside his wife.

Anakin didn't watch him go. He only had eyes for Padme. He watched in awe as she stopped so that they faced each other. Slowly, without realizing that he was doing it, he reached up and gently caressed her cheek with his free hand. She leaned into his touch with a gentle smile, closing her eyes, savoring it, and his heart soared.

The world disappeared. He didn't notice when the music stopped, and he didn't hear a word the preacher was saying. The preacher could have been giving him the secrets of the universe and Anakin _still_ wouldn't have bothered to listen. He just stood there, holding Padme's hand in his, completely content in that moment to bask in her glorious presence. It could have been minutes. It could have been hours. But finally, the preacher stopped talking, and Padme, staring into his eyes, cleared her throat quietly. _Your vows, Anakin,_ Obi-Wan communicated through the Force, and Anakin could feel his friend's amusement.

"Oh," Anakin said, blushing, and this time, he did hear chuckles behind him. He cleared his throat, using his free hand to go for the vows he had carefully written and rewritten…but then stopped. He realized that what he had written was inadequate for the moment. The words simply didn't do this moment justice. What the moment needed was the absolute _truth_ , and for once, he _really_ didn't care if the crowd couldn't understand what he was saying. _All_ that mattered was that _she_ understood and knew just how much she meant to him, how much he wanted to make this right...for them both.

A microphone was stuck in front of his face by the preacher, which he would have found annoying at any other time, but in this moment, all he cared about was being able to speak his heart to his Angel. "Padme," He began, and it came out choked. He cleared his throat. "Angel. From the moment I first met you, all those years ago, not a day has gone by when I haven't thought of you." Her eyes lit up. He had said this to her once, and she had later told him that it was one of the memories she had dreamed before she realized what it was. "And, from this day forth, I swear that everything that I do, everything that I work towards, it will ultimately be to put the happiness of you and our family first. From this day forward, I will work to be the man you deserve, and I will treat you not as a possession or a prize, but as my equal. I promise to trust and value your opinions, and stand by your actions. No matter what life throws at us, I promise to be true and faithful to you, and true to the man you need me to be." He took a shuddering breath, "I promise to protect you. I promise to be there for you…and if, for some reason, we are ever separated again, I will cross every galaxy in the universe to find you again, because I love you, Padme, with _all_ my heart. You are my Angel, my world, my everything. You are the other half of my soul. You complete me, and I will _never_ take that for granted _ever_ again."

By the end of it, her beautiful brown eyes were no longer just brimming with tears, but completely filled, and they slid down her cheeks silently as she smiled. "Oh Ani," She said, reaching up to wipe them away, "That was so beautiful!"

"It's the truth, Angel." Now, he was smiling, and he again reached up and gently wiped away the other tears that ran down her face with his thumb.

She took a deep breath, composing herself. "Anakin," she began, as the preacher placed the microphone in her face now. Her voice, unlike his, was clear and confident. He smiled, knowing that she was relying on her politician background. "I want you. _All_ of you. Your flaws. Your imperfections. I want you, and _only_ you. And, today, I choose you, and I would choose you over and over and over again. Without pause, without doubt, in a heartbeat. I'll _keep_ choosing you, even if we live a thousand lifetimes." She squeezed his hand tightly, leaning a little forward. "I love you, Anakin, and I swear to stand by you faithfully, through the good times and the bad. I promise to support you in your goals and aspirations, to trust in your counsel. I promise to strive to make you and our children happy. You are my gallant Knight, the other half of my soul, and if ever we are parted again, I will search the entire universe to find you, because you, and you alone, complete me."

The preacher began to blather on again, but Anakin didn't care. His heart was soaring. He wanted to just kiss her and keep kissing her and never stop. But, he couldn't, not until it was time. _Anakin, the rings?_ Obi-Wan's Force voice nudged him out of his thoughts, and Anakin glanced at the preacher to find him staring at Anakin expectantly.

"Oh...Right," He said, and again he could hear chuckles around him, and he blushed. Well, they would be distracted too if they were marrying the most perfect Angel in the world. He turned to Artoo, who was already rolling over. He stopped, and one of his compartments opened and out popped one of his claws, holding their rings. Padme turned and handed her bouquet to Mindy. Then, Anakin and Padme reached down and each took their respective rings, before straightening up and once more facing each other.

Padme reached out with her left hand, and Anakin took her hand, her engagement ring sparkling in the light of the dim evening sun. The preacher asked him to repeat after him, but Anakin knew the words by heart already. "With this ring," Anakin said, slipping a diamond wedding band onto her ring finger that fit the curve of and matched her engagement ring perfectly, "I marry you, Padme, taking you as my wife, and I bind my life to yours. It is a symbol of my eternal love, my everlasting friendship, and the promise of all my tomorrows."

Padme's smile brightened, and she shot him a look that told him that she loved the ring, and part of him sighed an inward sigh of relief as she took his left hand in hers. "With this ring," she said, slipping a white gold ring with small diamonds crossing it on the front onto his ring finger, "I marry you, Anakin, taking you as my husband, and I bind my life to yours. It is a symbol of my eternal love, my everlasting friendship, and the promise of all my tomorrows."

He smiled with pride, meeting her eyes, communicating that he also loved his ring, marveling that he actually could _wear_ a ring this time. As he fingered his wedding ring with his right hand, he saw relief in her eyes, surprising him a little. She could have given him a piece of string to wear around his finger, and he wouldn't have cared as long as she was the one who gave it to him.

"By the power vested in me by the State of California, I now pronounce you man and wife," the pastor suddenly said with a smile, "You may now kiss your bride."

 _They_ _were_ _married!_

They were _finally_ , officially married! She was his wife not only in their galaxy, but now this one as well. And, this time, _everyone_ knew it. His heart swelling with pride and joy, he leaned forward, took her face gently in his hands, and kissed her.

And kissed her again. And again. And again.

He lost count of their kisses, but as others around them cheered and began clapping (and Artoo squealed and chittered happily, his dome spinning), he finally stopped, pulling away just slightly so that their foreheads lightly touched, their breath mingling as they stared into each other's eyes.

"Hello, _my_ husband," Padme whispered, tears sparkling on her lashes.

Her expression was so open and full of love, that he couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. "Hello, _my_ wife," he whispered back.

"Oh, kiss her six or seven more times," the pastor teased with a chuckle, and finally Anakin pulled away from his wife, holding Padme's hand in his, as Mindy handed Padme back her bouquet. Then the pastor announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. Anakin Skywalker!" They turned and smiled for the applauding crowd. He saw his mother and stepfather smiling and clapping for them. He saw Padme's parents with tears in their eyes, clapping as well. He saw Yoda sitting next to Vokara, both of them smiling widely. He turned to see Obi-Wan grinning. _Congratulations, my Brother,_ Obi-Wan said through the Force.

Anakin leaned over and quickly hugged his best friend and mentor, as they clapped each other on the back. _Thank you, my Brother...for_ _ **everything,**_ Anakin replied in the Force.

He'd _never_ felt so right before. He was a Jedi Master now, with his own business, his own home, and now, at long last, a wife that he no longer had to hide. They were surrounded by people who loved them, and one day, in the future, they would have children that they could finally raise, _together_. He was right where he needed to be, for the _first_ time in his life. _Ever_. The music started again, a triumphant arrangement that had been originally written just for them, and he led Padme back down the aisle with pride in every step, towards the waiting white limo that would take them to their reception.

And, towards their future... _together_.

* * *

 **Sorry for the late update. I had to finish my grading period last week, and then this week I was in Florida at Disney World with my family. My sister was one of the bands performing before the parade, so we went and I ignored my computer because I seriously needed a vacation. BUT I have updated, and I'm already halfway done with the next chapter...**

 **THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL HAVE ACTION IN IT.**

 **THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL HAVE ACTION IN IT.**

 **THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL HAVE ACTION IN IT. **

**I'm pretty sure I've said that the last three chapters, and I still get the question "when will there be action again?" Well. There's your answer again. The story will be picking up again, which is why I decided to only do the wedding scene, not the reception like originally planned. If you want that scene, PM me and I will write it and give it to you, but as for what's published here, I'm moving back into the action because now it's driving me nuts.**

 **Songs for this chapter are listed above, plus Keeper of the Stars by Tracy Byrd and Til Kingdom Come by Coldplay. I will post the links for the wedding songs mentioned in the chapter on my page, and I have already posted the wedding stuff in my pintrest, also located on my page. Just copy and paste the link into a new browser to pull them up.**

 **Anyhow, review! Expect the next chapter super soon! (maybe tomorrow night)**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	39. The Reception

**AN: So I got SO many requests for the reception both in reviews and in my inbox that I decided it would be insane to keep getting messages years from now asking for the reception chapter. So I decided to do a double update instead. So, if you requested this, ENJOY! If not, you can still enjoy adorable Anakin and Padme moments, but you may proceed to the next chapter if you want, as this is really just a cute chapter.**

 **Seriously though, thank my beta reader, SW. She really pushed for this chapter for you guys, and offered suggestions and additions when I got stuck. So, this chapter is dedicated to you, SW.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **To really love a woman, to understand her**

 **You gotta know her deep inside**

 **Hear every thought, see every dream**

 **And give her wings when she wants to fly**

 **Then when you find yourself lyin helpless in her arms**

 **You know you really love a woman**

Obi-Wan watched as Anakin pulled Padme close, holding her tenderly as the music started, and they began to dance across the dance floor of the ballroom, the same ballroom they had danced in the night of the Gala—the night that had changed their relationship forever. Purple, blue, and soft white lights lit up the ballroom beautifully, casting a soft glow on the lovers as they glided smoothly over the dance floor. Padme was radiant and graceful and practically sparkled. Anakin, radiating pure _joy_ into the Force unlike _anything_ Obi-Wan had _ever_ felt before, was the perfect picture of a clumsy yet charmingly in love Knight in shining armor.

They were _perfect_ together.

 **When you love a woman**

 **You tell her that she's really wanted**

 **When you love a woman you tell her that she's the one**

 **Cuz she needs somebody**

 **To tell her that it's gonna last forever**

 **So tell me have you ever really**

 **Really, really ever loved a woman?**

The way Anakin looked at Padme in that moment, with so much love and openness and tenderness…Obi-Wan shifted almost a little uncomfortably. He knew Anakin better than most people, and yet even _he_ had never seen Anakin look like _this_ before. It almost felt like it was _too_ tender, too _private_ of a moment to intrude upon, a moment that _should_ have been reserved for just the two of them alone, not a moment that a whole room full of people should look upon. And, of course, it was all being captured on video for them.

 **To really love a woman, let her hold you**

 **Til' you know how she needs to be touched**

 **You've gotta breathe her, really taste her**

 **Til' you can feel her in your blood**

 **An' when you can see your unborn children in her eyes**

 **You know you really love a woman**

Padme whispered something to Anakin in his ear that made his smile brighten even more, and he laughed, his eyes shining with love for his bride, taking a moment to twirl her and then pull her back flush against him, wrapping her tightly in his arms, as he dropped a kiss on her forehead. Obi-Wan had long since realized that these two _truly_ were meant for each other (he had announced this not even an hour ago during his toast at dinner), but watching Anakin looking so joyful, Obi-Wan marveled at how...and _why..._ the Jedi had discouraged such relationships.

Obi-Wan glanced at Satine, who stood next to him with an almost empty champagne glass still in her hand, as she watched the two lovers on the dance floor. He watched the curve of her lips as she smiled, the way her eyes crinkled a little and twinkled in the soft lighting, and a soft flush swept her cheeks.

 **You've got to give her some faith, hold her tight**

 **A little tenderness, you gotta treat her right**

 **She will be there for you, takin good care for you**

 **You really gotta love your woman**

 **And when you find yourself lying helpless in her arms**

 **You know you really love a woman**

Satine, feeling eyes on her, glanced up at Obi-Wan. "What is it?" She asked.

"Nothing," Obi-Wan said sheepishly, reaching out and taking her free hand in his. "You're just so... _beautiful_." That made her smile widen, making Obi-Wan's breath catch in his throat. _How_ had he been lucky enough to get a second chance with her? It had hurt him so much to lose her the first time, and now the thought of losing her again…

Perhaps _this_ was why some Jedi, thousands of years before his time, had decided to keep the Jedi celibate.

And yet…

 **When you love a woman**

 **You tell her that she's really wanted**

 **When you love a woman you tell her that she's the one**

 **Cuz she needs somebody**

 **To tell her that it's gonna last forever**

 **So tell me have you ever really**

 **Really, really ever loved a woman?**

Suddenly, _he_ wanted to risk it all, too. Just like Anakin. Because watching Anakin and Padme today, Obi-Wan realized that _he_ wanted that, too. He didn't want to keep waiting and not being able to fully decide, to _commit_ for fear of…what, _losing_ her? Of betraying an old rule he had broken the moment he had made it clear that he loved her?

 **Just tell me have you ever really**

 **Really, really ever loved a woman?**

 **Oh**

 **Just tell me have you ever really**

 **Really, really, ever loved a woman?**

No. It was time to _really_ make a commitment. It was time to overcome his worries and move forward with his life.

With _their_ life...He and Satine. Together.

Yes! He was going to ask Satine to _marry_ him! The thought sent a thrill up his spine!

The applause of the crowd as Anakin leaned down and kissed his new wife tenderly drew Obi-Wan from his thoughts. The music ended and changed, and now that the Bride & Groom's first dance was over, others also began to step out onto the dance floor to begin dancing. "Well?" Satine teased, setting her glass down on a passing platter one of the servers was carrying around, "Are you going to ask me to dance?"

Obi-Wan flushed, opening his mouth to ask, but now that he had decided to take that final step, he almost blurted out the question right there and then. He was pretty sure Anakin wouldn't be too happy with him, though, if Obi-Wan drew attention away from them on _their_ special day by asking Satine that question during their reception. So, Obi-Wan closed his mouth, took a deep breath, nodded, and led Satine wordlessly out onto the dance floor, taking her in his arms and dancing with her like he had _never_ danced with anyone in his life (which wasn't saying that much, given that she was pretty much the _only_ girl he'd ever really danced with).

He lost track of the time as he danced with her. It was throughout multiple songs, that he finally _knew_ for sure that she was indeed... _the one_. But, all he cared about was bringing her close to him, feeling her body under his fingertips, and listening to her laugh in delight as he occasionally twirled her.

But, soon the dancing faded, as Anakin and Padme made their way to the refreshment table, where a dark blue frosted, four-tier cake with white edible crystals positioned all over it to look like stars—very reminiscent of Padme's Gala dress...was sitting. "Here it comes," Satine grinned, taking Obi-Wan's hand and pulling him after them, "Padme said Anakin's face is in for a surprise!"

Uh oh.

As they passed a table, Obi-Wan quickly snatched an unused napkin to hand to Anakin when this was over. As everyone gathered around and the photographer began to take pictures, Padme and Anakin picked up the silverware, placing their hands together on the silver handle and cut out a small piece. Now that Obi-Wan had decided to marry Satine, he couldn't help but imagine what it would be like for them to do this…

 _Stop_ , he scolded himself mentally, _focus_ _on_ _Anakin_.

He cleared his thoughts, focusing on his best friend and brother as he tenderly, and a little nervously, fed Padme a piece of the cake, careful not to spill any crumbs on her dress. Mindy had threatened Anakin with 'a lifetime of annoyance' if he spilled cake on her dress, and Anakin was apparently taking her threat seriously.

Padme, however, had made _no_ such promise. She grinned wickedly, and before Anakin could react, she _gently_ smashed the cake into Anakin's face, eliciting rumbles of laughter and loud chuckles from the audience and _lots_ of pictures from the photographer. Anakin blinked in momentary surprise, but then, as Padme giggled, he grinned mischievously and pulled her to him and crushed his lips against Padme's, moving his face back and forth, thereby smearing cake on her face as well and causing everyone to outright laugh uproariously and applaud the newlyweds' antics.

As soon as the two had stopped locking lips (Padme had pulled away laughing even as Mindy had walked up with a napkin glaring at Anakin and checking her dress over for crumbs), Obi-Wan approached Anakin with the napkin. "I had a feeling you would be in need of this." He teased him wryly with a grin, as Anakin grabbed the napkin and rubbed his face off.

"Yeah, me too, actually," Anakin smirked, "But, I got her back, and without a single crumb dropped on the dress!" Obi-Wan glanced at Padme, now surrounded by her bridesmaids, and sure enough it looked like her dress was spotless.

Obi-Wan let out a low whistle of appreciation. "Now, _that_ ' _s_ talent, right there." His eyes caught sight of Satine again as she was handed a plate of cake, talking to Padme about something, and the smile faded a bit from Obi-Wan's face.

Seeing the look on Obi-Wan's face, Anakin frowned, getting serious. "What is it?"

Obi-Wan snapped out of it and shook his head. "Nothing. It can wait."

"No. Is something wrong? Did…did something happen between you two?" Anakin pressed, and Obi-Wan sighed, knowing his friend wasn't going to let it go.

"No, nothing like that…I've...I've just decided that I…" He paused, taking a few deep breaths. To actually say it _aloud_ was almost as frightening as deciding it in his head. It would suddenly make it more _real_. "I want this." He motioned around them, "With Satine."

Anakin blinked at him, but he didn't seem surprised. "Took you long enough," Anakin finally said, a smile spreading back across his face.

"Wait, you knew?" Obi-Wan asked, surprised. _Why_ hadn't Anakin said anything if he'd known Obi-Wan would eventually want to marry Satine?

"Of course, I did. The way you look at her…" he shook his head and shrugged. "A blind man could have seen it."

"Are you calling me blind?" Obi-Wan asked with a raise of his eyebrow.

"Maybe. Anyhow, I'm happy for you, Brother. If you want any help, just let me know." Anakin clapped him on the shoulder, his new wedding ring reflecting the light as he did so. Obi-Wan could tell that his former Padawan was serious, and it was something that Obi-Wan knew so little about, he might have taken him up on his offer. But, he also had a feeling that _this_ was something that he needed to accomplish by himself.

"Thanks, Brother." He looked over to find yet another crowd gathered, this time to watch as Padme threw her bouquet to all the single ladies there. "Ahhh...Looks like you're about to be up again, my friend," Obi-Wan said, highly amused, because _if_ he knew Anakin...

Anakin glanced behind him and grinned ferally, a _very_ wicked gleam appearing in his eye. "I've been _waiting_ for _this_." He said with a wink, as he rubbed his hands together with glee, and before Obi-Wan could even ask him what he meant by that, Anakin was walking away towards his wife, who had just thrown the flowers. There was a mad stampede by her bridesmaids and essentially _every_ other single woman there, but unsurprisingly, it was _Mindy_ who came out of the screaming scuffle holding the bouquet triumphantly, as more applause and laughter rang out from the crowd.

That done, Owen did not take long to pull out a chair and set it before Padme with a rare grin, and she sighed dramatically with a roll of her eyes and sat down on it, as laughter, wolf whistles, and cat calls rang out from the men in the crowd. She watched Anakin with a challenge in her eyes as he approached like a wolf stalking its prey. Her eyes flashed, daring him to try something embarrassing, which only caused Anakin to grin wider, that wicked gleam dancing in his gaze, as music began to play...music with a _very distinctive_ trombone and bu-ba-ba-bum drumbeat that made Padme's eyes widen and her cheeks flush hot pink.

"Oh _NO_ , Mister," she said, "You turn that _off_ right _now_ …"

"Nope! Time for a little _payback_ for that cake _, Sweetheart,_ " Anakin laughed triumphantly, kneeling before her, placing her right foot on his thigh and slowly, tantilizingly lifting her dress up so that her blue and white lace garter, wrapped around her thigh, was exposed. As more wolf whistles erupted from the crowd, she squeaked, opened her mouth to object, but Anakin, a feral grin on his face, was already moving, rather confidently, as if he'd done _this_ in public many multiple times. He leaned up, flicked his eyes to his bride's mortified expression, and with his teeth, he grabbed hold of the garter and slowly, sensually, pulled it down her leg, his hand sliding under her thigh and then following the descent of the garter clutched in his teeth down her shapely leg, to finally grasp her ankle tenderly in his palm.

Padme, needless to say, was _utterly_ speechless, as her face turned an even brighter red...redder than Obi-Wan had _ever_ seen anyone's face turn. She was, quite frankly, as red as a lobster! The crowd ate it up and chanted _Go, Anakin!_ to the senuous beat of the music, encouraging him all the more. As Anakin finished pulling it off, he slowly lowered her dress again, still holding the garter in his teeth. Grabbing it with his hand, he grinned up at her wolfishly, and leaned up and kissed her, whispering something in her ear (which made her jaw drop and her face burn even hotter than ever) before he stood and pulled away with a flourish to turn to face his groomsmen and all the single males…

And flicked the garter.

Obi-Wan _wasn_ ' _t_ going to go for it—he _didn_ ' _t_ go for it. But, somehow, it _still_ managed to land in his hands, almost as if Anakin had specifically meant for it to happen. The crowd erupted in cheers. As Obi-Wan, blushing like crazy now himself, looked up, he caught Anakin's eye, who suddenly looked a little _too_ _innocent_ as the other groomsmen patted Obi-Wan's back and congratulated him. Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes at his former Padawan, but Anakin was now helping Padme to her feet.

 _That_ _little_ _sneak_.

But soon, after a few more dances and the cake was served, the night was over, and everyone lined up outside in the warm summer breeze to see the bride and groom off. A white limo was parked right outside the terrace with a "Just Married" sign on the back of it, and as Anakin took Padme's hand to lead her off to officially begin their marriage together, Obi-Wan felt Anakin's Force presence touch his own in a feeling of tremndous gratefulness.

 _Thank you, Brother,_ he heard in his mind, _I couldn't have done this without you._

Obi-Wan couldn't help but smile. He wasn't sure how true that statement was, but it felt good, no, _right_ to have his brother again, home, where he belonged. _Anytime, brother,_ he communicated back, his eyes tearing up as he watched as Anakin led Padme to the limo through a shower of rice and rose petals, where they paused, kissed again for the crowd, and got in and were driven off into the starlit night... _Both_ of them finally _home..._

At last.

* * *

 **The song used in this chapter was Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman by Bryan Adams. A very, VERY intimate song.**


	40. The Train

"Padme?"

"Mmmm?"

She opened one eye to look at her husband, the other half of her face buried in her pillow. She was half afraid that he was going to ask her to get up and go with him to get food. Her stomach was rumbling, but she had flopped onto the bed and was just _too_ tired to get up now. They had one more week left of their honeymoon, and then they would be flying home to California from Rome.

Currently, they were on a train moving through the Alpine Mountains headed towards Tuscany from Switzerland. They had spent the last few days skiing down the famous slopes around the country, and although Anakin had never been skiing before, he had picked it up very quickly and had even advanced past her own skills. He had even tried snowboarding and had quickly mastered that sport as well. As she predicted, Anakin had fallen in love with both sports, and he had vowed to get his own set of skis and snowboard when they got back home, which didn't surprise her in the least.

Still, as much fun as they had had, both on the slopes during the day and then with their _passionate_ _explorations_ at night, they were now both too exhausted to do anything else except crash on the bed. They had paid for a luxury car all to themselves with the expectation that they would want to do other _marital_ _things_ on this train ride, but after the skiing in Switzerland and all of the other activities they had done over the past three weeks in London, Spain, and various parts of France, Padme couldn't even gather the energy to even lean over and kiss him. From the look on her husband's face, she knew that he felt exactly the same way.

"I'm going to go get us some food." She held back a sigh of relief, and instantly felt a little guilty. If Anakin was just as tired as she was, it wasn't fair to have _him_ carry his food and hers. "What do you want, Angel?"

She rolled onto her back so that she could turn to face him, trying to get the energy to get up and go with him. Like her, he was still wearing his street clothes, with a long sleeved white shirt and black jeans, but unlike her, he had his lightsaber strapped to his belt. He had started wearing it almost everywhere like he used to in their old galaxy shortly after Obi-Wan had given it to him, and since the majority of people on Earth had no idea what a lightsaber was, he was able to get through security checkpoints with only minimal questions. Usually, he took it off though when he was relaxing, so the fact that he hadn't bothered to remove it told her just _how_ very tired he was. "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" She asked, reaching up to rub light circles on his low back, causing him to groan a little.

"Yeah, I'm sure. You look like you're about to drop any minute." Anakin raised his eyebrow, an amused smile on his lips. If she could only get the energy, oh, she would sit up and kiss those lips and…

"Yeah, but you're tired too, though." She pointed out, trying not to get distracted by his lips. It was easier said than done when it came to Anakin, especially when she knew that their time was limited. When they got home, Padme would have to start working as a receptionist in her parent's office again, and Anakin would not only be working on droid plans for his and Obi-Wan's company, but he would also be sucked fully into the restoration of the Jedi Order. She knew that all of these things were important, and in her other life, she would have pushed for those things much sooner than this, but for the first time in _both_ of their lives, she truly had a chance to be a _wife_ to Anakin without literally having the fate of an entire planet or galaxy on her shoulders. She _wanted_ to be selfish for just a little while, but now that needed to end, and she sort of didn't want it to.

Life had to move on, though; so for now, she would enjoy the time she had alone with her husband.

"Angel," Anakin leaned over, kissing her forehead, "I want you to rest." He met her eyes, saw the determination in them, and sighed, giving in with a shake of his head. "Okay. _Fine_. If you want to do something, why don't you contact Obi-Wan and confirm that he has all of the correct information in order to pick us up on Saturday from the airport?"

Well, it was something, something that _did_ need to be done. And, better to do it _now_ while they still had hours to go on their train ride than to do it in the middle of the week when they were busy trying to get from place to place in Italy. "Fine," she relented, "If you're sure that you don't need help carrying the food…"

"Angel, I'm not feeding an army. I think I can handle two meals. And, if I can't, I'll just use the Force to carry them." He grinned, showing that he was teasing, and she just rolled her eyes.

"Well, Master Jedi, if you do and you get caught, don't expect me to come rescue you." She said sarcastically, and Anakin laughed, clearly not believing her for a second.

"Oh, please! You'd come after me, just like I would come after you if that happened, and you _know_ it. Which it won't, though."

"Such confidence, " She grinned back, as her stomach chose that moment to grumble loudly.

"Alright. Alright, I get it. You're hungry." He planted a quick kiss on her lips before he stood and made his way around the cramped room and to the door that would lead him to the hallway and doors connecting the train cars. He paused when he got to the door, looking back at Padme. "The food car is behind ours, right?"

"Yes," She laughed, "Maybe I should be more concerned about you getting lost."

Now, it was Anakin's turn to roll his eyes, and he winked at her before exiting the car without another word, leaving her alone to reach for her phone and call Obi-Wan.

He picked up on the second ring. " _Nice_ _to_ _hear_ _from_ _you_ _again_ , _Padme_." He greeted cheerfully.

"You, too, Ben," Padme frowned. Obi-Wan was usually a good natured fellow, but for some reason, he seemed so…so _extra_ chipper today. "You certainly sound happy."

" _Oh, I_ _am_. _We_ _haven_ ' _t announced_ _it_ _yet_ , _so_ _don't_ _mention_ _it_ _to_ _anyone_ _other_ _than_ _Anakin_ , _but_ _last_ _night_ _I proposed_ _to_ _Satine_." She could practically **hear** theexuberant smile in his voice, " _She said yes, and_ _we're getting_ _married_ _in_ _December!_ "

"That's wonderful news! Congratulations!" Padme exclaimed, truly happy for their dearest friends. "How did you propose?"

" _Well_ , _I got_ _the_ _ring_ ," She resisted the urge to point out that _that_ was obvious, " _And, I asked_ _her_ _out for_ _dinner_ _at Osteria on Hamilton Avenue_."

"Wow. That's a _really_ swank Italian restaurant. _Very_ nice choice, Ben. Obviously, she liked it," she said with a smile, knowing how much Satine loved Italian food.

She opened her mouth to ask for more details, but she knew that Obi-Wan wasn't the person to ask. Perhaps she would call Satine after she hung up with Obi-Wan and ask _her_ for the details. Padme knew she'd be more forthcoming. "Well, congratulations again. I'm so very happy for both of you. I can't wait to tell Anakin the news." She meant it, too. She knew that if she, for some reason, was given the opportunity to communicate with her past life self, and she told herself that _Obi_ - _Wan,_ of _all_ people, was getting married, her past self would have had a laughing fit.

" _Thanks_ , _Padme_ ," Obi-Wan said, practically radiating joy through the phone connection. " _Now_ , _I assume_ _you're_ _calling_ _to_ _confirm_ _details_ _for_ _Saturday_?"

"Yes. Anakin went to get us some food, and since I was too tired to go with him, he suggested…"

" _Hold_ _on_. _**Anakin**_ _suggested_ _something_ _productive?_ " Obi-Wan sounded shocked, but she knew he was only teasing. " _Well_ , _well_. _He_ _really_ _**is**_ _full_ _of_ _surprises_ , _isn't he?_ "

Padme couldn't help but crack a smile at that. "Oh, hush. Anyhow, we're going to board the plane in Rome, and assuming everything goes well and our flight is on time, we should arrive…"

Suddenly, there was a pounding on the door. Padme broke off, frowning. That hadn't taken Anakin too long. In fact, he was a little _too_ quick about it. " _Padme?"_ Obi-Wan's voice, concerned now, reached her ears, " _Is_ _everything_ _alright_?"

"Yes, it's just…" The pounding came again, louder and harder. Perhaps something had happened, and he had to turn around before he could get to the last few train cars that had the food on it. But, if that was the case, why wouldn't he just walk in?

She had a very _bad_ feeling about this.

"Ben, I think I need to go..." She said, her voice more serious than she intended it to sound.

" _Padme, what_ ' _s_ _happening_?" Obi-Wan asked gravely, sensing there was something very wrong. It wasn't like he could actually _do_ anything about it, though. He was on the other side of the world. She and Anakin would just have to deal with this on their own.

"I…" She began, but she never finished. The door suddenly blew inward with a loud bang, and two men in black turtle necks entered the room, guns drawn. They spotted her and pointed the guns at her.

"Put the phone down," one of them said in a heavy accent that sounded Russian to her. Slowly, ignoring Obi-Wan's frantic questions, she ended the call and turned the phone down on the bed.

"What do you want?" She asked, forcing her voice to stay calm. She reminded herself that she used to be a Queen and a senator who had been in far worse situations. She would handle this with poise until she could figure out what they wanted with her…or maybe what they wanted with all the passengers of the train.

"Get up!" The other one ordered in the same accent, ignoring her question. Slowly, she stood, keeping her hands where they could see them. "Step out of the room, quickly and quietly, and we will escort you." He sneered, showing off a row of very yellow teeth. "Comply, and this doesn't have to get ugly." She debated on pressing for more answers, but she had a feeling these men were just following orders. She doubted they would...or _could..._ give her any answers.

So, standing slowly and carefully, so as not to startle them, she headed for the door. She would figure this out. She always had, and whether these men knew it or not, she had an _advantage_ they probably did not.

She had a Jedi Master for a husband, and he would be really _pissed_ off when he found out what was going on.

* * *

Anakin felt the warning through the Force as he finished ordering their food.

He had walked through multiple cars full of passengers riding economy before he had reached the food car, where it was surprisingly empty except for the couple of servers who were busy making preparations for the dinner rush they would likely get soon. He had ordered two different dishes that he hoped were good (a lot of the menu was in Italian, so it was pretty much guesswork for him) and also a bottle of wine for _later_ when he and Padme were more rested. He couldn't help but grin at that thought. But, as he sat down on the bar stool to wait for his food order, the Force suddenly pulsed through him in warning, causing him to stand up in alarm.

Something was wrong.

He searched through the Force, trying to understand what, exactly, it could be, when a telephone rang behind him. At first he paid no mind, until one of the servers, a young man with an olive complexion and dark brown hair, began to agitatedly raise his voice in alarm. Anakin whirled around. "What's happening?!" He demanded. This was the same server who had taken his order, and he knew the man knew English.

The man hung up the phone, looking to Anakin with a pale, frightened expression. " _Hide!_ " was all he said, before he turned and bolted towards the back where the kitchen was. Anakin frowned, watching him leave. He didn't know why the man thought he could hide. They were on a train. There wasn't very many places to effectively hide from anyone. Cautiously, he turned and headed back to the door he'd come from, sneaking a peek through the window into the other car.

He froze.

In front of him were multiple men dressed all in dark clothes, holding rather large and lethal-looking guns that were pointed directly at the passengers. Even through the door, Anakin could hear the screams of the passengers as they were pulled out of their seats and herded towards the other end of the car. His hand immediately went to his lightsaber, unclipping it from his belt, but before he activated it, he stopped. He knew that he could easily jump in there and stop them with a few swings of his lightsaber, but then he would have to deal with the frightened passengers who would likely view his strange weapon as a new, more dangerous threat. Not to mention they would also likely tell the authorities, which would only bring unwanted questions from unwanted places, and he couldn't risk that. He considered mind tricking all of them, but he quickly pushed that option away. He could trick a few people, sure. But an _entire_ group? No. That wouldn't work.

Anakin knew he had to find Padme. He felt a flash of worry, but quickly forced himself to calm down. He _couldn_ ' _t_ panic now. He had to stay clear minded and focused. Besides, Padme was _more_ than capable of handling this situation. She had certainly handled much worse (like Geonosis), and with her full memory back, he had no doubts that she could probably handle _this_ situation much better than he could.

Still. He had to try.

Determined to do something, he turned and headed back to the other door the server had gone through, but when he tried to open it, he found it to be blocked. With a sigh, he called upon the Force and reached out, using it to push the doors open. They swung open easily with the Force, and he stepped through…

And ducked as pots and pans were thrown at him from several directions.

"Hey!" He shouted, dodging the wayward cookware, "Hold your fire!" The pans stopped flying, and servers and cooks reluctantly emerged from their pathetically sorry hiding places.

" _Scusa_ , _Signore!_ " one of the cooks said in Italian, looking at the door fearfully, his hands trembling.

"English." Anakin pointed to himself as he closed the doors with his other hand. "Sorry to break your barricade here, but I have to find a way to save my wife."

"Impossible, Sir," the English-speaking server said, " _All_ the passengers have been rounded up, and your wife likely is with them. There's too many, and none of us have guns…" The poor man, clearly frightened, gestured frantically at himself and the other kitchen staff.

"I'll be fine." Anakin said confidently as he headed to the very back door at the end of the kitchen car. "I'll figure it out."

" _NO,_ _Signore_! Please, you'll get us killed! The authorities have been alerted…" the man began again, but Anakin cut him off with a shake of his head.

"The authorities are **not** on this train. I'm not going to leave my wife in the hands of those monsters." His voice was hard, leaving no room for argument, as his mind whirled with possibilities. "This is the last car, right?"

"Yes, Signore," the man reluctantly replied, "But, what does that have to do...?"

Anakin reached the back door of the train, stopped, and turned back. "I'm going up and over. I'll find the leader, take him out, and go from there."

"WHAT?!" the man yelped, and suddenly, there was pounding on the other door, causing all the men in the room to duck back into their meager hiding spots. "But…!"

" **Don't** tell them where I went, and we should all be fine." Anakin shot him a confident grin before he opened the back door and stepped out onto the small, metal rear platform, sealing the door shut behind him just before the men in black burst into the kitchen, forcing the men out of their hiding places.

Anakin moved away from the door window, pressing himself flat against the back wall of the train car, hoping that the servers would be alright. If the attackers found out that they knew Anakin was doing this, the attackers would likely kill them for being uncooperative. That's what Darth Vader would have done...but then again, Darth Vader had rarely taken prisoners. He couldn't dwell on that though. He had to move before he was found, before Padme and the other passengers were hurt.

He pushed away from the wall…and was immediately hit by a powerful blast of wind, throwing him against the rail of the platform. He hissed in pain, using the Force to steady him. The train was moving very fast, and the forest and mountain cliffs around them whizzed by in a blur. He would have to be very careful and move cautiously. So, using the Force to keep him in balance, he Force-leaped onto the top of the train and slowly began making his way up the top of the cars, his eyes squinting against the rushing cold wind.

* * *

They had been rounded up and forced at gunpoint into the luggage cars. These cars, designed for luggage instead of passengers, were freezing from the lack of heating, and the passengers huddled together to conserve warmth. Padme watched as some of the men who were not currently pointing guns at them were opening luggage randomly and rifling through them, looking for anything that might be of some value before they tossed them carelessly aside.

They _still_ hadn't received answers as to who these men were or what they wanted, as they had refused to answer any questions and had ordered all of them to remain silent, but from what she could tell, they were simply train robbers. She had thought, foolishly apparently, that train robberies only existed in the days of the Old West. Yet, here they were, getting hijacked and robbed.

A mother with her young girl sat next to her on the cold floor, her blonde, curly-haired daughter curled up in her lap. She couldn't have looked more than four, and her little fists clutched her mother's shirt. Glancing around, Padme identified a few other, older children huddled near their parents. Feeling a flash of anger, Padme wondered how these men could be so selfish and endanger these children along with their adult parents. In this world, TV often made it seem that bad people would leave children alone, and even though she had grown up knowing that it wasn't true, she hadn't seen it in action in this world. Her past self certainly had, but not ever in this life.

 _Where are you, Anakin?_ She wondered, feeling a flash of worry for her husband's safety. He hadn't been brought in with the rest of the passengers and train staff. It could have meant one of two things: First, he had escaped and was currently working out a plan to rescue them all. As a Clone Wars general and a previous Sith Lord, he had plenty of experience that Padme was certain these men could _never_ hope to have. This was, therefore, the more likely of the two reasons.

But, her irrational side thought, reason number two could have happened as well: He could have been killed.

These men spoke to one another in Russian. Surely they would have said something about killing someone, but Padme knew nothing of Russian. If they had, she would have missed it. Plus, these bullets were different than the guns from their home galaxy. She had listened to Anakin and Obi-Wan theorize what would happen if they blocked a bullet with a lightsaber, but they wouldn't know for sure unless they were actually shot at with a gun, something she had already not been keen on happening. What if their theories had been wrong and Anakin had been shot at and the bullet had passed through the lightsaber and killed or seriously hurt him?

 _Calm down,_ she told herself, taking deep breaths, forcing the images of her husband lying in a pool of his own blood out of her mind. Panic was what she _would_ have done without her memories back. She had them back now, and these people needed her to stay calm, just as she would have done as a senator or a queen. She was Padme Amidala Skywalker, and she would _not_ give into fear.

The door leading to the very front of the train burst open, causing all of the passengers to jump a little in surprise as a big man with gold eyes stomped through the door. He was massive, with muscles that made him look like he lifted cars as weights in his free time. His clothes squeezed tightly around his body, so tight that Padme wondered if he sometimes accidently ripped through them if he moved too fast, like the Hulk or something. In fact, he would probably make a fantastic Hulk if he weren't a train hijacker.

At least, Padme thought that until her eyes moved down to his belt, where he held not a gun, but the hilt of a _lightsaber_.

Her breath hitched, her mind racing with questions and new worries. _Who_ exactly was this man? How did he obtain a lightsaber when it was hard enough for the Jedi to get one in this world? She squinted at the man's face, trying to see if she recognized him, but he didn't ring a bell. Obviously, with the gold eyes, he was either a Sith or associated with the Dark Side, but unless he lived after she had died in their old galaxy, he didn't seem to be from her old galaxy.

Either way, Anakin would have a harder battle than she originally thought.

He surveyed the passengers with narrowed eyes, a disdainful scowl tracing his lips. "Are you sure these are all of the passengers and staff?" He asked with a gruff voice, a voice that sent chills down her spine. Now that he had spoken, his voice _seemed_ familiar, but again she couldn't come up with any specific identity.

"Yes, Sir," one of the men replied, standing at attention. Padme wondered why these men followed this man—the man didn't have any accent, and she wasn't sure if he even spoke Russian.

The man's scowl deepened, and he stepped forward, towering over the passengers in front of him who cowered away as much as they could, whimpering in fear. "If you do as we say, and the authorities give us what we've asked for in exchange for your lives, you will walk out of here alive." So, it was some sort of ransom. Again, it was something Padme had heard of in movies or occasionally on the news, but she didn't think it would ever actually happen to _her_. Whenever it did happen on TV though, usually the authorities did not give in to the terrorist's demands.

Not good.

The man's eyes scanned the frightened passengers, landing on her, where they paused and he frowned, eyebrows furrowing, almost as if he recognized her. Her breath hitched, and again she tried to remember if she ever knew this man. Still, no one came to mind.

But, he eventually drew his gaze away, addressing the passengers again. "The first thing that I ask you to do is to stay seated and quiet. We are running a very delicate operation here, and we don't need to be distracted by you scum." _Scum_? Padme couldn't help but think that was an interesting choice of words. "The second thing that I ask is for you to point out a certain passenger. A Ms. Padme Amidala."

Padme froze, hardly noticing that the other passengers were now glancing at one another in confusion as she stared at the man before her. _How_ did he know she was on this train? He obviously didn't know her himself, because he had looked straight at her and hadn't called her out specifically. So, _how_ …?

The man continued in his horribly familiar voice. "I know she's on this train. We were able to obtain a copy of the ticket records. Her name shows that she bought two tickets. So, don't bother hiding her. Give her up, or else."

Of course! She had purchased the tickets months ago before she had legally changed her name. She tried to remember if she had specifically put Anakin's name down when she was buying the second ticket, but she couldn't remember them asking for it on the website. Besides, the man wasn't asking for _Anakin_ , just her…

 _Where are you, Anakin?_

The man sighed. "So, _that's_ how this is going to be." He began to stalk towards her, and her breathing quickened. So, he _did_ remember her. But how? She didn't even know him. Her mind whirled as he approached, and she opened her mouth to demand answers when he reached down and…

Grabbed the little girl, ripping her from her mother's arms.

The girl screamed for her mother, and the mother began to beg in a language that sounded Italian, reaching for her daughter. One of the men quickly kicked her back down, leaving her in a sobbing heap next to Padme. The man stroked the girl's curls. "If you aren't going to offer information willingly," the man hissed, "Then, I will simply have to begin killing passengers, one by one. Starting with _this_ one."

"NO!" Padme was on her feet before she had consciously decided what to do. She knew that if Anakin were there he would have scolded her for bringing attention to herself, but she wouldn't stand by and let other people, especially _children_ , get hurt because of her. "I am Padme Amidala, now give her back to her mother, and don't you _dare_ harm another hair on anyone else's head!" She commanded, her voice hard and unyielding, leaving no room for argument. It was the voice of a queen and senator of Naboo, _not_ a frightened law student from Earth.

The man stared at her in surprise for a moment before a satisfied smirk crossed his thin lips. "Well, well. You took long enough to speak up, _Ms. Amidala."_ He threw the girl back, where she was caught by her sobbing mother. One of his men made to grab Padme's arm, but she quickly stepped out of his reach.

"I will go where you ask me to go. I'm not an idiot. I know not to try anything stupid." She snapped at the man. "Call your men off. _Now_."

This only caused the man to laugh. "Feisty, aren't you?" She glared in reply. "I suppose that answers my question." He nodded at his men, and they backed away from her. The man stepped to the side, motioning towards the door he had come through. "After you, Ms. Amidala."

 _Hurry Up, Anakin,_ Padme thought as she took a deep breath and began to walk towards the door…

And, heard a very large THUMP! from above them, a noise that caused everyone to look up in surprise. Padme felt a rush of hope, her suspicions forming. _Could_ _it_ _be_ …?

The man frowned, staring at the spot the noise had come from, listening for other noise. There was none. "Perhaps it was a falling rock," one of his thugs suggested in their thick accent. "These things happen here."

"Perhaps," The man agreed, though his eyes narrowed at the ceiling like he didn't fully believe that. _Please believe it,_ Padme prayed silently, keeping her features neutral. Finally, the man turned his attention back to her. "As I said," He motioned towards the door, "After you."

It _had_ to be Anakin. It wasn't like he hadn't tried something like that before. If _anyone_ could pull it off, he could. She just had to stall the man, maybe figure out who he was and why he wanted her, until Anakin could get back in and help her. The thought calmed her some, and with her head held high, she headed into the front car.

She had never been inside of a control car before. Like the cockpit of an airplane, it was crowded with instruments and machines that she didn't know the name of. The conductor was at the front of the car at the controls, his back stiff with tension due to the gun that was pointed at his back by yet another thug. He didn't bother to glance back when Padme entered, followed by the man and two more of his thugs. Padme glanced out one of the windows to find that they were in the middle of a tunnel, probably through one of the mountains.

The door slammed shut behind her, almost making her jump a little in surprise—a reaction she forced herself not to make. She would _not_ show fear. She would not show fear. She would not…

The man circled around her, looking her up and down, a frown on his face. "You're just a little slip of a thing," he muttered under his breath, "What would he _want_ with you…?"

"He?" Padme questioned with a raise of her eyebrow. "Who is this _he_?"

Her question seemed to snap him back into reality, and he shook his head. She thought he would answer her, even if to tell her "never mind," but instead he turned around and picked up an IPad, quickly opening what looked to her to be some sort of calling app…not Skype, something she had never seen before. She didn't have long to think about it though, because soon she heard the sound of a very bone-chillingly _familiar_ voice on the other end.

" _Well_? _Did_ _you_ _find_ _her_?"

Palpatine. Sidious.

Her heart stopped.

"I did, My Lord." The man said, his voice reverent, "I have her here."

" _Good_ ," Palpatine said, " _Turn_ _the_ _screen_ _around_."

She hardly breathed as the man turned the screen so that she was facing the man who had ruined the lives of an _entire_ galaxy of people, including her own. The man who was now being fervently hunted worldwide for trying to do the same thing on _this_ planet.

After months of hearing nothing, of finding nothing, about him, there he was. Sitting smugly behind a screen, with a fancy office with rows and rows of books behind him, as if being on the run had not affected his life in the slightest, sat Palpatine, his stupid, fake, serene smile gracing his pale lips. She wanted to punch him. Scream at him. Hunt him down and kill him herself. The wave of anger…of violence…that she felt was like _nothing_ she had ever felt before. _Ever_.

" _Hello_ , _Padme_ ," He said through that fake, grandfatherly smile. He sounded _so_ genuine, but she knew he wasn't. " _It's been_ _a_ _long_ _time_ , _hasn't_ _it, my dear_?"

"Screw you," Padme hissed through numb lips. She wanted to scream at him, but she couldn't make her voice work properly.

" _Now_ , _now_... _That_ ' _s_ _not_ _very_ _polite_." He didn't seem the least bit bothered by it, but instead, rather _pleased._ It made her want to hit him even more. " _By_ _the_ _way_ , _I_ _wanted_ _to_ _extend_ _my_ _condolences_ _on_ _the_ _loss_ _of_ _your_ _child_. _It_ _must_ _be_ _**so**_ _hard_ _to_ _lose_ _your_ _first_ _child_ …"

" _ **FUCK YOU."**_ She was shaking now. She rarely cursed like that, but how _dare_ he talk about her unborn child like that?! Especially when it was _his_ fault for killing it in the first place...and he _knew_ it.

" _Such_ _language, my_ _dear_." He tsked, leaning back in his comfortable-looking leather chair. " _No_ _matter_. _What_ _I need_ _to_ _know_ _is_ _**who**_ _exactly_ _was_ _the_ _second_ _train_ _ticket_ _for_?" Padme glared at him, silent, refusing to answer. " _I_ _ **know**_ _you_ _bought_ _two_ _tickets, Padme_. _Obviously_ , _one_ _was_ _for_ _you_. _**Who**_ _was_ _the_ _other_ _one_ _for_?"

"My friend." The lie came easily from her lips. She said it with confidence: She was sure even Anakin wouldn't have been able to tell that she was lying. "Mindy. But, she couldn't come last minute. So, I'm alone."

Palpatine just smiled, and she couldn't tell if he bought the lie or not. " _It's interesting_ _that_ _you_ _would_ _invite_ _your_ _friend_ _to_ _come_ _with_ _you_ and _**not**_ _the_ _man_ _you_ _just_ _married_."

Padme felt like the world was tilting underneath her. How did he know? _How did he know?_ _ **How did he know?**_ "I don't know what you're talking about," she said, her voice sounding far away to her.

" _Well_ , _you_ _married_ _him_ _three_ _weeks_ _ago_ , _my_ _dear_. _My_ _sources_ _say_ _that_ _you_ _two_ _went_ _on_ _your_ _honeymoon_ , _but_ _I_ _couldn't_ _find_ _out_ _where_ … _until_ _my_ _men_ _happened_ _to_ _send_ _me_ _the_ _passenger_ _list_ _and_ , _well_ , _here_ _we_ _are_." He gestured to her. " _So_. _Where_ ' _s your_ _**Jedi**_ _**husband**_ _, Padme_?"

Her mind went blank. She couldn't come up with a lie, but she certainly wasn't going to tell him where she _suspected_ her husband might be. So, she remained silent, glaring at the screen. Palpatine sighed. " _So_ , _it's going_ _to_ _be_ _that_ _way_ , _is_ _it_? _Still_ _so_ _stubborn_ ," he tsked, shaking his head ever so slightly. " _Grievous_."

"Yes, My Lord?" The man with the golden eyes, the leader, the man whose voice had seemed so familiar to her, said, turning the screen back towards him.

 _Of_ _course_ , Padme sarcastically thought, _naturally, I_ _would_ _have to run_ _into_ _one_ _of_ _the_ _greatest_ _villains_ _**ever**_ _of_ _my_ _galaxy_ ... _on_ _my_ _**honeymoon**_ _!_ Just perfect. _How_ could this day get any worse?

" _Use_ _whatever_ _methods_ _necessary_ _to_ _get_ _the_ _information_ _out_ _of_ _her_. _**Find**_ _her_ _husband_ , _and_ _then_ _**dispose**_ _of_ _**her**_. _I want_ _her_ _husband_ _alive_." His voice changed, and there was a menacing edge to it.

She knew she shouldn't have asked herself that question.

"Yes, My Lord." The screen disconnected, and the man, Grievous, one of her oldest enemies, reached for his lightsaber…

And the window suddenly smashed in.

* * *

" _KRIFF!"_ Anakin hissed, as he saw the tunnel coming up. He had been using the Force to hop quietly from the tops of each train car, using it to extend out and find the presences in the train beneath him. So far, he had only found a few unfamiliar presences, thugs searching through the now empty passenger cars. Anakin didn't have much hope by the time he reached the car Padme had been in, and sure enough, he had felt the emptiness of it when he stretched out with the Force.

But now, crouched next to the baggage car, he felt a mass of frightened presences huddled together, along with the more aggressive presences of the thugs. In the midst of it, he felt two _very_ familiar forces…

The first, light and brave and determined. _Padme_. He let out a sigh of relief. She was alive, and he couldn't sense any pain coming from her. Only confusion and determination.

The second, dark and menacing and aggressive, almost blindingly aggressive. At first, Anakin frowned in confusion—he had felt this presence before, and after focusing on it for a moment, he figured it out.

 _ **Grievous**_.

Quickly, he made sure the Force was shielding his own Force signature from Grievous. He hadn't expected any sort of Force wielder, much less an actual war general. Anakin knew that compared to other foes he had faced, Grievous's strength did not rely on the Force, but on his own, albeit extremely impressive skills. What little Force ability Grievous _did_ possess was immersed fully in the Dark Side, even without being a Sith apprentice. That didn't mean that Grievous wouldn't recognize Anakin, if Anakin wasn't careful.

No sooner had he cloaked his presence when he saw the train quickly approaching a tunnel through one of the mountains. So, with a curse, Anakin leaped blindly onto the top of the baggage car with a loud THUMP that made him cringe, as he threw himself tight against the top of the baggage car just as the train entered the tunnel, plunging him into darkness.

He gritted his teeth, feeling the top of the tunnel not five inches from the top of his head. He hardly dared to breathe the moist, cool air of the tunnel, afraid that his body would hit rock, and he'd be crushed. Beneath him, he could feel Grievous and Padme leaving the baggage car to go into the very front of the train.

 _Kriff, kriffing, KRIFF!_ Anakin mentally shouted. He couldn't move to follow. If Grievous was taking her away from the other passengers, it _wasn't_ good. Perhaps he remembered her. Perhaps she had done something to call attention to herself. Perhaps…

Suddenly, he felt a wave of fear that turned to a white-hot pulsating anger coming from Padme. Pure, raging _**fury**_ that he had never, _ever_ felt come from her. He had _never_ felt her lose it like that…and anything that made his Angel feel like _that_ was not something Anakin wanted her around. _When_ _will_ _this_ _stupid_ _tunnel_ _be_ _over?_ He wondered anxiously, every nerve screaming at him to get up and go to her and get rid of whatever was causing her so much anger.

He laid there in the freezing darkness for what seemed like hours before finally the tunnel widened, light filtering in, and then he was again out in the open, fresh air. In just that moment, Padme's anger turned to alarm, and Anakin leapt to his feet, using the Force to keep him balanced, and began to run towards the front of the train.

 _I'm coming, Padme,_ he thought, as he leapt onto the front of the car, raced to the side, found a window, and jumped down and through it, feet first, glass flying everywhere.

He didn't wait. As soon as he landed inside the car, rolling to a stand, he whipped his lightsaber out, igniting it. He charged Grievous before the man, oddly human-looking in a scary Hulk-way (Padme had shown him those movies), could recover from the surprise of Anakin bursting through his window.

But, he _wasn_ ' _t_ surprised enough not to defend himself. Right as Anakin reached him, a lightsaber was in his hand, ignited in a green hue, and blocked Anakin's swing. Vaguely, Anakin heard a scuffle behind him, but with Grievous moving for an offensive attack, Anakin hardly noticed. Instead, he blocked the swing, and then moved again into the aggressive lightsaber technique he had grown accustomed to using since his battle with Darth Maul.

Anakin swung hard and fast, Grievous madly moving to block as Anakin pushed him back towards the controls of the train. A few times, their lightsabers hit various instruments, cutting through them like warm butter, and Anakin _hoped_ they hadn't hit anything of major importance (like what had happened on Mustafar when he and Obi-Wan had fought in the control room). Still, he did not give his attack up.

 _BAM! BAM!_

Anakin flinched at the sound of the gunshots, and Grievous used that brief second to begin pushing back, his lightsaber moving just as fast as Anakin's, their skills seemingly evenly matched.

 _Almost_.

Again, Anakin felt Grievous using, comparatively, very little of the Force, relying purely on physical skill. But, Anakin was exceptionally skilled in the Force, and with only one lightsaber to use, Grievous was not as formidable as he used to be. Without his cyborg skeleton, he seemed to be much more vulnerable, even with his immense size. Anakin needed to end this before anyone else was hurt, before Padme was hurt.

So, as Grievous made his advance, Anakin gathered up the Force around him, blocking one more parry before reaching out with his free hand to Force-push him away.

He hadn't _meant_ for it to happen. He and Obi-Wan had recently been working to test and _control_ the new extent of Anakin's powers, but so far, Anakin had been good at proving the extent of them rather than controlling them. Instead of pushing him against the wall and restraining him, as he had planned, Grievous instead was pushed out the same window Anakin had crashed through, disappearing with a yell of fury.

Anakin groaned as he deactivated his lightsaber, staring out the window that he had just thrown Grievous out of. He could have tried to get information out of him—he was _sure_ Grievous had been working for Palpatine. Currently, he had no leads, and…

 _Padme!_

Momentarily forgetting what he had done, realizing he'd need to think about it later, he whirled, searching for Padme. He found her easily. One of the thugs who had followed her in was unconscious on the floor, while the other one was also sprawled out on the floor with Padme's foot firmly planted on his chest while she pointed a gun directly at him. "Padme," he breathed in relief, approaching her, "Angel, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Ani," She sounded fine, and reaching out through the Force, he confirmed that she was now indeed calm and collected. "Are you okay?" She kept her eyes firmly on the thug beneath her, but her voice was full of relief.

"Of course I'm fine," He couldn't help but grin a little, and even from this angle he could see her roll her eyes at his cockiness.

"I'm glad but…umm...not to ruin the moment here, but the conductor is dead."

"Wait, _what?_ " Anakin whirled, and sure enough, the conductor lay slumped across the controls, dead, with the other thug lying crumpled on the floor beside him, also dead. Anakin cursed, immediately going to the controls and pulling the dead man off and looking over the instruments, his mind working quickly to see if he could figure it out. "I think I can drive this thing, but I have to apprehend the other thugs. Do you think you could…?"

"Drive a _train?"_ Padme asked incredulously, "I've never driven anything remotely like a train, in _either_ life!"

"It's easy…I _think_." He worked the controls until he was sure that it was on something similar to cruise control. "We have plenty of track. I'll be back to take over before any problems arise, Angel."

Padme sighed, and he heard the sound of her knocking out the man she had been pointing the gun at. A moment later, she was by his side. "Okay. Show me what to do."

He quickly kissed the top of her forehead gratefully before he showed her what he figured was the essential things she needed to keep the train from plunging off of a cliff. "I'll be back soon, and we'll contact the authorities and figure out a good place to stop the train."

"Okay." She sat down in the leather seat, taking care to avoid the dead men near her feet. She glanced up at him. "Be careful, my husband."

"Always, Angel." He quickly stooped down and kissed her firmly on the mouth before he turned and headed to take care of the other thugs.

* * *

"I never want to get on a train _ever_ again." Padme grumbled, leaning against Anakin's arm, as they lazily strolled hand-in-hand down the cobbled streets of Milan the next morning, enjoying the sunny weather and sights of the city, despite their obvious exhaustion.

"We have to get on another one tomorrow to get to Rome, Angel." Anakin pointed out and smirked a little when Padme groaned. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

It hadn't been hard for Anakin to apprehend the rest of the thugs on the train. He had simply burst through the door and used the Force to smash the thugs against the walls of the luggage car before they had a chance to realize what was going on, and he had held them there while he made sure the passengers left safely. Later, when some of the passengers questioned him about how he'd done that, he'd given them confused looks and told them it was the wind. With no proof, they couldn't pin anything on him.

After the passengers had left, he had disarmed the men, and then, after the staff had made sure that all of the thugs were out of the other passenger cars, he had locked them inside of the luggage car, where they stayed for the remainder of the trip. He had then spent the rest of the trip with Padme keeping the train from derailing, but as he'd predicted, it wasn't hard for him to control it. Space ships were _way_ harder, and the only problem he had was with stopping it at the station that morning. Some of the brake equipment had been damaged in his fight against Grievous, so he'd had to use the Force to help him bring the train to a complete stop safely.

Now, after being questioned over and over again by international authorities, Anakin and Padme strolled through the busy streets of Milan. Originally, they had wanted to go check out some of the famous artworks the city had to offer (okay, _Padme_ had wanted to do that, he just wanted to go along and make her happy), but after everything that had happened during the last few hours, and everything else they had not had a chance to rest from, they were already practically stumbling along like they were drunk, barely able to hold onto their luggage.

"Why can't we just be at the hotel already?" Padme grumbled as they turned the corner and found themselves in yet another crowded square. This one was full of brightly decorated market stalls with merchants selling their wares. Most of them were extremely touristy, so they did their best to keep their distance from those. Still, Anakin noticed Padme glancing at some of the more artistic stalls, so he slowed his stride whenever they passed near one.

"We could have called a cab." He pointed out the obvious.

"I _know_...I guess…the hotel just didn't look that far away on the map." It probably wasn't either, it just seemed that way because they were both so exhausted. "And, now I want to just sleep forever, but I also want to go look at some of those paintings over there, too." She pointed toward a stall across from them that had caught her eye.

"So, let's go look." He began to steer them towards it. He really didn't care about the paintings, but Padme had expressed her desire about wanting to make the walls of their home not so "bare." So, she had often stopped to look at paintings throughout their trip. They all looked the same to him, though he didn't tell _her_ that, but he didn't mind indulging his beloved wife in this.

He was just glad to be here with her, _together_.

Sure enough, just as he suspected, the paintings all looked the same to him again, as they approached. This particular painter seemed to specialize in painting intricate architecture, which…held absolutely no interest for Anakin whatsoever. So, while his wife began to look around the various paintings displayed, Anakin himself began to look at other nearby stalls.

And that's when he saw _them_.

 **Lightsaber** **crystals**.

He was moving forward before he had consciously thought about moving, heading towards the stall tucked into the far corner of the market. There were no other customers, just a tiny, skinny man who sat bored at his stall. There was a small sign on the counter that read "Handmade Jewelry," and as Anakin approached, he did notice that the crystals were crudely shoved into necklace pieces with what looked to be hot glue. It was a sight that made Anakin cringe—the man _clearly_ did not understand the value of what he had on his table.

"Excuse me." Anakin said as he approached, hoping that the man knew English, "Do you mind if I look?" He motioned to the necklaces.

The man raised his eyebrows in surprise, but nodded. "Go ahead." Anakin eagerly and gently picked up each of the necklaces, looking at them closely, running his fingers over the rough surfaces of each one.

He had broken his lightsaber many times throughout his life. He was well acquainted with what a lightsaber crystal looked like, and _this_ was one of them. In fact, inspecting all of them, they were _all_ real, and _all_ of them were priced for less than the equivalent of $5 U.S. dollars, when they would have sold for _fortunes_ on the black market back in his home galaxy.

"Where did you get these?" Anakin asked in wonder, looking at the merchant.

The merchant frowned, clearly not expecting that question. "I found them a while back."

"But, where? _WHERE_ did you find them?" Anakin questioned again, getting more serious this time. He _had_ to know. If there was a place where lightsaber crystals could be found on _this_ planet, he **needed** to know. He and Obi-Wan would need to secure it before anyone else found them and tried to sell them for cheap.

The merchant grew suspicious, crossing his arms over his chest. "No. These are my crystals. I won't be handing out information to tourists."

Anakin sighed, too tired to put up with this in that moment. He was exhausted, and he and his wife had just gone through a horrible ordeal. He just wanted to find out, pay for what the man had, go gather his wife and get to their hotel and sleep. So, raising his hand, Anakin said, "You _will_ tell me where you found the crystals."

Anakin watched as the man's eyes hooded and he repeated, "I will tell you where I found the crystals" before he reached down and pulled out a rolled up parchment, opening it up to show Anakin a map of the country of Nepal. Already there were pen markings showing a trail along the mountains. "Here. There is an old cave with strange ancient structures built inside of them. The crystals can be found there."

Structures? It sounded like it could possibly be some sort of _temple_ …

With excitement, Anakin pulled out his money. "I'll buy everything you have of these."

The merchant smiled widely, believing, probably, that he was ripping Anakin off. "Great!" Anakin quickly paid for the necklaces and put them all into his travel bag just as the merchant began to put the map away.

"Hold on," Again, Anakin reached out with the Force, stopping the merchant. "You will give me that map, and you will forget about these crystals." He couldn't have the merchant, or any others like him, going up to that location again. Who knew how many crystals were left? He almost couldn't wait to call Obi-Wan and give him the news.

The merchant hesitated, but after a brief moment, he obeyed. "I will give you the map and forget about the crystals." He repeated.

Satisfied, Anakin gathered all the crystals and the map and turned, excited to show his wife his _amazing_ find and begin planning the next steps for the new Jedi Order.

* * *

 **BEFORE anyone asks, NO I did NOT kill Grievous off that fast. He's WAY too cool of a character to kill off quick...I have my reasons for what I did, so you'll just have to see, but he is not dead. Sorry if that's a spoiler, but I'd rather not get a bunch of upset reviews when I'm not killing him as of this moment.**

 **This chapter was super fun to write, and it was also SUPER exhausting. Fight scenes always are exhausting though, and this wasn't even as coordinated as other fight scenes already written and soon to come.**

 **But lightsaber crystals have been found! What will happen? What familiar faces will we meet? Will the Jedi Order be successfully established again? Wait and FIND OUT! :D**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	41. The Crystal Trail

They watched the rickety bus crammed full of sweaty people and small livestock rumble slowly away, kicking dust up into the clear blue sky as it went, leaving Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka standing on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. "Well," Obi-Wan said, shouldering his pack, "We walk from here."

"You know," Ahsoka said, shifting her pack that was half of her size as they turned and began making their way up the narrow, twisting, empty dirt path towards the mountains, "When I imagined going out of the country for the first time, I imagined something like Paris. I did _not_ imagine that I'd be hiking through the largely empty mountains of Nepal." She glanced around them at the snowcapped peaks and the lush green countryside. "Although, I think I prefer the scenery here much more than Paris."

"Come on, it's not _that_ uninhabited. The map says there is a village in the mountain pass; so, we'll probably meet up with at least a _few_ people. Just don't expect a hotel anytime soon, Snips...And, for the record, Paris is _great_. I guarantee you'd like it, too. " Anakin smirked, as memories of his recent time in Paris with Padme flashed to mind while his eyes were trailing up the path ahead of them until it disappeared from sight. _The rest of Europe was great, too,_ Anakin thought, _In more ways than one._

As soon as Anakin and Padme had reached their hotel in Milan, he'd called Obi-Wan while Padme took a shower, and he told Obi-Wan about the lightsaber crystals he'd found from the vendor in the plaza, and they had both agreed that it needed to be their number one priority to find the cave and secure it for the Order. They didn't want to lose any more crystals to merchants and traders, and they certainly _didn't_ want the information getting into the hands of Palpatine. The attack on the train made it _very_ clear that, although Palpatine's presence had lessened in the United States, it was growing and moving into other parts of the world. The Jedi needed to build up their arsenal as soon as possible.

It hadn't been easy to break it to Padme, though. Anakin held onto the news until the very last day of their trip. As they stood overlooking the city of Rome, cones of smooth, cool gelato in their hands, Anakin told her, "Sweetheart, when we get home, I'll be leaving right away with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka to go after those lightsaber crystals."

She had been in the middle of a lick of her cone when he said it, and she paused, slowly lowering the delicious dessert. "Oh?"

"Yeah, as soon as I found the crystals in Milan…I, uh, went ahead and booked my trip. I used some of the money from my old bank account to buy the ticket. I didn't use our joint accounts for it, but I know I still should have told you." He glanced down at his cone, nervous. It was _never_ a good thing when Padme replied with a one-word answer. He sighed and looked back into her eyes. "And, I know we're just getting off of our honeymoon, but it's _important_ , Angel, and…"

"Ani," She sighed, looking up at him gently. "It's _okay_. I understand. I knew this day would come." She shrugged, looking down as she twisted her cone in her hands.

Anakin hesitated, not sure if it was okay yet to be relieved. "How?"

She looked at him and raised her eyebrows. "You're a _Jedi,_ Anakin. It's what you _do._ I knew what I was getting myself into when I married you… _both_ times. You're one of the very few people on this Earth who truly understands the very _real_ , very _malicious_ threat that Palpatine presents to this planet. So, that means you're probably going to have to keep going on missions to hunt him down, not to mention the missions you'll have to undergo to re-establish the Order...I've done this with you before, y'know. _Remember_?" She paused, giving him a small smile, despite the glimmer of sadness he could see in her eyes. Still, despite that, he could also clearly see _loving_ _acceptance_ in her gaze. "We've both taken a break, had some much needed alone time to ourselves, and now, it's time to get back to real life."

Now, Anakin did relax, and he couldn't help but kiss her lovingly, tenderly in appreciation. How had he found someone so absolutely perfect for _him_? If the roles were reversed and Padme was the one going off to pursue a rock on the other side of the world, he probably would not have reacted so calmly.

"I love you, my Angel. Always."

"I love you, too, my Jedi."

And, she had continued to remain calm, even as they'd first stopped and gotten Artoo and Jedi from her parents, then gone home, and he'd immediately repacked his suitcase with clean clothes from the closet, and not even bothered to get off of the time change since he would be going right back, leaving Padme to deal with what she called "jet lag" by herself.

And, when Padme dropped Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and he off at the airport, she had even smiled and jokingly said, "Don't get into _too_ much trouble, Ani."

"No promises, Angel," he teased back, even if he _was_ slightly serious with his reply. She knew this, but she made no comment, only hugged and kissed him goodbye, telling him to keep in touch, and watched from the curb as they'd entered the airport, waving one last time when he turned back and shot her a wink.

So, now here Anakin was, on the other side of the world from his wife and home, hiking up an unpaved dirt path with tiny rocks getting in his hiking boots every so often. The elevation was _completely_ different than California's, and although Anakin had certainly experienced hikes like this in his past, it had certainly been _awhile_ since he had done it without the aid of a suit. Even though all three of them wanted to just run through the mountains to find their prize, they knew they had to take it slow and stop every once in awhile to catch their breath due to the lower oxygen levels at these higher elevations.

"I'm getting too old for this," Obi-Wan grumbled with a huff.

"Yeah, right! You're not _that_ old. You're only thirty-one, Ben! You're old enough to get married, aren't you?," Ahsoka pointed out with a grin.

"I was old enough to get married ten years ago," Obi-Wan pointed out wryly, "So, _that_ doesn't mean much."

"Ah, well, Satine is _clearly_ your perfect match, Brother. So, it doesn't really matter." Anakin said, taking a swig of water from his water bottle as his eyes scanned the horizon. Below, the valley stretched, already shrouded in darkness due to the massive mountains surrounding it and blocking the rays of the setting sun. He'd yet to see mountains as big as these on Earth, and had he not been trying to climb through them, he would have enjoyed the scenic vistas more. From this part of the trail, it looked like they had covered quite a bit of ground, but with a glance at the map, Anakin knew they had at least another day to go until the next village, and then, another day of hiking up the nearby mountain before they got to their destination. "It'll be dark soon. We should find somewhere to set up camp." He shot Ahsoka a grin, "Before the _monsters_ come out and eat us alive!"

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "Oh _please_ , Sky Guy. I'm not a youngling, or even a Padawan. If there _were_ such things as monsters, I feel pretty confident in _all_ of our abilities to handle it." She quirked an eyebrow at Anakin, making him grin even wider.

Obi-Wan sighed, shaking his head, muttering something about how _some things never change_ before he said, "Anakin is right. We should get going."

It didn't take them long to find a good spot to camp. They found one of the tall, stone markers with a bronze point at the top, brightly colored flags surrounding it and flapping in the chilly wind. They set up camp next to it, building a small but inviting fire and rolling their sleeping bags out after kicking some of the larger and pointier rocks away. They had a small tent, but none of them wanted to dig it out and put it up unless they _really_ had to. Once that was settled, Obi-Wan began to heat up a few cans of beans over the fire with a small pot while Ahsoka and Anakin pulled out their lightsabers and began to practice, their blue hues lighting up the night.

Due to their current lack of lightsabers, Ahsoka was borrowing Obi-Wan's for now, while Obi-Wan had Maul's double-bladed red lightsaber secured to his belt. Neither Ahsoka nor Anakin had much experience fighting with a double-bladed lightsaber like Maul's, so Obi-Wan had volunteered, _reluctantly_ , to switch for a while to allow Ahsoka the use of a saber. So, Anakin worked with Ahsoka, occasionally reminding her of what she needed to do when she made a mistake. She didn't complain or roll her eyes like she used to when she was his Padawan, knowing the experience he'd had both as a Jedi and a Sith Lord. Instead, she changed her technique and fixed the problem. She hadn't used a lightsaber since her previous lifetime, and she was doing pretty well considering that, Anakin thought. It almost felt like old times, except both of them were now _much_ more experienced fighters after years of constant war in their old galaxy.

"If you two are finished," Obi-Wan called after a while, "Dinner is ready."

Stomachs grumbling, they deactivated their lightsabers and joined Obi-Wan by the fire. "I wouldn't mind practicing some before we go to bed, Anakin," Obi-Wan said as Anakin sat down next to him.

Anakin grinned as he spooned some of the beans into his little tin bowl. "You're on."

Ahsoka spooned the food into her bowl as well. "This looks _much_ better than the rations they fed us in the Clone Wars," She grinned, "I would die happy if I didn't have to _ever_ eat another ration again."

Anakin couldn't help but agree with her, remembering the tasteless _goop_ labeled as 'rations' they'd been fed in the Outer Rim during those wars, and he didn't even _bother_ to mention the sorts of food he hoped he would _never_ have to eat again—bland, liquidized food, not meant to taste good, but only to provide the nutrients Darth Vader had needed. His…condition...had made solid foods hard to eat; so, he had been stuck with whatever the emperor had ordered into the liquid nightmare that had been his food.

No, best not to mention that memory.

"So," Obi-Wan said after they ate in silence for a while, "I was thinking."

"A dangerous activity." Ahsoka teased, causing Obi-Wan to roll his eyes.

"Yoda has declined the role of Grand Master and has chosen to be largely removed from the new Jedi Order. So, that leaves us three to establish it." He glanced at Anakin, hesitating, as if he were choosing the right words to say. "I think that, because this is largely something you and I will be heading, Anakin, I believe you and I should each carry the title of Grand Master."

 _Grand Master._

For _years_ , Anakin had always wanted to just be considered a Jedi Master, not just a knight. He had always felt that, due to his years of service and his actions as a general in the Clone Wars (not to mention his designation as The Chosen One of Jedi Prophecy), he _should_ have been granted the title. Even Obi-Wan had once expressed surprise that the Jedi Council had not granted him the title (not that the old Obi-Wan would have said _that_ to the council). Then, once he'd become a Sith, he had dreamed of becoming a Sith Master, not just an apprentice. His natural ability and skills with the Force, with a lightsaber, as a star pilot and in battle _technically_ out matched even Palpatine, but he had never achieved the title due to Palpatine's mastery of manipulation, both of Vader _and_ the entire galaxy.

But, now… _now_ he was _**finally**_ being offered the chance to not only become a Jedi Master, but a _Grand Master_ with his best friend, mentor, and brother. Obi-Wan's reasoning made sense, but to Anakin's thinking, Grand Masters were old and wise, like Yoda. Not young and brash and impulsive like Anakin tended to be. Certainly, previous Sith Lords _never_ became Jedi Grand Masters either.

"I don't…" Anakin began, but Obi-Wan cut him off, holding up his hand as he spoke.

"I know what you're going to say. I know you're worried. I know you have doubts because of your past. But, you also know that you're _not_ that man anymore, Anakin. You've come a long way, as have I. There's no one else _here_ , that we know of, who has the level of experience and memory that both of _us_ do. And, our individual strengths cancel out each other's weaknesses. Besides, there's no way that I can plan all of this on my own. For starters, your technological capabilities and understanding far exceed my own. Aside from that, you are _**still**_ The Chosen One, Anakin, with the strongest Force ability of _any_ Jedi. _**Ever**_ _._ "

"He's right, Sky Guy," Ahsoka agreed with a nod of her head, "I think you'd be an awesome Grand Master...An _interesting_ one, but an awesome one, nonetheless."

Could he do it?

It felt good…. _really good..._ to have their confidence, and if Padme were there, he was certain she would have agreed with them and encouraged him to do it. But, he had to do this for himself. If he became a Grand Master, he would lead the way for future Jedi to come—including, possibly, his own children someday.

Luke. Leia. What would they say?

Leia actually probably hated him. He was pretty sure she wouldn't have had _anything_ nice to say about the situation.

Luke, however—Luke, like Padme, was more trusting. He was faithful. He was loyal. He had seen Darth Vader not as he was, but as he _could_ be.

Luke would have believed in him. If Luke believed he could do it…

He could do it.

Taking a deep breath, Anakin said, "Okay. I'll do it."

Obi-Wan smiled, and Anakin couldn't help but notice the relief in his eyes. The man clearly _hadn't_ relished the idea of being Grand Master all on his own. "So...Do you have any first acts as Grand Master you would like to bring to the table?"

Anakin thought about it for a moment. "Yeah, I do actually." He shot Ahsoka a grin. "I propose that we make Ahsoka Tano the first Jedi Master in the new Order."

"Really?!" Ahsoka blurted out, surprised. "But, I quit in my last life. Remember?"

"Yes," Anakin agreed, "For good reason. But, you _also_ continued to valiantly serve the ideals of a true Jedi even after the Jedi had all been killed, even when the Rebellion had a miniscule chance of surviving. I'd say those are the actions of a true Master."

"I'd have to agree." Obi-Wan smiled warmly as Ahsoka flushed, "Ahsoka Tano, will you accept the rank of Jedi Master?"

It was a _much_ less formal situation than it used to be, but Anakin supposed that it would have to do.

Ahsoka smiled, tears brimming in her eyes. "I accept."

"Are you crying, Snips?" Anakin teased her, but still very pleased for his former Padawan just the same.

"No! Of course not! My eyes just naturally water whenever I talk about Jedi business." Ahsoka quickly wiped at her eyes, as both Obi-Wan and Anakin laughed. "Are we going to invite Vokara as well?"

"Of course. I don't think it will be hard to persuade her, however. The Order needs a Healer, and she's already expressed interest, and she's been pestering me about helping her create a Bacta Tank to sell." Anakin rolled his eyes. "Like I'm any good at healing things."

"Maybe not," Obi-Wan agreed, "But, with her medical knowledge coupled with your tech skills, we could probably produce them…it would certainly make millions for the Order if we managed to make both the bandages and a tank."

He had a point there. The more money they made, the more money they would have for their individual families _and_ for Jedi business. Perhaps he would consider looking into it when they got back home…Goodness knows, after what he saw with Padme's and Ahsoka's injuries at Thanksgiving, a Bacta tank would have _definitely_ come in handy.

"Guys," Ahsoka said after a while of comfortable silence, " _Why_ do I feel like we just created the world's coolest club instead of a mighty, formal Jedi Order?"

Anakin wasn't sure what kind of club she was talking about (he had never attended a regular school in his old galaxy and had no recollection of having attended school in _this_ galaxy to experience it), but Obi-Wan snorted with laughter. "Maybe that's just what the Jedi Order needs this time—less formality, more… _reality_."

 _ **That**_ , Anakin could heartily agree with.

* * *

It had been a long _, long_ time since Anakin had slept out on the stony ground under the stars. He hadn't done it since the Clone Wars, and even then, he usually had had either a cot or a bunk of some sort. Besides _that_ , he was now used to being curled up next to Padme every night at home in their bed. So, by early morning, just before sunrise, he was wide awake, having tossed and turned almost the entire night. Now, he lay there, staring up at the fading stars, waiting for the others to get up. Sometimes, it really _sucked_ not being able to sleep as easily as others.

"Anakin." Obi-Wan's voice, gruff with sleep, reached him, and he turned and looked over at the huddled form of his friend. "Couldn't sleep?"

"I got enough." He wasn't lying. He would make it enough if he had to.

Obi-Wan likely didn't believe him, but the older Jedi knew by now not to push the issue with Anakin. "I've had better night's sleep myself, to be honest."

"It's not exactly a fancy hotel." Anakin agreed with a soft smile. "Should we get Ahsoka up?"

"Not yet." Obi-Wan shifted so that he was sitting up in his sleeping bag, and Anakin could feel his friend's eyes on him. "I have a question I'd like to ask you...man to man."

"Okay. I'm listening." Inside his own sleeping bag, Anakin rolled over stiffly, propping his head up with his hand and elbow so that he was looking at Obi-Wan.

In the darkness of the pre-dawn, Obi-Wan was still largely a dark shadow, but the dim light that was available made it possible for Anakin to just barely see the longing in Obi-Wan's face, mixed with a little sheepishness. "Before, in our old galaxy, the barrier between Satine and I was clearly defined. Being separated from her wasn't as hard. But, _now_...we're engaged, and there isn't that barrier there between us anymore, and I'm...I mean, this isn't even a _dangerous_ mission, at least not compared to what we've experienced before, and yet, I find myself…"

"Thinking about her?" Anakin asked quietly, although he didn't really need to. He already knew the answer.

"Yes." Obi-Wan admitted with a sigh. He paused for a moment, furrowing his brow. "Anakin, how do _you_ do it?"

How _did_ he do it? He wasn't really sure he did it all that successfully. He was focused on his mission, sure, but _always_ in the back of his mind he was thinking about his wife. He admitted this to Obi-Wan. "However," he added, "I think that's what always kept me going before in our old galaxy. It's certainly what keeps me going now. If I'm successful, the world should be a better, safer place for Padme and our family to live in. So, as much as I miss her here in the moment, I have to trust that she will be able to look after herself while I'm gone and then focus my attention on the mission at hand." While Obi-Wan nodded his understanding, Anakin grinned wolfishly, adding, just to make his friend squirm, "Besides, once I get home, I _always_ show her exactly _how_ _much_ I did miss her. Which is _why,_ if you recall, I usually _disappeared_ for at least a couple of days after we would return from a mission in our old galaxy."

Sure enough, just as he'd expected, Obi-Wan shifted uncomfortably at this revelation, and as the sun was beginning to peek above the mountains in the distance, Anakin now had enough light to see the bright red blush that had appeared on his friend's face, causing Anakin to grin ferally before rubbing it in even more. "Ben, it is something to look forward to. Trust me!"

Obi-Wan nodded his head again, obviously embarrassed, "Right," He cleared his throat, "Thanks….uh, I think _now_ would be a good time to get Ahsoka up and break camp." He didn't wait for Anakin to agree, but got up and started to shake Ahsoka awake, while Anakin lay in his sleeping bag and shook with quiet laughter.

* * *

The day blurred together after that. They entered into the canyon between the mountains, the trail winding up and up. The beautiful views disappeared, replaced by lots and lots of sharp, craggy rocks and a long drop to the side of them. Anytime any of them said something, the canyon would echo their words, and when the trail became so narrow that they had to hike single file, it made it impossible to talk aloud at all, necessitating they communicate through the Force as needed.

As the sun began to set, the temperature in the canyon began to plummet, and, having already expected to be in the village, Anakin started to worry. There was no good place for them to set up camp. The trail was too narrow for sleeping, and with the temperature as cold as it was, they would need to set up a tent—which was definitely out of the question.

He felt Obi-Wan send him comfort through their Force connection. _We'll get there,_ he assured Anakin confidently, as if he had been there before and knew exactly where they were going. He decided that even if Obi-Wan was wrong and they _didn't_ reach the village that night, worrying about it wasn't going to help them. So, he cleared his mind and pushed away the worry, concentrating instead on the path ahead.

They reached the village just after dark. It was a _tiny_ village, and there very was little electricity, so they didn't realize the village was even there until they were literally walking next to the first little wooden shack. "Thank the Force," Ahsoka said with a sigh of relief.

Anakin glanced around at the layout of the village. It rested on top of a clearing, the shadow of the mountain looming over it. He could hear water cascading down the mountain, and he thought he could smell some sort of fruit growing nearby. In the darkness, he could see that the majority of the homes were small and made of wood, with lines of colored flags stretching between the buildings and over the streets. What little light the village had flickered in and out, and Anakin's suspicions about there not being a hotel were essentially confirmed.

"Why would _anyone_ live up here?!" Ahsoka asked in astonishment, as they strolled through the nearly empty streets. A few villagers sat on their wooden porches, watching them pass by with suspicious, hooded eyes. Somehow, Anakin didn't think that _this_ was a popular tourist destination...even for mountain climbers.

"They're probably farmers or miners." Obi-Wan replied, "Still, I think we should set up watches tonight. We'll see what the village has to offer in the morning."

They found a spot to set up their tent in-between two huts, and after eating cold granola bars and some raisins, Anakin volunteered to take the first watch while the other two got some sleep.

Big mistake.

He stared up at the mountain, its shape looming and massive in the darkness, shivering in his red coat and ski cap, as he wondered what _exactly_ they would find when they got up there. Would they truly find lightsaber crystals? If they did, how many would they find? If it was depleted from merchants coming to mine them, they would have to find a way to conserve their resources. But, if there were a lot…

They would have to figure out a way to protect them.

The questions swirled in his head, and by the time Obi-Wan got up to take over the next shift, Anakin was restless with anxiety, and no amount of lying in the small tent, tossing and turning in his sleeping bag, would calm him.

By morning, he felt as if he'd been run over by a train. His muscles were even _more_ tight and sore, and he had dark circles beneath his eyes. "You look positively peachy, Sky Guy." Ahsoka teased, but she didn't look much better. Her hair was twisted into knots, and her eyes were bloodshot.

"Speak for yourself, Snips," Anakin grumbled, rubbing a hand over his two days of stubble. He couldn't help but think how Padme would have teased him and called him _Obi-Wan_ had she been there to see his face. That thought alone brought a small smile to his face and made him feel a _little_ bit better.

Obi-Wan, however, looked as if he'd gotten _years_ of rest. He was the first one packed and ready to go, and when Anakin and Ahsoka took too long to finish their packing, he made a quick sweep of the village. He returned now with a smile on his face. "Well, there's only one landline in the entire village. I purchased some of their fruit, but Anakin, I thought you would want to contact Padme and let her know you're safe." He looked at Anakin pointedly. It was the middle of the night in California, but Anakin had a feeling Obi-Wan had already left a message for Satine. He was right—it would be good to leave Padme a message, and Anakin couldn't help but marvel at how it was _Obi-Wan_ to suggest it.

Before, Padme would only get word about Anakin through stories broadcasted throughout the galaxy on the Holonet or via internal senatorial memos, stories that may or may not be true, as the Jedi had been fiercely private about their internal workings in order to protect the Knights and Masters out on missions. Anakin couldn't have paused and left Padme a personal message most of the time because he _couldn'_ t explain to Obi-Wan or Ahsoka _why_ he was doing that. Now, however, Obi-Wan _encouraged_ it, and even though Anakin _was_ in a bit of a foul mood, he couldn't help but feel grateful for how much had changed. He wondered if he would ever get used to these changes.

So, while Obi-Wan took over helping Ahsoka pack, Anakin made his way over to the landline.

When he arrived, a woman sat there at a loom, working on, what looked to Anakin, to be a rug. Anakin likely would have ignored the woman, but he couldn't help but notice her, as she stood out like a sore thumb. Most of the villagers he had passed were clearly of Asian descent, whereas _this_ woman was clearly of European descent with her pale skin, blonde hair, and striking blue eyes. She glanced at him as he approached the landline, but she quickly went back to her weaving, seemingly ignoring him.

He shrugged it off before he put in the money required to operate the landline long distance and dialed Padme's number.

As he expected, it went straight to her voicemail. _Hi there, you've reached Padme Skywalker. I'm not available to take your call right now, but please leave your name and number, and I'll get back with you shortly. Thanks, and have a great day!_ Her voice, cheerful and happy, made him close his eyes as a strong surge of longing rushed through him. _Force_ , he missed her!. He always did when he was away. He also couldn't help but note that she had already changed her voicemail to reflect her new last name, filling him with a sense of pride. His heart swelled in his chest.

The recorder beeped, and he cleared his throat. "Hey, Angel, it's me," He said, his voice gruff with longing, "I just wanted you to know that we're here, and we've made it to the village safely. We're going up the mountain today. There's no cell service here, and this phone is literally the only phone for miles, as far as I know. So, you won't be able to call me back, I'm afraid. I hope all is well at home, and you're okay, and hopefully, I can reach you next time, Sweetheart. I miss you, and..." He closed his eyes, holding back a sigh. "I love you, Padme. Always. Be safe."

He disconnected the call, hung up, and stared at the phone for a moment, wishing that it wasn't so late over there so he could actually _talk_ to her.

"You're going up the mountain?" A feminine voice suddenly asked, stirring him out of his thoughts. He glanced over and found the blonde woman staring at him with suspicious eyes. "It's haunted up there. The locals will tell you that, if you spoke their language."

Anakin frowned. "Isn't it a little rude to listen in on people's phone conversations?" He shot back, and due to his exhaustion, his voice wasn't exactly kind.

She didn't seem to take offense, however. "You are technically on my porch. I can listen to whoever uses the phone." She seemed to be confident in her answer, Anakin wondered if she'd purposely set the phone up that way. If he wanted to get to know everyone that lived around him and he had to install one phone for all of them to use, he probably would have done the same thing. "Either way, I would turn back now if I were you." She resumed her weaving as if she hadn't spoken up in the first place, and Anakin couldn't help but think it was _odd_ that someone who _clearly_ did not belong here and was so young was spending her time in this isolated village weaving on her porch like an old woman.

"Thanks for the concern," Anakin grumbled, turning away, "But I don't need it." He didn't wait for her reply before he headed back to Obi-Wan and Ahsoka.

"What took you so long?" Obi-Wan asked when he reached them. They were both packed and ready to go.

"Some crazy, young, blonde lady told me that the mountain was haunted when I got off the phone," Anakin said, as he slung his own pack over his shoulders. "Did she seem a bit… _off_ to you?"

Obi-Wan frowned. "I'm afraid that I didn't notice any 'crazy ladies' when I made my phone call…If I had, I probably wouldn't have suggested calling."

"I think most of the people here have to be at least a little crazy," Ahsoka said as they began to walk through the streets toward the mountain path. "They would have to be in order to live so far away from everything else on the planet."

"Hey, I've done the hermit thing. It wasn't _that_ bad." Obi-Wan said, but it sounded like a weak argument to Anakin. Obi-Wan would put up with a lot if it meant doing what he felt was right, but Anakin also doubted Obi-Wan had actually _enjoyed_ living in seclusion on Tatooine either. _He_ had certainly never liked living there.

"No, I'm going to have to agree with Snips on this one." Anakin said, glancing at the villagers who passed by. Every single one of them gave them a wary look, as if they expected them to turn into some sort of monster in front of them.

"Thanks, Sky Guy." Ahsoka said, and the group fell into silence as they reached the start of the mountain trail and stopped to stare up.

Anakin wasn't sure what he expected. The whole trail up the mountain pass had been relatively laid out. It had been obvious where they were going. Now, however, although his well-trained eyes could detect the faint traces of a largely unused mountain trail, it was _so_ steep that it was almost up a sheer cliff. "We may need to break out the rock climbing gear," Ahsoka said after a moment of stunned silence.

"It's a possibility." Anakin agreed, eyeing the cliff with unease. "Let's see what we can do first."

They hesitantly began their climb, and at least for a quarter of the way up, it was difficult but not enough to need climbing gear. Soon, however, the cliff loomed above them at a ninety degree angle, and they were forced to stop to get out their climbing gear.

From then on, it was a long, arduous, teeth-gritting, muscle-burning climb, as all three slowly climbed towards the cliff's ledge. Anakin had made _much_ more frightening journeys up the side of cliffs before, often while having to protect himself from blaster fire with his lightsaber in one hand and the rope in the other, but it had been so long ago, and now his muscles screamed at him to stop and rest. There was nowhere to do so, however; so he gritted his teeth and continued to climb, occasionally using the Force to steady himself.

It was late afternoon by the time they reached the top, hauling themselves less than gracefully over the edge, as instead of standing up and immediately getting out of their gear, they merely rolled onto the grass and rocks above, panting, feeling the cool breeze lick at their faces, drying what sweat they had before it had a chance to really form. " _ **That**_ ," Anakin breathed between gasps as he massaged his sore fingers, "Was one determined merchant to climb over that to sell five dollar crystals in Italy."

"Maybe he likes rock climbing," Obi-Wan offered weakly on a laugh.

"I think we can _all_ agree," Ahsoka gasped, "That we are _**so**_ not as athletic as during the Clone Wars days. I propose that we start going rock climbing on a regular basis when we get home."

"I second that," Anakin replied, holding his hand up weakly.

"Me, too," Obi-Wan agreed, and ever so slowly he sat up to get a good look at their surroundings, leaning back on his arms. "I also suggest that we figure out a way to rebuild _**that**_ so it doesn't kill us when we come back."

Frowning, Anakin sat up to look at whatever Obi-Wan was referring to. "Oh," He said, seeing what he was seeing, "I think I'm going to second that, too."

"What?" Ahsoka sat up with a wince, her eyes scanning the top of the cliff…and froze upon seeing the 'bridge.' "Let me guess. You're going to make me go across that death trap."

"Unless you can see another way over." Obi-Wan replied calmly, although he didn't sound too happy about it either.

Across from them was yet _another_ deep chasm, separating one chunk of the mountain from the other chunk. Connecting the two sides was a very rickety, narrow, swinging wooden bridge, suspended from very thin-looking wires. It swayed in the wind, and Anakin thought he spotted a few holes where the wood had rotted and collapsed.

"It's like that scene in Indiana Jones," Ahsoka groaned, "Except none of _us_ are Indiana Jones, and there aren't unseen blow up mattresses underneath that contraption." Anakin didn't know anything about Indiana Jones except for the ride at Disneyland, but he had a feeling that whatever scene she was referring to, it wasn't exactly a walk in the park.

"We'll be fine," Anakin said, trying to sound upbeat, but it came out more insincere than he planned, as he stood and removed his climbing gear. "Besides, we can use the Force to try to steady the bridge."

"I know," Ahsoka sighed, getting up as well, "I just think I'm going to have nightmares about this for weeks to come."

They finished putting their gear away and approached the bridge cautiously, staring at it for a moment before they stepped forward. "How old do you think this thing _is_?" Ahsoka asked, her quiet voice almost whisked away on the wind.

"I don't know," Obi-Wan said, "It could be thirty years. It could be a hundred. It could even be a few weeks old, and it was just built shoddily."

"I don't think it really matters. We have to cross it regardless," Anakin said, "So, don't die." He didn't wait for their response. Instead, he squared his shoulders and began to make his way gingerly across the bridge, using the Force to keep him steady.

It became a little harder to stay steady when Obi-Wan eased onto the bridge, followed by Ahsoka. Their movements made the wood beneath their feet groan and sway, and several times Anakin had to quickly call upon the Force to right his footing before continuing on. A few times, right before Anakin was about to step on a board, he felt a warning through the Force, prompting him to step over it and call a warning back for his friends. If any of them moved _too_ quickly, the bridge would sway dangerously, which always caused Ahsoka to gasp a little in nervousness.

At one point, Anakin was dumb enough to glance over the side into the abyss below them. The drop was much further than he thought it was, and he could see massive sharp rocks staring back up at him as if they were just waiting for them to mess up and fall to their deaths. Upon closer inspection, he was pretty sure he saw the remnants of other hiking bags and scattered belongings below.

 _Don't look down,_ Anakin told his friends through the Force, tearing his eyes away from it. He had a feeling that they were not the only ones to have attempted to cross this bridge. Perhaps they would be one of the few to survive it. He certainly _hoped_ so.

 _You don't need to tell me twice, Sky Guy,_ he heard Ahsoka respond through their Force connection, prompting a small smirk from him.

Finally, Anakin reached the other side, and as his feet hit solid ground again, he breathed a sigh of relief, and he moved out of the way so that Obi-Wan and Ahsoka could join him.

"Yup. That's _definitely_ going to give me nightmares." Ahsoka announced shakily, looking back at the way they'd come. "This lead had better be worth it, Sky Guy."

"It will be," Anakin began, "I feel it…"

He abruptly cut off as all three of them felt a pulse of warning through the Force, their hands immediately going to their lightsabers, their eyes scanning the rocks above them. "Did you feel that?" Anakin whispered.

"Yes," Obi-Wan confirmed grimly, "We're not alone."

"There weren't any other settlements on the map," Ahsoka said, "Is it an ambush?"

She had barely finished the question when the trap sprung. Suddenly, there were war cries echoing around them, and the late afternoon brightened suddenly with the glow of at least _ten lightsabers_ of different colors, as assailants, not more than fourteen years in age surrounded them, their lightsabers pointed directly at the trio of Jedi.

Stunned, not at the ambush itself, but at the _weapons_ their young attackers carried, all three of them stood there, their hands on the hilts of their own lightsabers, staring slackjawed at their attackers. "Yeah," Anakin dryly said after a moment, "I think it's an ambush alright."

One of the assailants, a tall boy with freckles and a wild tangle of dark brown hair, stepped forward, his green lightsaber pointed directly in Anakin's face. "Surrender, _trespassers,"_ he snarled (surprisingly in English) in an attempt to appear menacing, "Or face your doom!"

* * *

 **So I'm super tired due to a very long week, but here you are! Who are these attackers? Why do they have lightsabers? Find out next chapter! I'm also introducing a major character next chapter, as well as a few characters people requested. So if you requested a character, stay tuned!**

 **Anyhow, the song for this chapter was Strength of an Army by Two Steps from Hell. I'm pretty sure there was something else that I wanted to say, but I'm too tired and can't remember. It was probably important too... oh well.**

 **Review! Reviews brighten up my day :)**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	42. The Lost Padawans

_Tread carefully, Anakin,_ Obi-Wan's voice echoed in his mind, _this could very well be a misunderstanding._

Anakin could feel Obi-Wan's confusion through their Force connection, but looking at Obi-Wan on the outside, he seemed the perfect picture of calm. As usual.

"We're not trespassers," Ahsoka slowly and calmly insisted, "We're just passing through."

The boy frowned, skeptically taking another look at the three Jedi before him. Anakin didn't need to stretch out with the Force to feel the boy broadcasting his emotions like a beacon. It was slipping from confidence in his ability to handle the three 'trespassers,' as he'd called them, to confusion on why the three before him _weren_ ' _t_ reacting in shock or surprise to their weapons. Technically, he was wrong—Anakin was certainly _surprised_ that there were others, and young ones at that, with lightsabers. The boy though, was relying on the use of his foreign weapon to get them to turn around and leave. "Well, this is _our_ land, and _you_ need to get out before we _make_ you!" He snarled, none of those confused emotions showing up on his expression. Just determination.

He was largely untrained, but Anakin could certainly feel that the Force was strong with him. A quick survey of the other attackers confirmed that they were all Force wielders, and all inexperienced with their use of it. They were relying completely on raw power, a power that if not controlled soon, could get out of hand. "We are _not_ here to harm you," Anakin said in his most calm and persuasive voice he could muster, the Force guiding his words. "We know what you are…"

Every single one of them immediately tensed up, and Anakin could _feel_ them projecting fear into the Force. "Just kill him, Peter," another one of the older boys said to their leader, the one who still had his lightsaber shoved near Anakin's face.

 _Be careful, Anakin...he's basically untrained in that weapon, and you don't want a scar over your_ _ **other**_ _eye, y'know. How would you explain_ _ **that**_ _to Padme?,_ Obi-Wan said through their Force bond. _He's no Ventress, but I hear you,_ Anakin replied. Keeping a wary eye on the lightsaber in his face, Anakin swiched his attention to the one now speaking. This boy looked about the same age as the one named Peter, with curly black hair and bright blue eyes. "Kill them and be done with it."

"We _are_ like you," Anakin tried again, returning his attention to Peter, still maintaining the calm, persuasive voice from before, sending comforting waves through the Force to all their assailants. Honestly, it _should_ have been Obi-Wan trying to calm them all down, he _was_ The Negotiator after all— whereas Anakin was still much more of an act-first-negotiate-later type of Jedi. However, Anakin also recognized this for what it was...Obi-Wan giving Anakin a chance to act in his new role as a Grand Master. "We can help you…"

"We don't _want_ your help," The boy, Peter, snapped, "Last chance, or I _will_ end you!"

Anakin slowly raised his hands. "Okay. I get it. We'll go."

"We _will?!_ " Ahsoka asked, surprised, "But…" He immediately sent her a warning through the Force. _Snips, let me handle this. Just follow my lead_ , and it quieted her effectively.

"Yes, we're going," He said outwardly, "This mountain isn't that exciting anyway." Slowly, he began to back towards the bridge, and Obi-Wan and Ahsoka followed suit. Peter and the other boys began to relax a little, relieved to see that the strangers were leaving. "Good," Peter said, and he began to project confidence back into the Force, "And, don't come…"

Anakin made his move.

Carefully, so as not to push them off of the cliff and kill them like he had Grievous, Anakin sent _just_ enough of a Force-push to knock their attackers back a few feet. Most of them, the younger ones, fell over immediately, staring at Anakin with their jaws dropped, while the two older boys managed to stay on their feet, though they too looked like Anakin had just sprouted two heads.

Anakin didn't waste the chance presented. He whipped out his lightsaber, igniting it, and he heard Obi-Wan and Ahsoka do the same. "See?" Anakin said, raising an eyebrow as their attackers were dead silent, "We _are_ like you. We are _Jedi_. Now, put your weapons down, and we will put away ours. We can talk this over."

For a moment, no one did anything. They all just stared around as if they couldn't quite believe their eyes. Anakin couldn't help but think how really _weird_ this whole scene would look like to anyone else if they saw it...Three adults and all these kids on a barren remote mountain trail...in _Nepal,_ of all places...each holding what must look like different colored glowsticks. If it hadn't been so deadly serious, Anakin knew he would've laughed at the absurdity of the situation.

But, finally, Peter's lightsaber retracted, and he clipped it to his belt. He was followed by the other older boy, and then the other kids, seeing that their apparent leaders were putting their weapons away, followed their example. Once the immediate threat was gone, Anakin sheathed his blade and stepped forward. "I am Anakin Skywalker, Grand Master of the new Jedi Order on Earth." Obi-Wan stepped forward as well. "And, I am Obi-Wan Kenobi, also Grand Master of the new Jedi Order." He motioned over to Ahsoka. "And, this is Jedi Master Ahsoka Tano. As Master Skywalker said, we wish you no harm." He paused, frowning as he surveyed the Younglings. "We didn't even know you _existed."_

" _We_ didn't know there were _other_ adults here with our powers either." The other boy said, looking over the three Jedi with a critical, cautious eye. He had an accent, an accent that sounded like one of those British actors Mindy was always fawning over. "I am Will Lambert, and this is Peter Lekobe. We're two of the few here who speak English, as most of the other kids were from lower-income families from across eastern Europe and had little education before they ran away here."

"Runaways?!" Ahsoka asked in surprise, " _What_ were you running _from_?" Peter looked at Ahsoka like she was nuts. "The world, of course. Everyone that _doesn_ ' _t_ _have_ these powers." When Ahsoka didn't seem to immediately understand what he was getting at, he sighed, rolled his eyes, and then further explained. "Every single one of us are here because our families drove us out, because they didn't understand our powers."

"Well...except Galen," Will muttered with a frown. _Galen?_ Anakin frowned as dark, terrible memories suddenly resurfaced in his mind, and he opened his mouth to inquire further, but Peter was already moving on as though Will hadn't spoken.

"A few of our families even tried to hand us over to their country's governments to run scientific and medical tests on us. So, we ran away, and followed where our powers guided us." He shrugged and motioned behind him to the top of the mountain. "And, we found ourselves here." "And you live all by yourselves?" Obi-Wan asked, troubled. " _How_ did you learn to create a lightsaber if you have no training?" "We do _so_ have training," Peter insisted defensively, a scowl on his face, "We snuck up on _you_ , didn't we?!"

"But, you didn't _keep_ your shields up," Anakin pointed out, with a wave of his hand toward Peter, "and we don't even have to _try_ to feel your emotions right now. You're clearly broadcasting them into the Force." Peter flushed. "Okay, well, we have a _little_." He admitted, grudgingly.

"About six months ago, an adult like you came here with his wife." Will explained, "We were living in and around the village below, and he came to us and explained he needed to begin our training. So far, we know enough to assemble these," he lifted up his lightsaber, "But, we're still learning."

Anakin and Obi-Wan glanced at each other, immediately communicating through the Force.

 _ **Who**_ _do you think it is?!_ Anakin asked, _Anyone we know?_

 _Only one way to find out,_ Obi-Wan cleared his throat, turning back to Will and Peter. "Are they nearby? Would it be alright if we met them?"

Will and Peter exchanged glances before Peter finally shrugged. "Sure. He thought he was the only one with these powers before he met us. I'm sure he would be more than happy to meet you."

Obi-Wan smiled warmly, "Thank you."

The teenagers and younglings turned and began to make their way up the mountain pass, seemingly unconcerned that the sun was almost set, and the dangerous pathway was now practically impossible to see. Anakin relied solely on the Force to guide them, and they slowly followed after Peter and the others.

Thankfully, it wasn't long before they reached a fork in the path, one way leading further up the mountain, while the other led slightly downward into some dark caves. The teens turned down towards the caves, and for a moment, Anakin paused, looking at the trail that would lead them up towards the crystals. He longed to put this meeting off, but it was also _way_ too dark to accomplish much of anything up there now. So, hesitantly, he turned and followed the teens down into the caverns below them.

The caves were cool and damp, and for a while, there was nothing but pitch black darkness. It was _so_ dark, that Anakin waved an experimental hand over his face and literally saw nothing. He heard Ahsoka make an uncomfortable grunt, but neither he nor Obi-Wan said anything as they went deeper down into the caves.

Soon, however, there was light ahead of them, and the teens quickened their pace, evidently eager to get back to whatever hide out they had developed in these rocks. Anakin stretched out with his senses, feeling the presence of about six other young ones and one adult. One of the signatures, more so than any of the others, shone brightly in the Force, and it was _so_ _familiar_ that it almost made Anakin stumble in surprise. "Master Halcyon!" Will greeted, his voice echoing through the cave.

 _Halcyon?!_ _ **Nejaa**_ _is here, too?!_ Anakin said in utter surprise to Obi-Wan in the Force, and Anakin felt Obi-Wan's apparent shock at the news, both men surprised, because they had known _this_ Jedi Master _very_ well before he had been killed in their old galaxy.

But, Obi-Wan didn't have time to respond as they stepped into a large open cavern that was surprisingly fairly well developed with electrical lighting running on generators, complete with radios and tents and boxes of supplies stacked against the cavern walls. It was as if they had stumbled into a mini, underground village full of Force-sensitive teenagers, most of whom were now gathering around a small fireplace that was cooking what looked to be a roasted pig. And, fiddling with the cooking food was none other than Nejaa Halcyon, a Jedi Master whom Anakin had known and admired very much in their old galaxy. He had spent hours sparing with Nejaa as a Padawan at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, learning much from him in the process, and he had gone on one of his first major missions in the Clone Wars with him, shortly after he'd married Padme. Nejaa had been one of the few masters that had treated Anakin with respect and kindness instead of suspicion and wariness.

But, the part that Anakin had _most_ identified with, and respected, in this Master (above all the others) was that Nejaa had _also_ been married in secret, as Anakin had, plus he had also had a son with his wife (who Anakin had never directly met). Anakin had been one of the very _few_ Jedi to find out about it (even Obi-Wan hadn't known), and he had kept that secret safely guarded, never telling anyone about it, even after Nejaa's death. It had saddened Anakin greatly when this great Jedi had died, and yet, here he now stood, listening intently as Will and Peter spoke to him about their newcomers.

He looked the same as Anakin remembered, too—tall, but not taller than Anakin. Olive skin. Dark eyes. Dark brown hair with a touch of gray at the temples and a neatly trimmed mustache and goatee. He wore a long sleeved black sweater and dark snow pants and hiking boots. " _Well_ , _what_ _do_ _you_ _know_ ," Obi-Wan, grinning, said to Anakin in the Force. Anakin smiled, _I know. He looks exactly the same. I'm glad he's here._ Obi-Wan nodded in agreement.

When Peter and Will were finished speaking, Nejaa turned his full attention to the newcomers, and Anakin couldn't help but hope that he would see recognition in his old friend's eyes. However, as Nejaa studied them, it became immediately clear that he did not remember. Anakin couldn't help but feel a bit deflated by that, but he guarded those feelings before Nejaa could identify them. He felt Obi-Wan do the same.

He approached the three Jedi, and Anakin couldn't help but notice that his hand hovered near his lightsaber clipped at his belt. "Welcome," He said in that same smooth voice he had had back in their galaxy, "My young friends tell me that you're like us."

"That's correct," Obi-Wan replied with his signature warm, inviting smile. "I am Jedi Grand Master Obi-Wan Kenobi." Obi-Wan inclined his head toward him.

"I am Jedi Master Ahsoka Tano," Ahsoka added with a bright smile. Ahsoka had never met Nejaa before, so to her they were meeting yet another unidentified Force-sensitive.

It was different for Anakin, though. When Nejaa looked to Anakin to wait for his introduction, it suddenly became very hard for Anakin to talk around the lump in his throat. "Anakin. I'm, um, also a Jedi Grand Master. Anakin Skywalker." He could feel Obi-Wan's understanding and amusement through the Force. It was not exactly the most _confident_ introduction that Anakin could have given, but it had been a while since he had run into someone on this Earth who he'd known in his previous life. Anakin had only expected to find lightsaber crystals on this mountain, certainly _not_ old Jedi Masters.

"It is a pleasure to meet you all," His voice, unlike before, had a _slight_ accent, a similar accent to the one he'd heard in France on his recent honeymoon. "I am Nejaa Halcyon, and these are most of the Force sensitive children I have begun to train." He motioned around the cavern. Most of the teens, the ones who had attacked them, had lost interest in the newcomers and were now doing various tasks, ignoring them (except for Will and Peter. They hung around near Nejaa, listening and watching the conversation with great interest). There were five others, though, mostly female, that stared in open curiosity, but did not approach them.

Anakin frowned: He had been _certain_ that he'd felt _another_ presence in the cave, but he was currently only counting fifteen teens, not the sixteen he had felt before coming into the cavern. Before Anakin could ask, however, Nejaa was inviting them to sit down.

The chairs were surprisingly comfortable, even if they were just camping chairs. "This is quite the setup you've got going on here," Ahsoka politely praised, bringing a smile to Nejaa's face. "Thank you," he said, "But, it's still barely up and running. I've been trying to figure out a way to set up better communications, but unfortunately, all of the rock makes it hard for radio signals to be reached. So far, I can only radio my wife down in the village." He grinned as he fiddled with the food on the fire again, "She's the one who warned us of your imminent arrival, after all. I believe you met her."

The blonde woman immediately flashed into Anakin's mind. "Oh, yes. Her. She, uh, tried to convince me that this place was haunted." Nejaa shrugged. "She didn't know you were like us. Most people we have caught trying to come up and take the crystals in the last six months took one look at the lightsabers and ran off and spread the story of it being haunted among the locals." Anakin and Obi-Wan nodded in understanding.

"So, there _are_ crystals then." Anakin said, steering the conversation back to business. Part of him longed to question Nejaa, to get to know him again, to see if he remembered their shared adventures together. But, it was quite clear from the look on Nejaa's face that he didn't remember _anything_ from their old galaxy, and anytime Anakin opened his mouth to try to explain, the Force would send him a strong pulse of warning, prompting him to close his mouth.

Nejaa did not reply right away. "Peter and Will said you're like us. They said you have lightsabers, and obvious Force abilities."

"We do." Obi-Wan replied, casually motioning to the lightsabers at their sides. "Anakin found lightsaber crystals at a merchant stand in Italy last month, and managed to get out of the man that he found them here."

"We didn't even think it would be possible to _have_ this weapon here." Anakin added, and Nejaa frowned in confusion.

"If you didn't know," Nejaa asked, "then _how_ did you build your lightsabers?"

Anakin answered before anyone else could. "They were passed down to us." It wasn't _technically_ a lie. "Except the one Obi-Wan is carrying. We defeated a Sith apprentice back in November, and we kept his blade until we could figure out other… _arrangements_." He watched for any recognition that Nejaa knew what they were talking about, and sure enough, when Anakin mentioned the Sith, Nejaa's eyes darkened immediately, and he scowled.

" _Sith_ ," He grumbled, "I've never directly met a Sith, but if they _still_ exist…" he trailed off, apparently lost in his own thoughts. "Master Halcyon," Ahsoka said after a brief silence, "How is it that you know as much as you do? Will and Peter said it was you who started their training, helped them build their own lightsabers…those are _not_ easy skills to teach." Nejaa smiled, but this time the smile didn't touch his eyes. " _If_ I decide to show you the Crystal Temple," he said, almost casually, "Then you'll see."

"And, what must we _do_ to convince you to show us?" Obi-Wan asked, catching on to the 'if' in his statement, as had Anakin.

Nejaa leaned back, his eyes passing over the cavern, looking at all the teens scattered around. "One can't be too careful these days," he replied softly, and there was a pain in his voice that Anakin immediately detected. "Not only do those crystals need to be protected from the Sith because of the power they hold, _but_ I must _also_ protect these young ones. _This_ is their safe haven," he motioned to the cavern around them, "and I don't want to risk their safety for three strangers who come _claiming_ to be Jedi."

Anakin opened his mouth to verbally reiterate that they _were_ who they claimed to be, but he quickly closed it, realizing that mere talk would do nothing to prove their intentions or satisfy Nejaa's concerns. With a sigh, Anakin carefully, and slowly, opened up to Nejaa through the Force, inviting him to explore Anakin's intentions. It was a vulnerable position Anakin was putting himself in, and he could feel Obi-Wan's jolt of surprise. It was _not_ something Anakin did with anyone else _except_ Obi-Wan...not even with Ahsoka. But, Anakin had known Nejaa very well, and had trusted him implicitly, even if this Nejaa didn't remember him. The _only_ way they would be granted peaceful admission into the Jedi Temple would be for Anakin to _prove_ his intentions to Nejaa in the most honest, truthful way possible.

Through the Force.

Nejaa's eyes brightened with understanding—he too understood what a big deal it was for Anakin to open himself up like this. Anakin felt Nejaa slowly, cautiously probe his intentions, being careful as to what he did, even though Anakin was inviting him to explore _all_ of it. It reaffirmed Anakin's admiration for the man, and soon Nejaa pulled back, and Anakin could feel his satisfaction, as well as his respect for Anakin through the Force.

"You've clearly been through a lot." Nejaa said, "Things…I don't understand. However, I can tell that your intentions are pure, and you are telling me the truth." He leaned back and smiled. "I will grant you free entrance into the Jedi Temple."

Anakin relaxed, and he felt Obi-Wan and Ahsoka do the same. "Thank you." He said, meaning it.

Nejaa nodded and then leaned forward again. "Now. Tell me about your Jedi Order." So, Anakin did just that, with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka occasionally filling in when Anakin left something out. At one point, Nejaa had to stop in order to get the food off of the fire and serve it, giving the three Jedi their portions first, but he continued to listen intently as their conversation continued. By his side, Will and Peter sat diligently, also listening with rapt attention, their eyes wide as they took in every word.

"It sounds just like the inscriptions," Will muttered to Peter, probably with the intention of only him hearing, but Anakin heard it anyway.

"Inscriptions?" Obi-Wan asked, having apparently also heard it.

Will blushed, but Nejaa was the one to respond. "I'll show you when I take you to the Temple. I think it will explain this," he motioned around him with his hand, "A lot, actually. Anyhow, it sounds like you're well on your way to re-establishing the Order."

"Yes," Anakin agreed, and before he had thought it through, he blurted out, "And, we would _love_ _it_ if you and your Padawans joined us."

This surprised Nejaa. "And do what? Go to California?" Crap. Anakin hadn't even thought it through. He was just _so_ excited to have met not just Nejaa, but _so many_ young Jedi, and he had just blurted the offer out without thinking.

But, Obi-Wan, used to Anakin's impetuousness, saved him. "If you would like...yes," He said, "But, I _think_ you have a good set up here, protecting the crystals. Perhaps you could stay here and continue to protect the Temple, which is vital for the Order to flourish, and Anakin could help you better establish communication with the outside world. We could keep in touch through that method."

"But _how_ would you make such communications?" Nejaa asked, and although Anakin could still see the hesitation in his eyes, he could also feel his intrigue and desire to join them.

Anakin looked around at the small cave, his mind whirling to figure it out. "Well," He said slowly, "You're right—a cell phone or regular internet connection would _never_ work down here. Perhaps I could make a comm unit that doesn't rely on those types of connections…"

"A comm unit?"

Anakin nodded. "Yes, I've done it before. It doesn't rely on the same signals that radio or cellphones need. It actually has a much stronger connection, greater reach capabilities than traditional media does—in fact, it would actually be an excellent way to keep the Jedi not only individually connected, but also keep our activities away from the prying eyes of the world's media and the worlds' governments." Anakin's excitement suddenly spiked at the thought, his mind moving a mile a minute at the possibilities.

 _Great idea, Anakin,_ Obi-Wan said through the Force.

 _I know, right?! Why didn't we think of this before?_ Anakin replied.

 _Don't ask me. You're the techie. That's your department, Brother,_ Obi-Wan said wryly.

 _Come on, Ben...What do they say? 'Birds of a feather flock together,' and well, you_ _ **do**_ _have the suit for it,_ Anakin smirked.

 _Anakin, before I pluck your own feathers, how about you moooooove this conversation along, hmm?_ came Obi-Wan's instant reply.

 _Cluck-cluck,_ Anakin teased, as he grinned at his mentor, but his smile turned positively _wicked_ when Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes and made no further reply, his cheeks turning red. Looking over at Ahsoka, Anakin could see she was wiping her eyes and trying desperately _not_ to laugh out loud at this exchange, as she _clearly_ remembered the Halloween party herself.

Not understanding their silent conversation, Nejaa asked, "Are these comm units hard to make?"

Anakin shrugged. "Not really. I could easily assemble one in a few hours."

"What would you need?"

Anakin listed off the materials, and when he finished, Nejaa nodded. "I can get you all of those. Do you think you could establish a connection before you leave?"

"Absolutely." Anakin nodded, hope rising in his chest. "Does this mean that you will join us?"

Nejaa smiled softly. "On one condition."

"Name it." Obi-Wan replied confidently.

Nejaa motioned to Will and Peter. "These are some of my _very_ best Jedi pupils. I understand that it would be difficult to be their guardian in the United States with the laws the way they are, but they deserve the one-on-one mentorship the Jedi used to provide. I ask that, at least during the summers, you give them that training."

"Master," Peter said, surprised, but he didn't seem to be _upset_ about the idea, "We love training under you…"

"I understand, Peter," Nejaa replied, " _But,_ you two are better off getting additional training from Jedi Masters with much more experience than I have. This world is not a nice one, and if you're to meet those challenges, you need to be prepared the best that you can be."

Ahsoka spoke for the first time in a while. "I can take one of them as my Padawan during the summers." She offered, "I wouldn't mind." Anakin smiled at the thought—to his knowledge, Ahsoka had never had an official Padawan before, but he supposed that now that she was a Jedi Master, she needed to begin. _All_ of them did, really. If they were going to rebuild the Order, they _had_ to start training others...The sooner, the better.

"I will have to confer with my fiancé," Obi-Wan said, scratching his beard in thought, "But, I am open to the idea. We will also be asking another woman back in the States, a healer, to join the Order as a Master. Perhaps she could also take a Padawan."

"We can't make any guarantees for her, though," Anakin nodded, "But, as the Order grows, I expect that there will be more Masters to give one-on-one instruction to Padawans."

Nejaa nodded but looked at Anakin closely, studying him. "And, what about you?" He asked with a raise of his eyebrows, "What do you think about taking a Padawan?"

Anakin frowned. It had been _years_ since he'd had _any_ sort of apprentice. His last one had been Starkiller, and before that was Ahsoka. _Both_ of them had ended in heartache, either because of other's actions or his own. He had failed _both_ of them, in his mind. He loved that Ahsoka had the talent and strength to make it to becoming a Master, but he wished that he could somehow go back and fix those mentorships. He would have stood up more to the Jedi Order to help Ahsoka, and he would have trained Starkiller to be a Jedi, _not_ a Sith assassin. Anakin sat, deep in thought, and his uncertainty must have shown on his face.

 _Anakin, you_ _ **can**_ _do this,_ he heard Obi-Wan say through their Force connection. _Obviously, you would need to ask Padme before really committing to anything, but this_ _ **is**_ _an important part of rebuilding the Order. It's bound to happen,_ he continued.

 _You_ _ **are**_ _a good teacher, Sky Guy,_ Ahsoka agreed, having also been concerned about Anakin's inner turmoil. _What happened to me…don't let that stop you from moving forward and improving. Learn from the past, take the good and improve on the not so good. And, I don't think Padme will mind. She supports us all in this._

He could feel both of their faith and confidence in him, much more than he had in himself in this aspect, and Anakin grudgingly admitted they were right. If he was going to continue to progress as a Jedi Grand Master, he would _need_ to take the next steps that were presented to him.

He glanced down at his wedding ring, thinking about Padme and what she might say before he spoke."I will also need to confer with my wife before I give a definite answer," Anakin replied slowly, "But, provided she has no objections, I would be open to also taking a Padawan during the summers."

He could feel both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka relax through their Force connection, and Nejaa smiled brightly. "Well, then consider me as accepting of your offer."

Obi-Wan's smile brightened. "It is a great pleasure to welcome you into the new Jedi Order, Master Halcyon." He extended his hand and shook Nejaa's own warmly.

"The pleasure is all mine, Grand Master Kenobi." Nejaa said with a smile, "Please. Feel free to talk with the kids. Some of them don't speak English, but I can translate for you if you would like. But, as I said earlier, Peter and Will are the oldest here and in _most_ need of training."

Sensing that Nejaa had now turned the focus on them, both Peter and Will blushed, looking at the three Jedi warily. "If Master Halcyon trusts you," Peter finally said after an awkward silence, "Then I will trust you, too."

Obi-Wan smiled. "I can work with that."

And, as the night continued on, the three Jedi talked with the two teens in detail, getting to know one another before discussing the business aspects of what a Jedi really was and what they wanted to be. It was a different conversation that _never_ would have happened back in the old Order. Before, it was usually the Master or Knight who would put in a request for a Padawan to the Council, and then Grand Master Yoda would assign Padawans based on attributes. This matter was much more personal, and as Anakin spoke to each boy, he found that, although he recognized their skill and appreciated them as Padawans, neither one of them felt… _right_ for him.

Obi-Wan and Ahsoka, however, seemed to form a solid bond with the two boys. Ahsoka and Will seemed to be getting closer and closer, as if they had been long-separated best friends who merely had to catch up in order to reform their bond. Obi-Wan seemed to connect well with Peter, and Anakin couldn't help but notice that, although Peter had quite a bit of determination, he was also _much_ quicker to be obedient, a trait that Anakin still was _not_ very adept at. _Perhaps_ , Anakin thought with a small smile to himself, _Peter_ _will_ _be_ _a far better_ _match_ _for_ _Ben_ _than_ _I_ _was_.

 _Oh, don't think that, Anakin,_ Obi-Wan admonished him, and Anakin squirmed awkwardly. He hadn't realized he had projected that thought out into the Force. _You may have problems listening and a rebellious streak a parsec long, but I think_ _ **you**_ _taught_ _ **me**_ _more than a 'perfect' Padawan ever would have. I would have had a_ _ **much**_ _harder time instructing Luke if you hadn't of been my Padawan. I don't regret taking you on as my Padawan—I gained a brother and my very best friend because of it._

Anakin's chest warmed at his mentor's words, and he sent those feelings of gratefulness and brotherly love his way through the Force. _Peter will be lucky to have you as a Master, if you choose him, Ben._

Obi-Wan was pleased with this, and he nodded slightly. _That means a lot to me, Anakin. Now, go. Find yourself a potential Padawan._ Anakin nodded and as Ahsoka and Obi-Wan continued their conversations with their potential Padawans, he got up, stretched, and began to walk around the cavern.

He wasn't sure exactly _what_ he was looking for, and most of the teens he approached gave him a strange look and kept their distance. Anakin didn't push the issue—so far, he just felt like he was missing something, or rather _someone_ , important.

Suddenly, something, a _presence_ , the bright presence from before, hummed through the Force. It was brief, and it was immediately shielded, but it was closer than before, behind him.

Someone was following him.

He slowed his pace, stretching out with the Force, using it to feel out the various presences around him. Even though the presence was being shielded, now that Anakin knew it was there, he had a distinct feeling of where it should be.

It was closing on Anakin fast.

His hand casually slipped down to his lightsaber, but he did not pull it out just yet. He was certain this was one of the Jedi children, but _why_ they were shielding their presence (and _very_ _well_ for a beginner, if he did say so himself) was a mystery to him. He hadn't done anything remotely threatening to any of the kids here, and Will and Peter seemed to have accepted him, so _why_ …?

He heard the snap-hiss ignition of a lightsaber, and his quick instincts reacted. In a smooth flourish, his speed enhanced by the Force, he pulled his lightsaber and ignited it, whirling around as it clashed against the other blue blade, blocking a swing that had not been meant to kill Anakin, but just to injure him. More curious than upset, Anakin peered down at his foe…way, way down.

He froze. He _knew_ that face.

" _Vader_ ," The boy, no more than eight, spat venomously, his dark brown eyes _filled_ with animosity. His hair, unlike the other teens who had long, tangled hair, was shaved down to stubble, and he was not much taller than Anakin's hips. "Still following me after _all_ this time. I should have known."

"Galen!" One of the nearby teens, another young boy, cried out before launching into heated questions in a language Anakin couldn't identify. Galen, or as Anakin had known him, Starkiller, responded back in the same language. Whatever he'd said silenced the other youngster, although he ran off, probably to get Nejaa.

"I'm no longer that man." Although Anakin was reeling with shock and _guilt_ at seeing his young former Sith apprentice, he managed to keep his voice calm. "Nor am I the Anakin Skywalker projection you fought with growing up." He saw the recognition flash in the boy's eyes, and Galen hesitated. "Put your weapon away, and we can talk this through."

The hesitation left his eyes, and Galen sneered. "Sure! So, you can kill me… _again?_ I _don_ ' _t_ think so."

Anakin noticed Obi-Wan and Ahsoka running up the cave, a worried look across their faces. Anakin suspected they would have no idea who Galen was, so Anakin sent a warning through the Force to both of them: _I need to handle this on my own._ They stopped, looking at Anakin warily, but they did not continue forward.

"Fine," Anakin said, "I'll put my lightsaber away first, and toss it to my friend over there." He nodded at Obi-Wan. He then gave Galen a stern look. "When I do it, I'm going to _trust_ that you _won_ ' _t_ attack me with your lightsaber."

Galen frowned in confusion—this was _not_ something Darth Vader would have done. It was painfully clear to Anakin that this boy _remembered_ who Darth Vader was, and had likely sensed the familiar Force signature that Anakin had when he had entered the cave. It explained why Anakin had sensed _him_ and then lost his presence shortly after he'd entered into the cavern.

Taking a deep breath, Anakin stepped away, removing his lightsaber blade from Galen's. Galen made no move to attack, but he still brandished the weapon threateningly. Anakin deactivated his lightsaber and tossed it to Obi-Wan, who caught it effortlessly but gave Anakin a _What do you think you're doing?_ look.

 _Trust me,_ Anakin said to them as Nejaa was arriving behind them, looking to both Anakin and Galen in confusion. Anakin returned his attention to the boy in front of him. "There." Anakin said. "See? I don't have _any_ intention of harming you. Now, let's calm down and find somewhere we can go talk." He glanced up at Nejaa, remembering that he was keeping the secret of his past life hidden from him for now. " _Privately,_ Galen."

Galen stood there, obviously uncertain, and Anakin could feel the boy stretching out in the Force to gauge Anakin and his intentions. He was still so strong in the Force…it amazed Anakin still, just as it had the very first time he'd met the boy after killing his father. The difference was, _this_ _boy_ , unlike most of the Force sensitives in that cavern, _remembered_ that past and that training, and had the potential to…maybe not actually _threaten_ Anakin's life, but certainly threaten the diplomacy of their mission.

He _must_ have sensed that _something_ was different about Anakin, because he finally deactivated his lightsaber, but it didn't leave his hand. "Fine. But, if I sense that you're trying to deceive me…"

"I understand." Anakin replied honestly, sending Obi-Wan another message. _I'll be fine. This is Galen, the apprentice Sith assassin that I raised as Darth Vader. Clearly, he remembers_ _ **everything**_ _, and clearly, he's confused and rightfully hurt. I need to deal with this situation on my own._

Understanding dawned on Obi-Wan's face, but he seemed to grow even more concerned at Anakin's words. _Please, be careful, Anakin,_ he communicated, and Anakin could feel his anxiousness through their bond, _if it doesn't go well…_

 _I'll call you._

He watched as Obi-Wan nodded and turned to a worried Ahsoka and Nejaa, murmuring words of assurance as Anakin followed Starkiller…no, _Galen_...deeper into the cavern. He could feel curious eyes on them as they went, but Anakin ignored it as best as he could.

They finally reached a small tent much deeper in the cave with a few empty cots inside of it. An electrical lantern hung from the ceiling in the middle of the tent, and Galen sat down on the cot furthest away from Anakin, staring at him suspiciously. Anakin figured it wouldn't help the boy's nerves if he were standing over him, as tall as he was, so he picked a cot on the other side of the tent and sat, keeping his hands in plain view on his knees so that Galen could track his movements better.

For a while, Galen just stared at him, as if he weren't sure what to make of Anakin. Honestly, Anakin wasn't sure what to make of Galen either. "So," Anakin finally said after an awkward silence, "You remember your past life then?"

"I always have," Galen frowned. For an eigh-year-old, his vocabulary was fairly advanced, and Anakin figured this had something to do with his ability to recall his past. "But, I never thought…"

"That I would _actually_ show up here, right?" Anakin shrugged. "I never thought _any_ of this would be possible either. The Force works in mysterious ways, sometimes."

Galen frowned, and again Anakin could feel the boy brushing against his Force presence with his own, studying it, determining. "You're…Vader. But you're also…"

"I'm also Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Grand Master." When Galen still looked confused, Anakin elaborated. "I used to be Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker _before_ I turned into Darth Vader back in our old galaxy. It's...a long story." He debated telling him the story in detail, but even with his extensive vocabulary, Galen was _still_ only eight in this world. It was _not_ a story to tell children his age, regardless of his memories. "But, I made very bad choices, and I suffered for it. After I killed you," those words tasted sour in his mouth but he pressed on, "It wasn't long before I found out I had a long lost son, Luke. He was also a Jedi, and he brought me back to the Light. I gave my life for his to kill the Emperor, and then found myself here."

Galen continued to frown and probe at Anakin's presence. Anakin didn't bother to stop him, and in fact opened up more to let Galen in, just as he had done for Nejaa. "I can feel…lingering remnants of Darth Vader in you, like….like scars." Galen said.

Anakin hadn't really thought of them that way, but he supposed it was true. He nodded to the boy. "I have spent a long time trying to atone for what I did as Darth Vader. I won't be able to _fully_ make up for any of it, but I have learned to forgive myself, as others have forgiven me, and move forward."

He watched Galen try to comprehend this. The boy wrestled with the Anakin before him, compared with the memory of the monster that had previously raised him. "I don't…know what to think. I remember feeling like there could be a nice man in there deep down….but then you always proved me wrong."

Guiltily, Anakin nodded, remembering the multiple times he had betrayed Galen's blind trust. "You're right. I was always wrestling with what I wanted when I was your master. I knew I _needed_ to kill the emperor, but when it came down to it, I just…couldn't. I _knew_ I shouldn't have killed you, but I did. I would like to blame it on Emperor Palpatine completely, but that would be a lie. I made the choice, even if I was manipulated. I am _truly_ sorry, Galen, and I would like to somehow make it up to you, but I understand if you don't want anything to do with me." In fact, as he said it, the Force stirred within him. _Here_ was yet another chance for him to redo something and make it right. He had _always_ regretted, even as Vader, how he'd treated (and ultimately killed) Galen, and now, here was his chance to be the Master he _should_ have been.

But, that was not fully _his_ choice to make.

Galen's emotions whirled with conflict, a conflict that was understandable, and also extremely hard for an eight-year-old to figure out. Galen was clearly intellectually much older than his physical current age, but he still had the emotional maturity of any eight-year-old. "I just…don't _know_." He finally said, and Anakin could feel the frustration rolling off the boy at not being able to make a concrete decision.

Anakin smiled softly. "I understand. I wouldn't blame you. But, I will be working closely with Master Halcyon. He's accepted the role of Jedi Master in the new Order. If, someday, you change your mind…just say the word. I would be more than happy to take you as my Padawan."

Galen still looked at Anakin as if he were waiting for Anakin to suddenly blow up and stab him again with a lightsaber, but of course, Anakin never did so. Finally, Galen nodded. "We'll see."

It was the only answer Anakin would get for now—for perhaps a very long time. With a sigh, Anakin forced himself to be content with that. More than anything, he wanted his forgiveness, but he knew it would take time. "Okay. I'm going to go back to Master Kenobi and Master Tano. Maybe I'll see you around?" He slowly stood up, careful not to make any sudden moves while Galen looked at him as if he were a bomb waiting to explode.

He was silent for a moment before he replied, "Sure."

With a wary, tired smile, Anakin turned and left the tent, his mind whirling with possibilities and decisions.

* * *

By early afternoon the next day, Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Nejaa, and a few of his teens (Galen included, although he warily watched every move Anakin made, waiting for something to go wrong) crested the top of the trail, breathing hard from the exertion. However, none of them complained, because as they reached the end of the trail, their mouths dropped at the sight before them.

It wasn't like the Temple in Coruscant. The old Jedi Temple had always been magnificent and imposing, as well as peaceful. It had been one of the _few_ things the Jedi were _not_ simple about.

This Temple was no exception.

It wasn't as big as the Temple in Coruscant, but it was _still_ pretty massive for how old it was. It had _clearly_ been built thousands of years before. Anakin couldn't help but think how fascinating Mindy would find this place.

It was carved into the rock of the mountain, massive pillars looming above them, pillars with faded inscriptions and drawings carefully etched into the stone. "These inscriptions," Nejaa explained as they slowly approached, "Explain some of the customs of the Jedi and their enemies, the Sith."

Anakin frowned, his eyes narrowing as he tried to comprehend the carvings. "They look like ancient chicken scratch to me." He finally said after he didn't recognize any of the symbols.

Nejaa laughed. "It's Sumerian, actually." When Anakin blinked at him incomprehensively, Nejaa explained. "It's one of the oldest known written languages in the world. I studied ancient languages in college. I actually _originally_ came out here to study ancient carvings and inscriptions in other caves, but then I found this place and these kids and…well, I couldn't abandon it. It _called_ to me."

Anakin nodded in understanding, staring at the inscriptions, wondering what they said. "I'm sure we would love to get the information you've found here to catalog it someplace safe." Obi-Wan said, "That way future generations can have access to the information...without necessarily having to trek all the way here." Vaguely, Anakin wondered if Mindy might enjoy working on just such a project. _It'd be right up her alley, too,_ he thought, making a mental note to ask her about when they got back home.

This seemed to excite Nejaa, as well, and he launched into an excited rant on what he'd found since coming here. Normally, Anakin would have listened with rapt attentuon, since he was curious about how the ancient Jedi who had lived on this planet (again, thanks to Mindy help), but he found he couldn't right then. He looked into the darker depths of the Temple and felt… _compelled_ to keep going.

So, he did.

The inside was dark, lit only by the candles some of the teens who had gone ahead were currently lighting, showing even more inscriptions and art depictions on the walls. Some of the depictions looked to be of historical scenes, scenes that made no sense to Anakin, especially since he was still trying to figure out this world's history in his spare time. Again, he would have spent longer looking at each one, but he still felt that _pull_ , that _need_ to get to his destination.

Finally, the cavern opened up into a massive room, and as the teens began to light up the torches set into the walls, Anakin's heart soared, and his jaw dropped.

The room was _**full**_ of crystals, more crystals than he had _ever_ seen before. " _Oh_ _Force_ ," Anakin whispered, stumbling into the cavern, unable to take his wide eyes off of the plethora of glittering stones. There looked to be even colors he had _never_ even heard of in that room.

"There are even more crystals in the rest of the caves," Galen's voice quietly said, startling Anakin. He'd been in such a state of shock, he'd forgotten that he wasn't alone for a moment, and he struggled to get himself under control. "You look like you've never seen crystals before."

"Of course, I have," Anakin murmured, still unable to take his eyes off of the glittering cavern walls, "I've just never seen so _many…"_

Galen was silent, and Anakin felt him move away, probably to go talk to another teen, or just to get away from Anakin in general.

Anakin didn't have time to dwell on that, however. Soon, he felt Obi-Wan's presence, and he turned to look at his old Master. "I think we have enough crystals here to build the Jedi Order a million times over." He said, watching as Obi-Wan's jaw also dropped at seeing the huge expanse of crystals.

Slowly, Obi-Wan also stumbled into the room, his neck craning left and right to see the crystals, until finally he stopped by Anakin's side. He was quiet and staring for so long, Anakin almost wondered if the shock had put his friend on pause somehow. But, finally, Obi-Wan tore his eyes away and met Anakin's with a flabbergasted look. " _I_ _think_ ," he breathed, " _You're right_."

Anakin clapped Obi-Wan on the shoulder, and the two of them once more looked up, watching the crystals, the future of the Jedi, sparkle in the dim light. Both Jedi smiled, unable to contain their joy.

"Obi-Wan, _**this**_ is it...The Order's future."

* * *

 **The order is building! New characters have been introduced...including STARKILLER! :D I just finished reading those books and I fell in love with his character. If Anakin is going to feel confident to mentor other Jedi, he should fix his mistakes with Galen as well.**

 **And...next chapter is going to be SUPER, DUPER, OOPER (not I word I know) MAJOR. I'm crazy excited to write it, and I would have already started writing it while my Beta was editing this chapter, but I needed to do some outlining so that I had an idea of what to expect.**

 **Also, thank you SO much for the reviews! It means so much to have your support. This is a major project, and although it's fun to write, it's still a hard project to work on, especially as the school year is winding down and everything is going insane (if you're a teacher, you understand). But your support and thoughts inspire me to suck it up and keep going!**

 **...Rogue One Trailer anyone?!**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	43. The Surprise

**11 Months** **later...**

"He should be back from flying soon," Padme said as she led Obi-Wan, Satine, and Peter into the kitchen. "He wanted to show Galen what it's like to fly a plane. So, he took him out in the new company jet." She smiled, rolled her eyes, and shook her head, as she thought back, for a moment, over all that had happened since their wedding and honeymoon last June...

Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ashoka had spent almost the entire month of July last summer in Nepal at the Crystal Temple working with Nejaa, his wife, and the Padawans to mine some of the crystals, set up comm units, including individual comlinks with adjustable frequencies to allow for one on one communications between the Jedi and the Padawans. They also began aggressive training with all the younglings in meditation and other skills of the Force, as well as advancing their lightsaber training.

But, it had been _very_ hard for Anakin and Obi-Wan to be away from Padme and Satine respectively for so long, but then Anakin had shipped three personal comlinks home...One each for Padme and Satine, to allow them to communicate on a private frequency daily with their men in Nepal. He also made one comlink, surprisingly, for Mindy, which allowed Anakin and Obi-Wan to speak with her directly about the historical information the new Order needed.

When the three Jedi had gotten back to the States the last weekend of July, Anakin and Obi-Wan had promptly found and purchased a factory building with plenty of plush office space and begun the process of hiring employees and securing the needed additional funding and materials for making and assembling the droids Anakin designed. Shortly thereafter, Anakin, Padme, and Ashoka had started back classes at Stanford.

Obi-Wan and Satine had gotten married the week before Christmas, and they had much to do with Anakin being Best Man and Padme as Matron of Honor. The wedding was beautiful, though not _quite_ as lavish an affair as Anakin and Padme's had been, and the newlyweds had spent a month traveling across Europe for their honeymoon, just as the Skywalkers had done. _Of_ _course_ , Anakin had teased his best friend relentlessly in the lead up to the wedding, but his toast at the reception had been heartwarmingly sincere and had nearly brought everyone to tears.

After wrapping up the Spring semester and finishing their exams, it had been time to bring the first Padawans to California for the summer, and Satine had been most helpful with all the legal requirements needed in regard to visas and temporary guardianship of the younglings. Obi-Wan and Satine were housing Peter and Will with them (though Will trained daily with Ahsoka as her Padawan), and Galen was staying with Anakin and Padme.

Still, Galen, who had _reluctantly_ agreed to come with Peter and Will to the U.S. for the summer, had been excited when Anakin had announced their flight the night before at dinner. Padme didn't bother to remind Galen that he was _much_ too young to fly a plane still, even if he _did_ remember the basics of flying a space ship from his previous life in their old galaxy.

It seemed like Anakin was trying to build trust between them, to reconnect as it were with his old apprentice. So, Padme told them goodbye that morning after breakfast without any complaints—even if she secretly _did_ want to go and copilot with her husband to log in some flight hours of her own. Instead, she had kissed Anakin bye and watched as they backed out of the garage in the SUV, leaving her to spend a quiet day at home with the droids.

As they all entered the kitchen, Threepio stood over the stove, stirring a large pot of beef stew, while the delicious aroma of fresh yeast rolls baking filled the air. "Ah, Master Kenobi," He greeted, the droid's voice still the same as he shuffled around to greet them properly, "And, Mrs. Kenobi and young Master Peter! It is _so_ good to see you all again. I hope you have been well."

"Hello, Threepio," Obi-Wan greeted the much loved droid with a smile.

"Plus, I'm not a master yet, Threepio," Peter gently reminded the golden droid, although the title _had_ brought a smile to the young man's face.

"Oh, my abject apologies. Please, be seated. Dinner will be ready shortly." He shuffled back around and continued to dutifully stir the food. Padme grinned—Threepio _hated_ it when she made him help with the food preparation. He was technically a protocol droid, but she had always appreciated his help with other tasks, so he did them with a _Yes, My Lady,_ even if he _did_ grumble about it.

Anakin had specifically designed and built Threepio for their family, just as he had in their old galaxy, and though Anakin had designed a similar protocol type droid that was now being sold worldwide and getting overwhelmingly rave reviews, he had kept Threepio's design unique just for them.

It made Padme happy that Anakin and Obi-Wan's business was already being met with such _huge_ success, and she was even happier to have _another_ familiar friend back with their family, even if he _was_ a little eccentric. But, that had always been part of Threepio's charm, and she was quite pleased Anakin had managed to keep those quaint personality quirks in the droid.

"How is Galen settling in with you guys?" Satine asked, as they took a seat at the dinner table. It was Sunday night—since Obi-Wan and Satine had married last December, they had developed a tradition of having dinner together followed by either card or board games or a movie on Sunday nights with one another. No business. No school. No Jedi Order. Just the four of them, as married couples and best friends. It would be a little more crowded now with Anakin's and Obi-Wan's Padawans visiting that summer, but Padme was determined to make it work, which Anakin greatly appreciated.

"He's still a little wary of actually living with Anakin for a while, much less being physically near him all the time," Padme replied, "But, I think he's starting to relax some."

"That's good," Obi-Wan said, "Anakin was pleased when he started to relax and be open about his training in Nepal over the comm link. I'm glad that will likely continue."

Padme was glad as well. She knew Anakin viewed his new mentorship of Galen as another way to redeem himself. It was the main reason _why_ she had supported him when he approached her about letting the boy come to live with them during the summers. She hoped it would go well, not only for Galen's sake, but for her husband's own confidence as well. "In any case, I made them promise to be back by dinner."

"So, we should expect them back…thirty minutes _after_ the food is ready," Obi-Wan teased.

"Oh no. I put bacon in the stew." Padme grinned and winked at the three of them.

"Okay. Make it _ten_ minutes after then," Obi-Wan smirked.

"Mrs. Skywalker?" Peter asked after a brief silence, "May I help set the table?"

Padme smiled, rolling her eyes as Threepio began to rant about how _wonderful_ it was to see young folk be so polite. Already, Padme could tell that Peter would be a _very_ different Padawan for Obi-Wan than her Anakin had been. "Why, yes. That would be nice. Thank you, Peter."

Peter got up, and Threepio eagerly showed him where everything was, as Padme got up to make sure the food was ready, taking the now-baked yeast rolls from the oven.

Sure enough, ten minutes after the food was _technically_ cooked and ready to serve, the sound of the garage door opening and closing could be heard, and a moment later, in walked Anakin and Galen. "You're late, Sweetie," Padme observed dryly as she and Threepio began to ladle stew out into the individual bowls on the counter without looking over at the new arrivals.

"I know, Angel," Anakin admitted sheepishly, "But, we have a very good reason for it."

"A surprise," Galen agreed. Padme smiled and turned to find Anakin holding out a mug of her favorite hazelnut latte from Starbucks in his hand with a sheepish grin on his handsome face.

He had cut his hair a _little_ bit shorter in the last year, so now his hair was sadly less curly at the _back_ of his head (but still curly on top of his crown), but it still wasn't _nearly_ as short as he'd had it as a Padawan, and Padme had told him to _never_ cut it that short again or she'd cut _hers_ off to match, and Anakin, horrified at the thought of her chopping her beautiful chestnut hair short, had quickly agreed to her request. Still, his brilliantly blue eyes, whenever they looked at her, _always_ had a look in them that made it _very_ clear that he deeply loved her and that he thought she really _was_ the most beautiful woman in the world and that she was the absolute center of his life.

Even after a year of marriage, his desire for her burned hotly, and he always showered her with kisses and loving affection, and he treated her like a queen. Even though they did _occasionally_ argue (which was still a rarity), it wasn't like their previous life where the secret nature of their relationship had caused a lot of stress and tension in their marriage. Padme also suspected that Anakin was just _too_ happy to have her alive and back again as his wife, that he didn't want to waste his time with her arguing, preferring loving her instead. She was _more_ than happy with that.

Padme playfully put her hands on her hips, pretending to be annoyed, "You're trying to suck up to me for being late again, aren't you?"

Anakin mockingly gasped, putting a hand over his heart. "Who, _me_? Never!"

She rolled her eyes, but a grin began to spread across her face. " _Fine_. You're forgiven." She gave Galen a look. "But _don_ ' _t_ let him convince you that you can get out of trouble simply by buying delicious gifts."

Anakin smirked, a mishcevious glint in his eyes, while Galen blushed, making Padme laugh as she took the drink from her beloved husband, kissed him sweetly, and removed the green plug from the lid. She brought the cup up to her lips, already anticipating the warm, sweet flavor, and inhaled…

Big mistake.

Suddenly, the world tilted, swimming before her eyes, and there were two of everyone and everything in her vision. Feeling lighthead and woozy all of a sudden, she stumbled backward, her legs feeling like jelly and buckling beneath her. She heard Obi-Wan and Satine gasp and Threepio mutter _Oh dear,_ as she vaguely noted that the beverage had slipped from her fingers, and it splattered to the kitchen floor, spraying her and Anakin both with hot coffee.

" _Padme?!"_ Anakin cried out in alarm, dashing forward and reaching out to catch her, but the smell of the spilled latte completely overwhelmed her senses, and her stomach was rolling and churning, her throat constricting, nausea rapidly making her mouth water. As Anakin grabbed her arm, she wrenched herself free, whirled, and ignoring Threepio's anxious inquiries towards her health, she leaned over the sink and promptly threw up.

She didn't just throw up once.

Oh no.

 _Every_ time she thought she was finished, she would catch another whiff of the spilled latte, and she would throw up again...and again, until she was throwing up nothing but bile. She could feel that someone was holding her hair back, and hear someone other than Threepio asking questions, but she didn't care. In that moment, _all_ she wanted was for her stomach to stop heaving so that she could clean up and go lie down.

 _And_ _maybe_ _curl_ _up_ _and_ _die_ , she thought.

It seemed to go on forever, but finally, it stopped, and there was a sudden, awkward silence. Slowly, she reached up and turned the water on, and as it began to wash away the mess in the sink, she weakly began to clean her face off enough so that she could go back to her room and clean up properly in the bathroom without getting anything else messy. "Padme?" Anakin's worried voice was at her ear. Of course, _he_ was the one to hold her hair back for her. She should have known. "Are you…" He stopped. _No_. Clearly, she was _not_ okay. "What can I do, Angel?"

Much better question.

She didn't answer right away, just moaned, as she braced herself against the sink with her arms. She then slowly straightened up, holding her stomach while trying to maintain breathing through her mouth so that she wouldn't start throwing up again from the smell of the coffee. When she did finally reply, nothing helpful came out. Her head was so focused on what she wanted right then, that she just blurted out, "I'm going to go lie down for a while."

Anakin met her eyes, and she could tell that he felt a little useless without knowing _exactly_ what she needed him to do, but whatever he saw in her eyes right then must have told him that he wouldn't get any clear answers from her right then, so he clenched his jaw and simply nodded. "Okay."

He turned and faced the others, who were all staring at Padme in open mouthed concern. "I'm going to go help her. I'll be back to clean this up." He didn't wait for their response. Instead, he gently took her hand in one of his and put his other hand on the small of her back and led her across the kitchen and to their bedroom, going in and shutting the door before guiding her into their bathroom.

Where she promptly threw up again in the sink.

"Oh, _Angel_ ," Anakin soothed, holding her hair back again, rubbing gentle circles on her low back with one hand while the other touched her forehead. "You don't feel hot…maybe I should get a thermometer and check for a fever..."

"No, Ani, I'm fine," Padme weakly assured him as she pulled away and began to properly clean herself up. Anakin leaned against the closed bathroom door, watching her as she washed her face and brushed her teeth, his muscles tight as if he were ready to spring into action if she started throwing up again.

"Fine?!" he echoed, " _This_ doesn't seem fine to _me_ , Angel." He motioned towards the kitchen, "Were you feeling ill before?"

"No," She groaned, "It just... _happened_." She stripped and changed into a Stanford tank top and some light short shorts before she passed him and went to their bed, crawling onto it with a low groan. She heard Anakin follow.

"Then maybe you should go to the doctor, Sweetheart." As she flopped face-first into her pillow, she felt him sit next to her, resting a gentle hand on her back. His touch felt good—it was the _only_ thing that felt good right then. She responded to his concern, forgetting (and not caring) that her face was muffled by the pillow. "I can't understand you, Angel." Anakin gently reminded her.

She sighed and turned her head in his direction so that only half of her face was buried in the pillow. "I said, it's _Sunday_ night. _Nothing_ except the ER is going to be open, and I don't think this is life and death." When Anakin opened his mouth to likely protest that statement, she added, "Whether you think it is or isn't. Trust me, it's not." Anakin shut his mouth.

"What about tomorrow then?" He asked.

Padme shook her head. "You have the SUV tomorrow, and I don't drive motorcycles." With Galen around, it was hard for Anakin to always use the motorcycle; so, with the boy here, he often had to use the SUV. Usually, they went to the same place anyway, so it wasn't a big deal, but the next day Anakin and Obi-Wan had a _major_ board meeting for their company, and then Anakin was supposed to work on the new Bacta tank for Vokara. It had been a project he had been working on over the last year in his spare time, and now he was _finally_ close to completing it.

"I'll skip work tomorrow," He began to insist, "I'm sure Obi-Wan could handle…"

" _No_ , Ani," She rolled herself onto her back, and his hand slipped to resting on her stomach, gently rubbing circles over her belly. She sighed, enjoying his touch (she _always_ did), and for a moment, she considered being selfish and letting him skip work. "As much as I would love to have you home, tomorrow is _too_ important. Besides, it's probably just a twenty-four hour bug."

Anakin frowned, but he didn't argue, confirming that he knew that tomorrow was just as important as she did. "I could leave Galen with you," he offered after a silence.

"And, do _what_?" She reached up and touched his cheek. He leaned into her touch. "I'm not in danger. He would just be bored sitting around here. Besides, he _needs_ you to show him _all_ the aspects of being a Jedi in this world, including balancing work, family, _and_ Jedi business. That's probably _not_ something he was taught in our past life." Anakin frowned, but again, he didn't argue, confirming her words.

Anakin had been...and still _was..._ a very busy man. She had been busy, too, but _nothing_ compared to Anakin's schedule. He was still a full time student at Stanford, about to head into his junior year. He had a job helping Obi-Wan run and manage their droid production company, spending most of his time designing and building droids, _and_ he was the co-leader of a growing new Jedi Order, an Order that they were currently trying to strengthen.

Currently, Ahsoka and her Padawan, Will, were traveling to Texas to investigate a rumor of some strange incidents happening along the border. Having the Jedi Order was perhaps the toughest part for Anakin, but he somehow managed to balance everything and _still_ make time for them as husband and wife, going out with her alone on dates and to various events and social functions and giving her his undivided attention. No, despite it all, Anakin made sure she _knew_ she was the _heart_ of his world and that he loved and desired her endlessly. It made him a hero in her eyes, and she loved him all the more for it.

"Are you sure you don't need a doctor?" Anakin asked again, his piercing blue eyes filled with love, worry, and concern.

" _Yes_ , Ani, I'm fine," She said, forcing a smile so that he would hopefully drop it. "I'll rest, and I'll be better by this time tomorrow night. You'll see."

Anakin still hesitated, wrestling with the desire to believe her and the need to make sure she was okay. "And, _if_ you're not…"

"Then you can personally drag me to Vokara to get checked out in the ER." He seemed to accept this answer, and he nodded. "Now. I'm going to try to sleep. Why don't you go calm everyone else down, and maybe let Jedi in here to keep me company, hmm?" The poor dog hated Sunday nights due to getting moved out into the backyard by himself until bedtime when he seemed to gratefully make a beeline for his doggy bed by the fireplace.

"I could keep you company, too,"Anakin teased, and she raised an eyebrow. " _Fine_. I'll go be responsible." He rolled his eyes before leaning down to kiss her forehead tenderly. "If you need anything…"

"I'll call you," She promised.

Seemingly at ease with that, Anakin stood and left the room.

* * *

The next morning was worse.

 _Much_ worse.

Normally, whenever Anakin had these sorts of meetings, she tried to make sure she was up early and that breakfast was ready for him to grab before he left. But, _that_ morning, she slept through their alarm, which was most unusual. When she _did_ wake up, it was because she heard Anakin get up and stumble over Jedi, who yelped while Anakin cursed (fluently in Huttese, she noted). It was something that normally would have made Padme laugh, but she found she just didn't have the energy. When she tried to sit up, her head swam so badly, she wasn't sure if she accomplished sitting up at all, so she just lay back down and stared up at the ceiling, her vision swimming, making her lightheaded.

At one point, Anakin's face entered her vision, but his face swam so badly that she said, "Honey, there's like _five_ of you." She couldn't tell what the expression was on his face, but she figured it probably wasn't good.

"Are you _sure_ you don't need me to skip work, Angel?" He asked seriously, and knowing him, he was probably planning on ditching work whether she told him to go or not.

"You're _going_ to work, Ani." She grumbled, closing her eyes to try and combat the dizziness, "And, don't ignore me and stay home anyway."

She felt him touch her forehead and then the side of her neck gently. "You still don't feel hot to me…" He murmured to himself, and she weakly pushed his hand away.

"Go be a big boss man." She moaned, rolling back over. "I'm going back to sleep."

Another hesitation. "If you're still like this when I get back home…"

"I know, I know." She waved him off. "Have fun storming the castle."

She was pretty sure Anakin didn't know that phrase, but he didn't ask about it. Instead, he sighed and kissed her cheek, whispered _I love you_ in her ear, before she heard him leave their bedroom to go collect Galen, his keys jangling in his hand.

The next few hours were a blur. She tossed and turned. She heard Threepio come in and try to ask if she needed anything. She tried to tell him to go play with Artoo, to which Threepio indigently protested, "I do not _play,_ My Lady, it is against my primary program, and besides, Artoo is with Master Anakin at work today…"

" _Go somewhere that isn't here, Threepio,"_ she hissed, his voice pounding in her head. She immediately felt bad—the droid was just trying to help, and from his grumbles as he left the room, she could tell that she'd offended him. She tried to make a mental note to apologize later.

At some point, her stomach started to feel like she was going to throw up again. She managed to grab her phone from off of the charger (just in case she needed to make a call to someone to bring her something) and tried to stand…and promptly fell against the wall. She tried to push away from it, but she was _so_ dizzy that she only managed to fall against it again. So, slowly, she got onto her hands and knees and crawled into the bathroom, where she immediately threw up in the toilet.

 _Maybe I_ _ **should**_ _go to the doctor,_ she thought as her stomach settled down and she fumbled with the handle on the toilet to flush. As it did, she reached for her phone to call Anakin…

And promptly got a phone call.

She didn't bother to check the caller ID. She answered. "I was just gonna call you," her voice sounded awful, like it hadn't been used in years.

"Well, I'm _so_ flattered." Mindy's amused voice sounded from the other line, "I didn't think you would _want_ to call anyone in your condition."

Padme paused, registering that it was Mindy on the line, not Anakin. "Oh. Sorry. I thought…"

"That I was Anakin?" Mindy scoffed and continued speaking, "Hardly. Although, he called me and told me about your condition and asked me to help him in convincing you to go to the doctor. So. Here I am. Calling. Are you convinced yet?"

"I was convinced right before you called." Padme groaned, "Hold on." She set the phone down and promptly threw up again.

"Well." Mindy said when she was finished and Padme had put the phone back to her ear again. "You certainly _sound_ like you need someone to take you to the doctor."

"I do."

"Okay. I'll be right over to pick you up." She paused. "Padme, what _exactly_ are your symptoms?"

"Death." Padme grumbled irritably.

"Ha! Well, you sound _remarkably_ articulate for a zombie."

"Hey, I was one for Halloween last year, remember?" Padme couldn't help but smile at the memory. Her parents had funded a Zombie 5K for a local children's charity at Halloween last fall, so she and Anakin had dressed up as zombies and run in the race. According to Anakin, she was the ' _sexiest_ _zombie_ ' he'd ever seen (and he'd certainly shown her _just_ how much, too). He currently had a picture of them together in that getup as his phone background.

"Oh, yes. I do." Another pause. "When did this all start?"

"Last night." Padme replied with a mild groan. "I was talking to Anakin and Galen right before dinner, and Anakin brought me a hazelnut latte, and the next thing I know, I'm dizzy, can't see straight, and throwing up in the kitchen sink."

"I _see_." Another long pause. "I'll be there in ten minutes. Be ready, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks." She hung up and, after making a quick call to Bail's office to let them know she was coming in, she threw on a gray Stanford hoodie and blue jeans and put on her tennis shoes before she stumbled out into the kitchen to wait for Mindy.

* * *

By the time she was sitting in the waiting room at Bail's office, Padme was feeling _much_ better. Her head had cleared up, and her stomach, even though it was still queasy, was settling down. Now, she simply felt _ravenous_ , and said so. "I'm like _starving!_ Youknow what I want right now?!" She asked, as Mindy flipped through an outdated magazine.

"World peace?" Mindy teased, quirking an eyebrow at her.

"No…I mean, yeah, it would be nice, but that's not what I'm talking about." She shook her head as her mind flashed with _all_ of her favorite foods. "I want pasta. _Specifically_ , I want Chicken Scampi from Olive Garden. Do they have a To Go option?" Padme shifted in her seat, suddenly feeling like a ball of energy, and began tapping her foot against the chair leg where her ankles were crossed.

"I think so." Again, Mindy frowned and gave her a strange look, glancing down toward her tapping foot. Actually, she had been giving Padme strange looks ever since she'd picked her up.

"And, I'd _really_ like to grab a chocolate shake from In-N-Out to go with it. Y'know, I _wish_ they had onion rings. Onion rings would be good with it, too," Padme said, her voice trailing off as she glanced around the waiting room. This made Mindy's eyebrows shoot up to her hairline, but she made no comment.

Instead, she just smirked and went back to flipping through the magazine, occasionally shooting amused glances Padme's way.

Finally, Padme had enough of the strange looks. "Why do you keep giving me that look?"

"What look?" Mindy asked innocently with another arch of her brow.

"That _look_ you've been giving me since you picked me up. Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. I know you _too_ well to know that you're giving me a look."

Mindy hesitated. "It's just…" she struggled with the words, concerning Padme even more. Since _when_ did Mindy struggle with what she wanted to say? Mindy _always_ bluntly said what was on her mind, even if it was totally inappropriate at times. Finally, Mindy sighed. "Padme. When was your last period?"

"My last…?" Padme echoed, what she was asking instantly clicking into place. "Oh, _no_ , Mindy. Uh-huh. I'm _not_ pregnant." She laughed, as if the idea was absurd. The look didn't leave Mindy's face. "Mindy. Seriously, I'm _not_ pregnant. Okay? I've been faithfully using birth control and…"

"The Pill doesn't always work, y'know." Mindy pointed out wryly. "Look. Padme, I've had a lot of friends who are…you know... _active_ , and I mean, _come_ _on_ , you two _are_ newlyweds, and you've told me yourself, more than once, how... _amorous_ Anakin is..." She was blushing. Padme was stunned. Mindy was actually _blushing!_ Padme had _never_ seen her best friend blush before. _Ever._ Padmejust _gaped_ at her friend, as as she continued speaking.

"I've seen a lot of them get pregnant, and they all have had _these_ same symptoms. Didn't…didn't you have these symptoms in your previous life?"

"Well, yeah, but…" Padme trailed off. No. It couldn't be. She _wasn't_ pregnant. "I'm not pregnant." Now her voice didn't sound so confident.

Mindy shrugged, but the _look_ didn't leave her face. "Suit yourself. I guess you'll find out soon enough." She said with a smirk, and she turned back to her magazine.

Suddenly, Padme didn't feel so good, but this time it was for a different reason. Her mind worked to figure out when her last period was.

Two months ago.

 _Oh_ , _Force..._

By the time Bail came out and called her alone back to an exam room, she was panicking. _I'm_ _**not**_ _pregnant_ , she kept telling herself, it was just some fluke…It just _had_ to be.

As soon as Bail closed the door, she blurted out, "I'm _not_ pregnant."

Bail frowned, obviously not expecting her to start off with that. "Do…you _want_ to be pregnant, Padme?"

"Someday, yeah, sure...but not _now."_ Padme said, sitting down on the plastic, paper-lined bed. It crinkled under her weight. "Mindy just pointed out that my symptoms are…but I _can't be…."_

"Padme." Bail said seriously. "You _need_ to calm down. We don't know for sure yet. There's no point in stressing out over something you aren't sure of yet. Now, tell me what's going on."

So, she did.

By the time she finished, Bail had the _same_ look on his face that Mindy did. "Your last menstruation was two months ago?" He clarified, making notes in her chart on his tablet pc. Padme wanted to lie, but she couldn't. So, she nodded her head slowly. Bail was silent for a moment, thinking of a way to ask the next question. "Would you like me to give you a pregnancy test, or do you want me to check to see if it's a normal sickness first?"

 _Oh_ _Force_ , she thought, _he_ _thinks_ _pregnancy_ _is_ _a possibility_ _too_ …

She gulped, supposing that it would be better to answer the _bigger_ question immediately, even if she _didn_ ' _t_ want to. Slowly, she replied, "I'll take the pregnancy test."

* * *

Pregnant.

 _She_ was _pregnant._

 _ **Pregnant.**_

The test had come out positive instantly. She felt as if she'd been hit between the eyes with a hammer called _reality_. When the result came back and Bail told her the result, if she hadn't already been sitting down, she knew her legs would've buckled from shock. She had calmly waited while Bail had finished her examination, told her to stop taking her birth control pills immediately, given her a box of prenatal vitamains and iron (bloodwork showed she was anemic), plus a prescription for more, and told her to come back in 2 weeks with Anakin for her first ultrasound, because she was almost 2-1/2 months pregnant.

Suddenly, life seemed different. _Vastly different._

As Mindy drove her to Olive Garden to 'celebrate,' ("But no alcohol for you, missy!" Mindy had sang, pleased to be right, the _I told you so_ clearly written all over her face), Padme looked out at the familiar stores and landmarks she had grown accustomed to since she'd started school at Stanford all those years ago, and they seemed… _different_ somehow. Logically, she _knew_ there wasn't anything different, but it still _felt_ like she had gone off planet, and her senses had kicked into hyperdrive (if not hyperspace).

She wasn't _totally_ freaking out. Her heart did swell with happiness. She _had_ wanted to be a mother, and she knew how _badly_ Anakin wanted to be a father, and she still had moments where she sat with Anakin and her family at their weekly Friday night dinners at her parents' house and her heart sank with the knowledge that Luke and Leia were missing from the picture. More than _**anything**_ , she wanted the baby now inside of her. That wasn't what terrified her.

What terrified her was that in a few months' time, she...no, _they_...would be faced with the answer to the question that both she and Anakin _dreaded_...

What if they had already lost Luke and Leia forever?

She wasn't afraid of the responsibility of being a parent. She wasn't afraid of the money it would cost to raise a child. She wasn't afraid of the time constraints a child would bring to their lives—those were all things she and Anakin could figure out. No. She was afraid of the added despair of losing their precious twins not once, but _twice_. It already killed her inside to know she had lost one baby. To finally find out, to _know_ that it was their twins again…

The thought was unbearable.

After lunch, where Mindy, who knew about this worry, assured her _repeatedly_ that everything would be fine, even though Padme could tell that she wasn't sure about that herself, she drove Padme to Anakin's office.

It was a massive factory, a building that Obi-Wan and Anakin had specifically picked to be able to produce the multitude of various types of droids and machines Anakin was always designing. Already, the business had earned enough to pay off the purchase of the building, and the revenue from the large international orders they had was now filling up their personal bank accounts, as well as their company accounts, at a rapid rate.

No, Padme thought as Mindy parked her car in Padme's own designated spot next to Anakin's (where their SUV sat) outside the large glass front doors, they wouldn't have to worry about the financial aspect of raising a child, if things continued the way they were. Which was a relief.

"Do you want me to come in with you?" Mindy asked, looking at her friend with some concern.

Padme shook her head no, staring at the revolving glass doors. "I'll be fine. I can get a ride home with Anakin." She glanced at the time on the dashboard. It was almost time for Anakin to come home anyway.

"Okay." She paused. "Seriously, Padme, congratulations. I know you're worried, but…you'll be a _great_ mom. I _know_ it."

That did cause a smile to break out on Padme's face. "Thanks, Mindy," She said. "I'll text you and let you know how it goes." She gave Mindy a hug and said goodbye to her friend and got out of the car, staring up at the building for a moment as she took a deep, steadying breath, and walked in.

The security guard at the front smiled and waved to her and didn't even bother to call up to Anakin for clearance. He knew Padme was the wife of one of the two big bosses of the company, and he wasn't going to risk annoying Anakin by making Padme wait. He knew she and Satine, as Obi-Wan's wife, had free clearance to come and go there as they pleased. So, he immediately buzzed her through the security doors, and she waved her thanks and made her way into the main room of the factory, where workers were putting together the various droid designs.

It wasn't by any means a sketchy factory with bad working conditions. Workers had their own cubicles and stuffed comfortable chairs for them to sit in, plus lots of space with windows streaming light through. There were modern, classy break areas, and there were lots of rooms with hi-tech technology for plan and collaboration sessions on droid designs. Padme took the glass elevator up to the second floor, overlooking all of it, and she smiled at all of the work Anakin and Obi-Wan had done to perfect their business.

The second floor was not as developed yet, and as she walked through the halls to find Anakin's personal workshop (her favorite part of the business. It meant that she didn't have to worry about Anakin's projects taking up too much space at home), she walked by several rooms that were currently under construction.

Finally, she reached his workshop.

Just before she reached the door, it opened, and out stepped Galen. He blinked up at her in surprise as the door shut behind him. "Miss Padme," He said, "I thought you would be at home."

"I was." She smiled. It had taken a lot of insisting to get Galen to call her Miss Padme instead of Mrs. Skywalker or Mrs. Vader, as he'd accidentally called her the first time they'd met, much to Anakin's embarrassed dismay. "I just came by to talk to my husband. What are you up to?"

Galen shifted as if he were eager to move on. It still seemed to freak him out a bit that Anakin, the former ruthless Sith Lord that had trained him, was _happily married_. She sort of wondered how the boy would react to know that Padme was now pregnant… "I'm going to deliver these plans to Master Obi-Wan to submit to the board." He held up a flash drive that must have contained the plans. "Which…" he glanced at the time on his phone that Anakin had given him, "I need to do before closing."

Padme smiled and stepped out of his way. "Alright. I'll see you later, Galen." Galen nodded and rushed off down the hall towards Obi-Wan's office, which was on the opposite end of the same floor.

Padme continued to smile after the boy for a moment before she turned and faced Anakin's door.

On a brass plaque outside of the office was her husband's name and his official-sounding company title. It still amazed the Earth-raised side of her that her husband had achieved _so_ _much_ while he had only barely finished his sophomore year of college. At this point, he was only going to college for the backup degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in physics just in case the droid business died out, but knowing her husband and his knack at adapting to his environment no matter how quickly that environment moved, she doubted the business would ever go under.

She took a deep breath, knowing that Anakin had probably already sensed her, and slowly opened the door to peek into his 'office.'

It was more of an advanced workshop than an actual office. He had a desk with a desktop computer on it, but it was covered with droid parts and rarely used for anything other than another surface to build droids on. She doubted he'd actually ever used the desktop—he was always working with his Surface Pro if he was using a computer. There were other tables lining the walls, too, all of them also cluttered with various mechanical parts, and she was amused at the soft country music playing in the background from the Ipod Touch sitting in its charging station on one of the tables.

In the center of the room was a large, clear tank, suspended with chains while Anakin was currently crouched underneath it, fiddling with the machine underneath. Artoo was next to him, handing him a tool with his claw, which Anakin took gratefully. His face and hands were smudged with grease, like usual, and it was a sight that she had grown to love, even if it did mean that he accidentally ruined a lot of his clothes.

Like the clothes he was currently wearing.

He hadn't bothered to change out of the nice, light blue, long sleeved dress shirt and dress slacks that he had worn for their board meeting. He had undoubtedly tossed the tie somewhere in the mess of his workshop (probably to never be found again), and he had rolled up the sleeves and unbuttoned the top two buttons so that it slightly showed part of his chest. Otherwise, he hadn't changed, and there were now several grease stains on the shirt.

At least they could afford to buy him more clothes.

"You finally came in," He said dryly, as she entered. He tightened whatever he needed to with the wrench Artoo gave him, and then set it aside before crawling out to face her. He stood and began to walk towards her, but she cleared her throat, nodding her head pointedly at all the grease. He stopped, remembering that his hands were covered in it, and he blushed.

"Sorry. I've...uh...destroyed…another shirt."

"It's okay," She said, and she watched surprise flicker across his face. Usually, she lectured him for destroying clothes, especially _nice_ clothes, but this time she just didn't have the heart. It seemed too insignificant…actually, it _was_ insignificant compared to what she was about to tell him.

Artoo handed him the orange bottle of grease cleaner, and he squirted it over his hands before washing it off with a towel. The whole time, his eyes never left her. "Are you okay?" his voice was full of worry, and he looked at her like he was already considering taking her to the ER.

"I'm fine, Ani." She assured him, "Mindy took me to see Bail already. She said you told her to convince me to go."

At this, Anakin visibly relaxed. "Good." He said, not even trying to deny that he had talked Mindy into dragging her to the doctor. "What did he say?"

Padme sighed and put her purse down on one of the tables before slowly approaching her husband. He immediately slipped his hands around her waist, coming to rest at the small of her back, pulling her flush against him. She leaned into him, her mind whirling as she looked up into his eyes. She opened her mouth to just _tell_ him, but no words came out.

 _It wasn't this difficult telling him before,_ she thought, remembering when she'd told him of her first pregnancy back in their old galaxy.

"Angel?" Anakin asked, and she watched more worry flood into his eyes, "Is…is it bad?"

"No, no, it's nothing like that. It's just…unexpected." Anakin frowned in confusion. "What I mean is…" She sighed and broke eye contact, leaning her forehead against his chest, breathing in his scent. It calmed her some, but it did not calm her poor husband.

"Padme, I _need_ you to tell me. You're scaring me, Sweetheart." She smiled a little at that—she could _never_ doubt her husband's love for her, not when he reacted like this to her wellbeing.

She leaned away and looked back up into his eyes. "The Pill didn't work." Anakin's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and she took a deep breath.

"Ani, I'm pregnant."

Shock replaced the worry and confusion in his eyes, and he blinked rapidly, trying to comprehend what she'd just told him. He swallowed hard. "R-really?" He managed to stutter out, and his eyes left hers to trail down to her abdomen, as if by looking at her belly, she would suddenly start showing.

"Yes."

"You're…you're sure?"

She couldn't help but smile. It was so rare that she saw Anakin stutter over himself. "Yes, Ani. Bail did two pregnancy tests. He confirmed it. I'm about 2-1/2 months along."

He was so shocked that he sat down on a nearby swivel chair. He forgot that he was still holding onto her, and she squeaked as she lost her balance and plopped into his lap where he automatically steadied her. Once she was securely in his lap, one of his large hands moved so that it rested approximately where their child was currently forming within her womb. "I'm going to be a dad," He breathed softly, running a thumb gently across her stomach as he met her eyes again. " _You're_ going to be a mom!"

Even though she was still scared, she couldn't help but smile. "Yes."

Anakin looked back down to her belly before meeting her eyes again.

"And…are you…happy?" He was hesitant, waiting for her reaction. She knew that he was referring to her desire to wait for children.

She nodded. "I _am_ happy. Extremely happy. All I want is for us to have a family together." She looked down. "But, I'm also really scared. What if…?"

Anakin held a finger to her lips, quieting her. They had talked about this worry before—he shared the same fear. But, as he gently brought her face back up to meet his eyes, she only saw pure, unfiltered joy radiating from him. "I know, Angel, but we aren't going to know anything for a little while. We both knew we would eventually have to face that possibility, and we'll deal with it when or if it comes. But, _nothing_ good comes from fear. We both know that." His voice held the gravity of what his fear had done to them both, and she could feel his desire to keep her from having to experience anything like that again. "So for now, let's focus on our happiness." He broke out into a huge smile. "We're going to be _parents!"_

And somehow, as he said it, her fear melted. It didn't go away completely. It was still there in the back of her mind. But, being there, sitting in her husband's lap, with one of his hands cupping her cheek and the other adoringly and protectively over her abdomen, she felt as if everything truly _would_ be okay. For the first time since she had lost their first baby, she felt truly at peace…

 _And happy._

She too broke out into a huge smile, the first huge smile she had allowed since she had found out. " _We're going to be parents, Ani,"_ She agreed, and she felt tears well up in her eyes. The next thing she knew, Anakin's mouth was crushing into hers, passionate and deep and so full of love, and she wrapped her arms around him as she responded to his kiss, pulling herself as close as she could, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Then he let out a loud _whoop_ ofexhilaration, andhis arms were wrapping around her, and he was standing with her in his arms, twirling with her, kissing her over and over again between both of them laughing with pure, unadulterated _**joy**_.

There was still much for them to worry about. There was still a lot for them to work out. But, in that moment, none of that mattered. Only one thing mattered, one glorious, happy thing:

They were finally going to be _parents_.

* * *

 **BAAAAAAAAABIIIEEESSSSSSSSSS**

 **Told you it was a SUPER DUPER OPER major chapter ;)**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	44. Anakin and Galen Vs Grievous

"I really hate ballets," Anakin grumbled, as they followed Padme's parents into their personal, reserved box seat in the theatre. Padme had been listening to Anakin gripe about the upcoming ballet since her parents had called and invited them a month ago, and it had gotten worse the last few days after Padme had reminded him about it. Galen was also with them, in a tux that he looked extremely uncomfortable in, and he looked around at all of the fancy-dressed people as if some Sith Lord was going to pounce and attack at any moment.

" _Ani_ ," Padme warned him under her breath, "Remember your manners. _Please._ " Anakin grumbled under his breath at this, but he did not make any further outward comment for her parents to overhear, much to her relief. He had tried to bring along Obi-Wan and Satine, but the tickets had sold out by the time he had thought of trying to make his best friend suffer with him, so he forced smiles and whenever her parents asked him about what types of entertainment he enjoyed, Padme could tell that he was forcing himself to keep it positive. So far, he hadn't made any direct comments to hating ballet to her parents, only because he knew they were just trying to establish a stronger connection with their new son-in-law. He wanted to try and please his in-laws.

Still, when Padme had come out of their bathroom dressed in a light pink, chiffon floor-length dress covered in light sparkly sequins with her hair pulled into an elegant twisted bun at the back of her head, Anakin, who was dressed in a tux himself, had _almost_ stopped complaining. Instead, his eyes had darkened immediately with desire, and he had attempted to convince her to stay home with loving, adoring kisses along her neck and collar bone. When she pulled away, tempted but stubborn to their commitment to join her parents, Anakin had then switched to the _other_ topic to try and keep them home. "Are you sure you feel well enough, Angel?" He asked, "I mean...You've been sick _all_ week."

It was true. It had been five days since she found out she was pregnant, and each of those five days had been filled with a rollercoaster of either feeling well or throwing up. "I'm _fine_ , Ani," she had insisted as she made sure the japor snippet necklace was placed just right around her neck.

"Well, that could change at any moment."

She knew this argument was not just so that he could have an excuse to stay home from the ballet—he genuinely _was_ worried about her health. He had spent the whole week tending to her lovingly (much to Galen's annoyance: Poor boy was bored to death). "Think of the baby, Sweetheart."

"I _am_ thinking of the baby," Padme reminded him dryly, "And this baby wants mommy to get out and stop being cooped up in the house _all_ the time. Besides, what kind of example would we be setting for our child if we showed it that we don't live up to our commitments?"

"It's not even born yet," Anakin muttered, but nevertheless, he dropped the subject once he saw that he really _wasn_ ' _t_ going to win this one.

Besides. That night had become important to Padme for another reason: Tonight was the night that she and Anakin would tell her parents that she was pregnant.

They had already told Anakin's family, and Owen had ribbed Anakin good-naturedly, teasingly saying _" Way to go, you rascal!_ " They had all been so happy, and Shmi had actually burst into tears of joy before bombarding Padme and Anakin with technical questions neither of them knew the answer to, and wouldn't know until their first ultrasound in another week. They had also told Obi-Wan and Satine, Ahsoka, and Galen, since Galen needed an explanation as to _why_ Anakin was suddenly fussing so tenderly over Padme's health so much. Everyone had been thrilled for them...well, except for Galen, who was confused and _still_ adjusting to Anakin actually being a happily married man who was now going to be a dad, too. But, he was slowly coming around. She hoped.

Living close to her parents, Padme had decided to tell them in person, and with the ballet, she had decided tonight was the perfect night. There was _no_ _way_ Anakin would convince her to put it off any longer.

So, here they were. At the ballet. Sitting down on plush red chairs, with Padme sitting between her mother and Anakin, while her father sat next to her mother, and Galen sat on the other side of Anakin. "So," Her mother whispered to her while Anakin turned and whispered Jedi advice (if Padme had to guess, it was likely about distinguishing presences in large crowds) to Galen so that her parents couldn't hear, "You said that Galen was Anakin's _cousin_?"

"Yes," Padme used her best politician smile to make the lie convincing. She _hated_ lying to her parents, but they needed an explanation as to why they had a random kid living with them over the summer.

Her mother frowned. "He doesn't look anything like Anakin, though."

Padme forced a laugh. "Well, Ryoo and Pooja don't look that much like me either," Padme reminded her, even though it _was_ a bit of a stretch. The girls had the same curly hair as Padme, but Galen and Anakin looked _nothing_ alike, not even in the hair.

"I suppose," she could tell that her mother wasn't convinced. "And, what _exactly_ does he do _all_ day? All of his friends probably live in Nepal…"

"I told you, Mom," Padme reminded her, "Galen is studying under Anakin at his job. It's sort of like an apprenticeship."

"But he's only a child," her mother said, troubled, "Doesn't he get bored?"

"No. He gets to play with robots all day. What young boy wouldn't love _that?_ " Padme reminded her with a smile—it wasn't _technically_ a lie. "I'm sure he's fine."

Her mother still seemed puzzled by the whole situation, but she thankfully dropped it.

Padme breathed a sigh of relief, leaning back in her chair, her hand unknowingly going to rest over her stomach. She definitely wasn't showing yet, but knowing that there was life in there, she had already started on the habit of touching her abdomen whenever she was deep in thought or just tired.

Anakin, having finished his conversation with Galen, noticed. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close so that he could whisper in her ear. "When do we tell them?"

The lights in the room flickered a few times, indicating that there was only two minutes until the curtains rose and the ballet began. "The show is about to start," Padme whispered back, "Maybe after the show?" She thought about telling her parents during intermission, but she didn't think that dropping that bombshell in the thirty minute break between acts would be a good idea. Her parents would also likely want to ask lots of questions, too, just like Shmi had.

"Okay," Anakin said, kissing her temple tenderly, "I'll follow your lead." He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze before he withdrew his arm. She smiled at that, and right as she opened her mouth to reply, the lights dimmed and the overture began.

The ballet was Swan Lake, and given that the ballet was considered to be one of the greatest, if not _the_ greatest, ballet ever, Padme hoped that Anakin wouldn't be _too_ bored. However, after the explosive overture, she couldn't fail to notice that he was struggling _not_ to nod off. Galen was no exception—in fact, he _did_ fall asleep.

Anakin at least tried to stay awake.

Padme, on the other hand, was used to going to functions like this with her parents. Her parents believed in regularly enjoying art, whether it was museums or operas or ballets. Even though it was not something she regularly sought out on her own (except art museums: She _always_ liked those), ballets did interest her, and Swan Lake was one of her favorites, even if it _was_ tragic. The music was beautiful, and the costumes were also works of art, and it fascinated her to watch how gracefully the dancers moved. It reminded her of her figure skating days, in a way.

As the show continued, Anakin did make attempts to understand what was going on. "So, he just sees her in the forest and decides she's the girl for him?" or, "Wait, isn't that the same woman?...so, it's sort of her evil twin. Convenient." Or, "What a self-involved _jerk_. He clearly doesn't love her if he can't tell the difference between the women." Padme knew he didn't actually care for the story, but he _was_ trying to be interested in it for her sake, and it made her grateful that he was now at least trying. They had been holding hands throughout the performance, and she squeezed his hand to let him know she appreciated his efforts. She was also really thankful that he kept his voice at a whisper so that it wouldn't disturb her parents.

Finally, it was time for the intermission. The lights came back on, an announcer informed the audience that they would have thirty minutes, and people began to shuffle towards the bathroom or the bar in the lobby area. Galen yawned, blinking away his drowsiness. "Is it over?" He asked, still yawning.

"Only halfway," Anakin told him with a smirk. "But, it may take longer if you keep snoring and interrupting the show."

Galen scowled. "I don't snore."

"Right," Anakin stood. "Well, I'm going to go to the restroom."

"And we are going to order some drinks." Her father announced, also standing. Padme immediately began to plan on how she would decline the alcohol without her parents noticing. Since she had turned twenty-one, she usually purchased champagne with her parents. It was sort of a tradition. "Would you like anything, Anakin?"

"No thanks," Anakin replied, "Otherwise I might need…wait, actually, yes, I would _love_ a drink." Padme rolled her eyes— _of_ _course_ Anakin would intentionally make himself need to go to the restroom again during the last half. He may be trying to at least understand it, but her husband was _still_ a warrior at heart. He was just not the type of man to enjoy performances like this ballet.

"Do they have snacks?" Galen asked, rubbing his eyes.

"They usually have something to munch on. Come on, let's go see." Padme stood, taking that opportunity to make it seem like she was busy doing something else so that she could avoid the drink question she _knew_ was coming. She stood with Galen, turning to go to the private suite that was only for those with box seats, when her father interrupted her.

"Would you like the usual, Padme?"

Well. So much for that plan.

She forced a smile. "Actually, I'm going on a diet that restricts alcohol, so I'm afraid not. Water with lemon will be fine, Dad. Thanks."

Her mother frowned. "But you don't need to lose weight. You're perfect the way you are. And, what did Mindy have to say about this decision?" Her mother knew that her best friend believed that it wasn't a party unless it had alcohol.

Padme shrugged. "She said I was now the designated driver."

Her mother still seemed puzzled, and Padme couldn't help but notice the suspicious glint in her mother's eyes, but her mother didn't press the issue. "Alright, dear. Your father and I will meet you three in the lobby."

While Anakin headed downstairs to the restroom, Padme took Galen up to the private suite where already other rich people were milling about, talking about the performance and other small topics. Galen made a face when a woman with a large skirt almost knocked him over without apologizing, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he made straight for the dessert table…which was full of little pieces of assorted fruits stuck on basically extra long toothpicks and _tiny_ slices of cake. "What is _this_ , food for _ants_?" Galen grumbled as he took some cake. Padme couldn't help but laugh—the night before, Mindy had come over and made Galen watch Zoolander. Galen didn't love the movie (Padme had a sneaky feeling he was more of an action-movie kid), but he apparently liked that particular line from from the movie. Amused, she had to admit, it fit the situation. Padme picked up some strawberries, the sight of the food making her instantly hungry.

"I think going to dinner after this is a good idea, don't you think?" She said, smiling down at Galen.

Galen's eyes brightened immediately at the mention of dinner, but he coolly responded, "Sounds good to me, Miss Padme." Galen was still getting used to having a woman around all the time.

Padme chuckled and ate the strawberry. She thought it sounded good, too. She quickly pulled out her phone and texted Anakin and her dad about it before putting it back into her silver purse. "So, Galen," Padme said, as they turned to go back down to the lobby, "how are you enjoying your training thus far?"

Galen shrugged his shoulders. "It's…okay I guess. I was just…" he trailed off, glancing at her, as if he were afraid to offend her.

"Just what?" She gently prodded.

"Well…back in my old life, training was on-the-go and _intense_. Here…nothing dangerous _ever_ happens. I mean, Master says that he's run into trouble here in this world, and back in Nepal, we've had to scare off merchants and stuff…but I've yet to see any actual _action_." Padme smiled—oh, Galen was the _perfect_ Padawan for her husband alright. They both _craved_ action and adventure, and were _clearly_ warriors at heart.

They began to descend down the winding, carpeted stairway towards the lobby where the bar and restrooms were. Padme could see that most of the audience had gathered here, and Padme slowed, dreading looking for her parents and Anakin in that crowd. Perhaps Anakin would come to her, or she could see them from above. "There are plenty of dangers that you will someday face. Don't be eager to put yourself in danger—as a Jedi, trust me, danger will find _you_." She paused. "Besides, a Jedi is a peace keeper, not an instigator of conflicts."

Galen sighed. They had reached the bottom of the steps, and therefore, the crowd. Already Padme began to feel claustrophobic. She didn't normally care, but when she was pregnant, different things seemed to bother her. "That's what Master always says, too." He admitted, and then under his breath, almost too low for her to hear, he said, "Although, that's not what he _used_ to say."

Padme did not want to get in the middle of Galen's relationship with her husband, so she let the subject drop and pretended she hadn't heard his last comment. Instead, she said, "It's so crowded in here. Can you sense where Anakin is, Galen?"

Galen shrugged. "Sure. He's still…" he paused, frowning, and suddenly, before Padme could ask what was wrong, he took off at a run, pushing and shoving his way through the crowd, causing lots of gasps and irritated looks to be thrown his way.

"Galen!" Padme called, trying to push after him as well, but unlike Galen, she made sure to apologize as she went. What on _earth_ had possessed the boy to take off like that?

"Padme?" Her mother's voice drifted across the crowd to meet her ears, and Padme slowed, turning to find a familiar face in the crowd, but as she did, more voices began to rise in alarm in the same general direction Galen had taken off to.

"…attacked!" A man was shouting.

"In the men's restroom!"

"With _glowing_ swords!"

" _Who_ is attacking?" Someone else was shouting back.

"Someone call the police! Quick!"

"Dial 911! Hurry!"

Padme's blood turned to ice, realization setting in. Galen had sensed danger.

Anakin was in danger. Which meant...

They were _all_ in danger.

Worried for her husband, she began to head towards the restroom to see if she could help, but then stopped. She wasn't alone. She had her parents to think about. They didn't even know _what_ a Jedi was. To her parents, _Jedi_ was her dog. If they saw Anakin fighting with his lightsaber, _how_ could she explain _all_ of this to them without raising suspicion?

More importantly, she couldn't risk losing another child. She had a responsibility to protect her unborn baby, and rushing head-first into danger without a weapon was _not_ a good way to do that. Even though it _killed_ her to have to leave her beloved husband fighting whatever it was alone, she forced herself to turn, scanning the crowd to find her parents. She found them easily, as they had apparently spotted her and were now heading towards her in the crowd, a confused look on their faces. Clearly, they had heard the commotion, too.

"We need to go," Padme began to say as calmly as she could as they reached her, her father's hands going out to touch her arms as if making sure she was alright.

"What's going on?" Her father asked, his voice stern, the same voice he had used whenever he wanted information from her, and she was withholding it. "Is there some sort of fight?"

"I can't explain, Dad, but we need to get…"

 _ **BOOM**_

Suddenly, there was, what sounded like, a massive explosion behind them, and pandemonium erupted as people began screaming hysterically and running panic-stricken towards the front doors in a stampede, bumping into Padme and her parents, almost knocking Padme over. Her father's grip on her arms turned to iron, and he began to pull her towards him to steady her while he tried to see what was going on. "Dad," She began again, fear tightening in her chest. They needed to get out of there _now._

She never got to finish. As the crowd cleared, she saw a ton of water spilling underneath the restroom door, and a split second later the door also exploded outward with a tremendous _BANG!,_ her husband flying backwards through it, having evidently been thrown by... _something_.

" **What** **the...?!** " Her father began as her mother screamed.

Padme tried to shake her father's grip, her eyes never leaving her husband as he landed, thankfully on his feet, though his low back hit the edge of the bar table. He had lost his tuxedo jacket, and there were tears in his white shirt, but she didn't see any evidence of injuries. She saw him wince with pain, but his eyes remained focused and fixed on the restroom door, as Galen suddenly emerged, soaking wet, but equally determined, as he joined Anakin at his side. Both of them had their lightsaber hilts in their hands.

" _Anakin!_ " her father yelled, and Padme watched surprise and realization flicker across Anakin's face, as he momentarily lost focus on the battle. Padme knew Anakin hadn't forgotten that they were in the building, but he probably had assumed they had turned and run like everyone else had. She saw his face scrunch with worry and grim determination.

He met Padme's eyes before flicking his gaze down to her belly, and even though people were still screaming, Anakin said something, something Padme couldn't hear, but she didn't need to.

" _Go. Get to safety."_

"Dad, we need to go, **RIGHT** **NOW**." Padme now grabbed her father's jacket and pulled.

"But, what about Anakin and the boy…" her father, completely confused began, but again, the restroom door banged open, and out stepped Anakin's foe.

 _Grievous_.

But, _not_ the Grievous she and Anakin had met on the train. No. The creature that stepped out was none other than the cyborg Grievous that had existed in their old galaxy. He was _just_ as massive, with his arms and legs clearly robotic, his armor reminiscent of a rather frightening skeleton. As he emerged from the restroom, he roared, his arms splitting into four limbs, and in each of his four hands, he held an ignited, different colored lightsaber. "Pathetic," His bone-chilling, gravelly voice was the same as well, both human and robotic at the same time, "I expected to fight a former Sith Lord, _**not**_ a pathetically weak Jedi. How... _disappointing_."

Thankfully, most of the people had already rushed out the front door, but those who were left and were witnessing this began shrieking and running in a mass panic. Padme's parents looked on in abject _terror_ , and her father's grip on her arms had gone slack. "Like I said," Padme hissed, "We need to go. _**NOW."**_

"But…Anakin…." Her mother began. She looked like she was going to faint.

"What…what _is_ **that**?" Her father breathed, eyes glued to Grievous.

Both Anakin and Galen ignited their lightsabers and charged at Grievous, and her parents gasped in horror. Padme forced herself to look away as she grabbed both of her parent's hands and began to drag them away from the battle. But, they resisted. "It's nothing Anakin and Galen can't handle," Padme said, adding _I hope_ in her head. Anakin had fought against Grievous by himself multiple times during the Clone Wars, and he was now a more powerful Jedi and even better at a lightsaber than he had been then. And, Galen… _well,_ she had no idea about him really. She hadn't ever watched Anakin and Galen practice, as they usually did that after hours in a locked up workshop in the factory, and she hadn't known Galen in their previous life. She just hoped that if he had been trained by Anakin _then_ , he would be a helpful asset to her husband _now_.

"You say that like this is a normal thing," Her mother was practically in hysterics.

Well. They had now seen the lightsabers. They had now seen Grievous. Clearly, at least some of this secret was now out of the bag. Perfect. "It… _sort_ _of_ is, yes." She admitted, as she dragged them to the front doors where people pushed and shoved their way out. In the distance, Padme could hear sirens. Lots of them.

Oh, Great.

Her heart sank— _how_ were they going to deal with the police? If the _government_ got involved…She might not lose her husband to Grievous. Sudden images of the movie _E.T.,_ popped in her head. _Not good,_ she thought.

"What do you mean, _**sort**_ _**of**_ _?!_ " Her father angrily demanded, "Padme, we can't just…"

"We'll only be in the way, Dad," Padme snapped, cutting her father off. She saw an opening and took it, dragging her parents out of the glass doors and out into the chilly night air. "We need to get out of here and find a neutral location, somewhere _no_ _one_ would be able to find us, just until the coast is clear."

"This isn't happening," Her mother began, " _This is NOT happening! Please_ tell me this is some elaborate prank gone wrong!"

"I wish I could, Mom," Padme grumbled as she pulled them down the street, trying to get somewhere that wasn't so crowded with people.

" _Where_ are we going?!" Her father demanded, "The garage isn't this way…"

"We're not going to wait around stuck in a huge line of cars trying to get out," Padme snapped.

"But, our cars…" Her mother started.

Padme stopped and whirled on her parents, losing her temper. She rarely lost it, but she was tired, worried about her husband and Galen, hungry, and pregnant. She was _not_ in the mood to sit around in the open when Grievous could have brought more of Palpatine's goons to help him. "Don't you get it?! We are in _danger!_ Not _just_ Anakin, but our _entire_ family, right now, is in _danger!_ I am **not** going to be a sitting duck in a parking garage full of people if Grievous brought other people to help him track us down! We are _going_ to find a cab, and we are _going_ to find somewhere safe and neutral, and we are _going_ to wait for Anakin and Galen to meet up with us! Understood?!" She scowled. In that moment, she was not their daughter, the law student from Stanford. She was Senator Padme Amidala, and she was taking charge of a very explosive situation.

Her parents, already shocked by the night's events, didn't seem _too_ surprised that their normally calm daughter was yelling orders at them, but they _did_ seem thrown off by it. So, when she huffed and turned to hail a cab, they just looked at each other but didn't say another word.

For now.

* * *

Apparently he couldn't even go to the _restroom_ without someone trying to ruin his life.

He had been using the facilities, minding his own business, ignoring the other fancy-dressed men in the room. When he had finished and was standing in line to wash his hands, the door to the restroom opened. Normally, he would have ignored it, but he felt the warning in the Force. His hand instinctively went to the hilt of his lightsaber and his eyes began to scan the room for the source of the danger.

He hadn't needed to look long.

The problem was obvious, for the creature that had stepped through the bathroom door was covered by a long, flowing black cloak and a wide brimmed hat that covered his features. It saw him just as he saw it, and an inhuman snarl erupted from the creature. " _Darth Vader,"_ the voice was familiar somehow, and clearly it knew him…or at least, knew _of_ him. "Former Sith Lord, former Jedi, turned Jedi _again_."

And, suddenly, Anakin knew the voice. It was warped by machinery just like it had been before.

The cloak slipped away to reveal the skeletal cyborg Anakin had hunted relentlessly during the Clone Wars, causing the other men in the restroom to gasp in shock and back away. Golden, cat-like eyes stared back at him, filled with malice as his robotic hands pulled out the hilts of two lightsabers. "This time, I know who I'm dealing with, _Jedi-Scum!"_

Grievous ignited the lightsabers, causing panic in the restroom, and men scrambled for the door. Grievous ignored them, focusing straight on Anakin. Anakin let out a stream of colorful curses in Huttese, knowing that he needed to defend himself, but that by doing so, he would expose the Jedi Order. How had Grievous survived being thrown out of a _train?!_ Clearly, Palpatine had more resources than Anakin had thought.

 _Kriff!_

Padme was going to _kill_ him...if he wasn't hauled off by the government _first_ , just like that strange little alien that had vaguely seemed familiar to him in that movie she and Mindy had showed him once.

So, as Grievous launched himself at Anakin, he switched his blade on as well, bringing it up to block the twin blue and green blades.

Two lightsabers. He could work with that. He'd fought many opponents by himself who fought with two lightsabers.

Grievous advanced, viciously slashing at Anakin with his lightsabers. Anakin blocked them, maneuvering as best as he could around the relatively small space of the restroom. Their blades sliced through stall doors and once a sink, water spraying up into the air. Thankfully, everyone had cleared out quickly, otherwise Anakin would have had to worry about that…

One of Grievous' arms split, the hand whipping around and catching Anakin unexpectedly in the face, where he was thrown against one of the mirrors, which shattered on impact. Anakin hissed, bringing up his lightsaber to block Grievous' next attack just in time…

"Master!" A familiar voiced called, and a second later, Anakin felt a powerful push directed at Grievous through the Force, effectively knocking the creature back into the opposite wall with a snarl. Anakin couldn't help but smile—Galen was _always_ exceptional with powerful blasts from the Force. It had been one of his specialties in their old galaxy. With glass shards now embedded in his tux jacket, Anakin quickly discarded it, and Galen joined him at his side, igniting his own blue lightsaber, a determined look on his face.

"So," Grievous hissed, stalking towards them, and Anakin didn't need years of military experience to know that Grievous was reassessing his odds. "You are creating _more_ Jedi brats. It is no matter. My Master _will_ defeat you, just as he did in our previous life."

Well great. Not only did Grievous have his old formidable body back, but he _now_ remembered their previous life. Anakin doubted things could get any worse.

 _An old friend of yours?_ Galen sarcastically asked through their Force-connection. Grievous had died before Galen's time, and Anakin didn't program Grievous into PROXY for him to practice with.

 _You could say that. Watch out, he has two other lightsabers to fight with as well._

 _Good to know._

Without another word, they launched themselves at Grievous, and the deadly, twisting battle started once more.

With four blades twirling around and clashing into each other, the bathroom was in shambles in no time. Even though Galen was young, he had still retained quite a bit of his knowledge of the Force from his previous life, and his strokes with the lightsaber were quick and precise, just as Vader had taught him. The difference was, Galen's movements were _not_ fueled by anger this time, but rather the need to protect. Periodically, Galen and Anakin would attempt a Force push against Grievous, knocking him back, but Grievous quickly caught onto that trick. When Anakin attempted to push him back again, he leapt up, his claws digging into the ceiling, his body becoming almost spidery as he skittered across the ceiling in the blink of an eye, dropping behind Anakin and swinging both sabers.

Anakin whirled in time, managing to block, but the force of Grievous' swing caused him to stumble back, leaving him open to…

 _ **BOOM!**_

Suddenly, every toilet and sink in that bathroom exploded, water erupting and slamming into Grievous. Grievous roared, and the lightsabers in his hands went skittering across the bathroom tile. Anakin glanced over and found Galen there, soaking wet, his hands extended towards Grievous. Anakin smirked—he would need to commend him on his creative thinking later…

"MASTER!" Galen suddenly cried, and Anakin, realizing his stupidity at getting distracted, suddenly had a clawed hand wrapped around his throat, and Anakin found himself gasping for air as he was lifted from the ground. Small, ragged gasps escaped his throat, and black spots appeared in his vision. It was hard to think. The only thing he _could_ think of in that moment was escape. Desperately, he blindly slashed out with his lightsaber, attempting to hit something vital, but in that brief, awful moment, Anakin was weak, and Grievous was much too fast. The lightsaber nicked Grievous' armor before he threw Anakin away from him with such force that Anakin slammed through the restroom door, out into the open space of the lobby/bar area, and hit the low edge of the bar table.

He gasped in air, wincing in pain, his head clearing and coming back to his senses. He had been stupid. He couldn't even _remember_ the last time he had done something so stupid…if Obi-Wan found out, he would never hear the end of it…

He began to push himself up, his hand tightening on the grip of his now deactivated lightsaber, ignoring the screams of the other guests as they began to run for the front door. He needed to end this battle. Fast. Galen emerged from the bathroom, his eyes locking with Anakin's, and Anakin couldn't help but notice the grim relief in Galen's eyes as he rushed to join Anakin's side once more.

 _That was reckless, Master. What were you thinking?!_

 _Actually, I was admiring you…_

He hardly had time to finish, or register the surprise coming from Galen through their Force connection, before he heard another, sickeningly familiar voice call his name. He whirled in surprise to find Padme and her parents standing in the midst of the rushing crowd, her parents looking on in horror while Padme was clearly trying to grab their attention to get them to leave. Instinctively, panic welled up in his throat, his eyes darting down to Padme's abdomen where their child was, a fragile life that he needed to protect at _all_ costs, in addition to protecting his wife _and_ her family. His eyes met Padme's, and mouthed, " _Go_. _Get_ _to_ _safety!"_

Padme's eyes hardened, and she whirled on her parents in a renewed effort to get them to listen to her just as the restroom door slammed open once more and out stepped Grievous. He had his original two lightsabers back in his hands, but this time his arms had split into four again, the new hands holding two _more_ lightsabers.

"Pathetic," He rasped, "I expected to fight a former Sith Lord, not a pathetically weak Jedi. How… _disappointing_."

With his family standing right there, a flash of white-hot anger washed over him: How _dare_ he put his family in danger?! If he had actually known Darth Vader, Grievous would _not_ have been interested in messing with him. For the first time in a very long time, the Dark Side seemed to call him, tempting him to unleash it and show this fool what the _true_ power of the Dark Side looked like…

He struggled to push it back. He was Anakin Skywalker. _Not_ Darth Vader. He would not give Grievous the satisfaction of resorting to Vader's ways in order to win.

He was a Jedi. _Not_ a Sith. He would fight him as a Jedi.

Grievous shifted his weight, about to attack, but Anakin reignited his saber and launched himself forward first, Galen by his side, attacking together as one. Blades clashed, the sabers hissing as the three of them began dueling across the lobby. By then, most everyone had run, including, thankfully, Padme and her parents, so Anakin could truly focus on his enemy.

Grievous was still the exceptional fighter that he had been in their old life, and he had certainly improved since their last encounter on the train. Even against two powerful, Force-wielding Jedi, he managed to hold his own. Now that Galen and Anakin had more space, their maneuvers became deadlier, their maneuvers with the Force bolder. Anakin attempted to flip over the cyborg and strike from behind, but Grievous managed to block. Still, Anakin attacked relentlessly as their fight moved from the lobby (which now had sliced lightsaber marks all over it), to the open auditorium attached. Pieces of seats and the stuffing of cushions went flying as they leapt and flipped and slashed at one another.

It was a deadly dance, a dance that probably would have been _much_ more entertaining to watch than the stupid ballet had been, but as an active participant in the battle, Anakin wasn't exactly enthused for it to continue on.

Galen leapt into the air, using the Force to give him momentum, and with a yell, he threw as much Force as he could into a powerful push, a push that seemed to overpower the electricity in the room and cause the lights to flare brightly before shattering and plunging most of the room into darkness, emergency lights flickering. Grievous himself was knocked back into the stage, crying out in either rage or pain (Anakin couldn't tell which) as his back hit the wooden floor.

Anakin, seeing his opportunity to change the tide of battle, retracted his lightsaber, his eyes set above the stage to where the massive metal system holding the hundreds of different lights extended clear over the massive stage. Calling upon the Force, he reached his hand out towards it, and yanked. With a horrible screech, the metal began to bend, and with a continuous pull, it finally gave way with a shower of sparks, and Anakin thrust the metal with all of his might down towards Grievous.

Grievous saw it coming, and with a howl he lurched himself sideways, rolling as the metal smashed into the stage, leaving a massive crater in the floor, separating the Jedi from their foe. "Master," Galen said, his voice filled with warning.

"What?" Anakin hissed, already igniting his lightsaber again and preparing to launch over the gap to continue the attack.

"Look." Anakin wanted to ignore him and attack, but that was what the _old_ Anakin would have done. Darth Vader was a lot of things, but he was _also_ a master strategist, and that part of him caused him to stop and listen to his apprentice, looking to where Galen was now pointing.

The sparks. They had not fallen harmless to the floor. The rows of curtains lining the stage had caught the sparks, and the flammable material had caught fire, and flames were now licking their way quickly toward the ceiling. Soon, the entire stage would be engulfed in flame, and it wouldn't be long before the rest of the building was in danger, too.

Grievous was also not lost on this fact. He hissed and whirled, using the speed his mechanical limbs gave him to move still apparently had no problem turning and running when he knew the odds were no longer in his favor.

The coward.

It burned Anakin with frustration to watch Grievous run—he wanted to go after him and bring him to swift justice. But, just as Anakin was considering making the leap anyway, one of the massive curtains collapsed, spraying fire across the stage, blocking his path. It _still_ might have been something the old Anakin may have risked, but as Anakin watched the flames reach the stage, he couldn't help but be reminded of the fight on Mustafar. Chilling images of him writhing in pain as fire engulfed his body flashed through his head, effectively causing him to freeze.

No. He wouldn't go through that to catch Grievous. Anything but fire. He _loathed_ fire.

"Master?" Galen asked, unsure, "Do you still want to attempt to catch him?"

Anakin retracted his saber and returned the hilt back to his belt. "No," He said, and he couldn't help but notice that his voice quivered. He cleared his throat. "We need to get out of here before the building burns… _and_ before the cops burst in here."

Galen hesitated for a moment, and Anakin was reminded that as Darth Vader, he had stressed that Galen do _whatever_ it took to complete his missions. What he was now telling Galen contradicted that, like so much of his other recent counsel to the boy in this life. "Okay," he finally said, and he too put his lightsaber back before he followed Anakin to find another way out of the building.

* * *

Anakin leaned against the side of the hotel elevator, overcome suddenly with exhaustion as he watched the green numbers climb the floors. He wished it would go faster. He wanted to physically make sure Padme was alright, and then lie down and sleep. He had been thrown into a huge mess that could have major repercussions, but in that moment, he just wanted to put it off and pretend that it wasn't a big deal until tomorrow.

Galen slumped against the other wall, also pretty tired. His eyes dropped, and Anakin smiled a little bit—Galen was _still_ a clearly experienced fighter, and utilized tricks that even Anakin wanted to learn from, but he was still a nine-year-old boy, and had the energy of a nine year old. After the day he had, he probably needed rest more than Anakin did.

Anakin was glad he had created the comm links while in Nepal. They had come in handy for contacting the other Jedi around the world, but up until that night, Anakin had never used the comm link he had given to Padme. Sure, they both carried them just in case, but there hadn't been a reason to switch to it when they had their cells to communicate. _Now_ , however, when Anakin wasn't sure who was looking for them, he made sure to use the untraceable communication devices.

It was easy to find the correct room, and he quickly tapped out the knock he and Padme had agreed to (three slow knocks, followed by two fast ones) and waited for the door to open. As he did, Galen cleared his throat. "By the way, you have bruises…"

The door opened, and Padme stood before him, her soft lips twisted into a worried frown. Anakin groaned and reached up to smooth it out with his thumb. "You aren't supposed to be worrying, Angel." He whispered, his eyes flickering down to her abdomen.

"I'm going to worry when my husband…" she paused, her eyes narrowing on him. He frowned, about to ask what was wrong, when she gasped. " _Oh Ani,_ what happened to you?!" She reached up to touch his neck softly.

"Huh?" He dumbly said as he moved into the tiny, one room hotel. Padme stepped aside for him to enter, but her hands did not leave. Galen followed as well, sitting down on the green cot that had been set up. He glanced around the room to find cheap, cardboard-looking curtains, an ancient cooling system that was already making a racket, dim lighting, and an old TV sitting on a rickety table. There was one queen size bed, and the couch had been turned into a bed as well. Currently, Padme's parents sat on the big queen bed, staring at Anakin as if he were some sort of alien.

Technically, he was.

"Your neck," Padme said, "You're bruising."

"Told you." Galen muttered.

"Oh." He had been so tired, he hadn't bothered to actually check to see if he was injured. "I didn't notice. It's nothing, really. Grievous attempted to choke me, but I got out of it fine."

It didn't seem to calm his wife much, and he could feel her Force presence brimming with concern. Ignoring that Galen and her parents were there, he turned and gave her his full attention, kissing her firmly on the mouth. "I'm fine," He whispered when he pulled away, "I promise. Please, calm down. If not for me…" he trailed off, not knowing yet what she had revealed to her parents since they had witnessed him battling Grievous.

She didn't get a chance to respond.

"Enough," Ruwee said, his voice firm and commanding. Anakin turned, his hands still on Padme's waist, to find the older man glowering at Anakin as if he were some threat. He motioned to the TV, which was turned on but set to mute. News coverage of the burning theater flickered across the screen. "I want to know _why_ you were fighting a giant robot monster with glowing swords. I want to know _why_ Padme seems to think it is normal to leave her husband and his supposed _cousin_ to fight a monster like that. I want to know _why_ the authorities are looking for information on three unidentified _terrorists_ that apparently you have been labeled as. _I need answers and I need them_ _ **now."**_

Anakin glanced at Padme, meeting her eyes, his question unspoken. She sighed. "I didn't want to tell them without you present." In other words, she didn't know what to tell them and what to leave out. He could see the fear of losing him in her dark brown eyes, and it made him tighten his grip around her waist.

"Okay," He said, turning back to her parents. "Where would you like me to start?"

Ruwee and Jobal glanced at each other, also silently communicating. Finally, Jobal asked in a quivering voice, "Who… _what_ was that creature?"

"That was Grievous." Anakin answered, "He's a cyborg that works under Palpatine. He is much like Maul in the sense that he is dispatched to take care of people Palpatine deems…problematic."

"Palpatine is behind this?" Ruwee asked incredulously, "How do you know this?"

 _Because_ _I'm_ _from_ _another_ _galaxy_ _and_ _I_ _unfortunately_ _have a complicated_ _relationship_ _with_ _basically_ _everyone_ _involved_ _tonight_ , Anakin thought grimly. What he said was, "I've been tracking the assassins for years. I suspected Palpatine before Padme found all of that information, and I've run into Grievous once before." He didn't bother to give more information than that—Padme and Anakin had intentionally kept the train attack secret from their parents. Her parents had known about the train attack, but since Padme and Anakin had wished to remain anonymous, her parents weren't ever clued in that their daughter and son-in-law had been in danger.

There was an awkward silence as her parents processed this information. "You're clearly not a government spy," Ruwee grumbled, "I ran a background check on you in the very beginning of all this."

" _Dad,"_ Padme said, clearly appalled by the idea that her father would use government resources to check on the guys she was dating. Anakin didn't bother to mention that he actually approved of the idea: He would have done the exact same thing if it was Leia.

Her father ignored her. "So. What are you, Anakin Skywalker?" He eyed the lightsaber hilt attached to his side. "That is obviously not a simple prototype for one of your droids, as you told me when I asked you about that before."

The moment of truth.

Anakin would _not_ tell his father-in-law about being from another galaxy (that would guarantee him a one-way trip to an insane asylum), but he couldn't hide the fact that he was a Jedi any longer. Now that the truth was staring them straight in the face, he realized it had been stupid to try to hide it from them in the first place. One way or another, they would have found out.

"No, it isn't. _This_ is called a lightsaber," Anak in fingered the saber clipped to his belt, "and I'm part of a group of individuals who have the ability to tap into what we call the Force." Her parents glanced at each other in confusion, as if checking to see if the other had heard of the Force before. "The best way I can quickly describe it is that it is similar to what you would call magic, but the Force is much more than that. It is all around us, it helps guide and direct the lives of those in the universe. It's like an energy that surrounds and binds us together." They still didn't seem like they fully understood it, but he didn't see disbelief either. After what they'd seen tonight, there was no way they could doubt his confession about the Force existing.

He continued. "There are some, like Palpatine and Grievous and Maul, that use this power for evil. We call them the Sith." He didn't bother to explain that technically, Grievous was not a Sith Lord. Maybe some other time. "And then there are some who dedicate their lives to using the Force to maintain peace. These people are called Jedi." He motioned to himself and Galen. "We are part of a small, but growing, Jedi Order. Obi….Ben and I are the Grand Masters of the Order, and we have young Jedi training under other Jedi Masters across the world in undisclosed locations," Ruwee opened his mouth, clearly to ask for more information on the location, but Anakin cut him off firmly, "That I will _not_ disclose for their own safety."

This did not seem to sit well with his father-in-law. His face reddened with anger. "You claim to be peaceful," he motioned brusquely to the TV, "Yet _that_ looks nothing like peace!"

Anakin calmly replied, "The road to peace is a long and hard one. You should understand that, working in politics."

Jobal spoke before her husband could reply. She didn't seem angry, per se, but she did seem to be in shock. She looked at Galen as she spoke. "So, you're not really cousins." It wasn't a question.

"No." Galen said sleepily. "He's my Master. He's training me to become a Jedi."

Jobal frowned. "But you're only nine…"

"Anciently, Jedi used to start their training around the age four." Galen responded, earning him the attention of both of Padme's parents. He shrugged. "What? The Jedi didn't just randomly show up in the last nine years."

"How old _is_ this order?" Jobal breathed, looking more lost than before. Anakin felt a little bad for dropping all of this on the poor woman.

"We don't have all of the answers yet, but it seems that the old Order disappeared. We don't know why yet." Anakin replied. "Obi-Wan….Ben…and I have begun rebuilding it."

"Ahsoka is a part of this, too." Ruwee said. It wasn't a question either. Anakin could tell the man had already pieced it together. Anakin nodded. Ruwee let out a breath. "And Mindy?"

Anakin snorted, but it was Padme who answered. "She isn't a Jedi, but she has been helping the order catalog the artifacts and information they've been gathering."

This seemed to unsettle Ruwee further. "Are we the last to know about all of this?!"

"No," Padme quickly assured him, "This is largely secret."

"Well, it shouldn't be." Ruwee stood, seemingly unable to sit still any longer. He began to pace the small area of the room he had. "This is too dangerous. Who knows how many other of those…those things…those _Sith,_ are out there. We need to present this to Congress…no, the _president…"_

Anakin's heart sank. This was _exactly_ what they had feared. Padme's parents, being the politicians they were, needed to disclose this information to their government. Honestly, if Anakin was in their position, he probably would have done the same. However, he couldn't allow himself and other Jedi to be taken by the government. They would need to escape, run to Nepal…

"Absolutely not." Padme firmly said, stopping her father in his tracks.

" _Excuse me?"_ He asked, his voice low and warning, as if she were a disrespectful child rebelling against him. Then again, Anakin had never heard Padme respond that way to her parents. Yet, there she was, no longer acting like the Stanford-Law student she had been raised to become on this world. There, standing beside him, was Senator Amidala, her eyes filled with the determined fire he had fallen for all those years ago.

"You will _not_ take my husband away from me." Her father opened his mouth to argue, but she cut him off. "Even if the government believed you, you _know_ the government would take him, and everyone like him. They would become experiments, or _worse_ , they would be locked up in windowless cells for the rest of their lives. You would start a manhunt, a panic, that would cost lives, because the government would view the Jedi and the Sith as _one_ faceless enemy that needs to be stopped, regardless of the fact that people like _my husband_ are trying to help bring balance to the world." Her glare intensified, and her voice dropped until it was threatening. "If you reveal my husband and the Jedi Order," she said, "You _will_ lose me as your daughter. I will leave with Anakin and Galen right now, and you will **never** see me again. You will **never** find me. I can promise you that."

Both Jobal and Galen were staring at Padme open mouthed, as if they hadn't expected that from her. Anakin had seen her get that way in the Senate multiple times, but he didn't think she would _ever_ use that on her parents. As he studied her, he could tell that she wasn't bluffing either—she was deadly serious. She fully intended to walk out the door at the first sign of her parents turning him into the government.

He wasn't sure whether to be surprised, or proud. Both, he decided, struggling to keep a smirk off of his face—he was both.

Ruwee seemed to get the message as well, but he did not seem to find it as impressive as Anakin did. His eyes narrowed. "I am your _father,_ young lady…"

"And I will _always_ love you for that," Padme replied smoothly. "However, Anakin is my _husband_. I have promised to support him. If he has to go on the run, then so will I."

Ruwee was silent for a long time, struggling to come to terms with the woman standing before him. Clearly, he had not seen this side of his daughter before. "You knew." He finally said softly, "Before you married him. You knew."

"I did." Padme replied.

"And, you didn't tell us."

"It wasn't my secret to tell."

"You've put yourself in danger." He motioned to Anakin. " _He's_ put you in danger!"

"I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to marry him." Padme replied. "I don't regret it."

There was another long, tense silence. Finally, Ruwee sighed, relenting. "Fine. I won't tell the government." Padme relaxed, but Ruwee whirled on Anakin. "However, if you ever bring harm to my daughter…"

He didn't finish the threat, but he didn't need to. Anakin nodded. "I would give my life before I allowed that to happen." He promised, but it didn't seem to completely satisfy the man. Ruwee huffed and sat back down on the bed, apparently through with the conversation.

With a sinking feeling, Anakin wondered if he had completely damaged his relationship with his father-in-law forever.

After an awkward pause, Jobal asked, "Is there anything else that we should know that you haven't told us?"

Padme glanced at Anakin, before looking back at her mother. She sighed, threw her hands in the air, and said, "I'm pregnant."

As another shocked silence ensued, Anakin burst into hysterical, almost delirious laughter from lack of rest.

Well, he supposed that was _one_ way to announce the big news.

* * *

 **This chapter turned out to be much more involved than I originally planned. I went into it thinking that it would be a short chapter...17 pages later... XD**

 **As I said, the end of the school year is here, and it's testing season, so school has been extremely busy. I'll try to update regularly, but please be patient.**

 **Next chapter, we find out about whether or not this baby is Luke and Leia! ;)**

 **BABIES.**

 **Love you lots! Thanks for the support, it means a lot to me!**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	45. The Final Answer

"Ani," Padme whispered, but even though Anakin had been deep in sleep, it was enough to wake him.

He yawned, reaching up to rub his eyes with one hand while the other pulled her closer to his side instinctively as he shifted his weight in their bed. It had been a week and a half since the ballet. After Obi-Wan and Peter had checked to make sure that both their home and Padme's parent's home were free of enemies or other monitoring equipment, they had returned home. Worried that there would still be another attack; however, Anakin had taken the week off from work to make sure that things were okay. He had to admit, he had gone into (over) protective mode and tried to keep Padme and Galen from leaving the house as much as possible. Padme didn't complain due to the stress of the situation, but when they missed their first ultrasound with Dr Organa, they both agreed that they needed to tone the worrying down a notch. So far, no one had attacked them in their own home. It was only a matter of time, of course, until someone did, but until then, living in fear would do nothing but put a strain on their relationship. So, they had rescheduled the ultrasound for that day.

"What's wrong, Angel?" Anakin asked, his voice heavy with grogginess, as he yawned again. He reached out with his senses, feeling for anything that might have been out of the ordinary. All he could sense was Jedi, asleep on his dog bed, and a half-asleep Galen in his room.

Padme pulled away from him, leaning up on her elbows as she turned to stare down at him in the darkness. He could just make out the serious look on her face with the moonlight that drifted through the white blinds and curtains of their room. "Ani. I have a very important mission for you."

Anakin blinked, trying to process those words in his sleep-fogged mind. He glanced over at the alarm clock on the night stand. " _At_ _two_ _in_ _the_ _morning_?!" He asked incredulously, looking back at her in concern, "Did Obi-Wan call or something?" He hadn't heard a phone ring, nor had he heard the comm beep.

Surely not…

"No, nothing like that. It's not Jedi related." She promised with a shake of her head. Normally, this would have relaxed him, but it was so _cryptic_ , it just worried him further. "Ani. I really, _really_ need you to go get me a Big Mac from McDonalds."

He simply stared at her, not sure he was hearing her correctly. "Wait a sec...The mission…at _two_ _in_ _the_ _morning_ …is to go get you a _Big Mac?!"_

She nodded her head vigorously, as if this were a completely normal thing to wake someone up for. "Yes." She paused, seeming to think it over. "Oh, and tapioca pudding, and a bag of Funyuns, too."

Now, he was starting to wonder if he was having a _really_ vivid and strange dream. "Sweetheart, you don't even _like_ tapioca."

"Well, I do tonight." She seemed very confident, as if she requested food she didn't normally like all the time.

"So, a Big Mac and tapioca pudding," he repeated incredulously, "Somehow, I don't think this is a healthy or sensible combination, Angel."

"Don't forget the Funyuns, and I didn't _say_ it was healthy." She sighed and fully pulled away from him, getting up.

"What are you doing?"

"Well, if _you_ ' _re_ not going to go, then I will."

"Wait, what?" He sat up now, and when she turned the bedside lamp on, he blinked against the sudden brightness, rubbing his eyes. "Padme, Sweetheart, it's _two_ in the morning. Can't the Big Mac _wait?_ We have the ultrasound today. Don't you want to be rested up for that?"

"It isn't until three in the afternoon, Ani." She began to change into a Stanford t-shirt and black sweats, grabbing her New Balance sneakers from the closet. Anakin sat in bed watching her dress, dumbfounded at her insistence on going _out_ for a specific burger at _this_ hour of the morning.

This was ridiculous.

"Plus, we also need to go to Babies-R-Us to get a baby registry set up, too," Padme continued, deliberately ignoring the astonished look on her husband's face.

Anakin shook his head as if to clear it, still not a hundred percent sure that this was _really_ happening. If it was, and it wasn't a dream, then he was a bit concerned for his wife's sanity. Perhaps she needed a vacation. "Can't the registry wait?"

"No." Padme replied firmly, "It's better to get this stuff taken care of _now_ instead of stressing about it when the due date is closer, and I'm _ginormous_." She began to pull on her sneakers without any socks. He frowned as she sat back down on the bed and tied the laces of her shoes.

He rubbed a hand over his face again. "You're really serious about this… _adventure_ , aren't you?"

"One thousand percent." She assured him, jumping up from the bed and grabbing her purse and her cellphone.

Clearly, this was **not** something he was going to talk her out of. He sighed and got out of bed, stretching and shaking his head. "Okay, fine. But you're _not_ going by yourself. So, give me a minute and let's go get this over with." She beamed at him and headed out of their bedroom.

Muttering to himself about _women_ and _crazy hormonal cravings,_ he got dressed and followed his wife out of their room, grabbing the car keys from off of the dresser. When he walked out into the hallway, Galen cracked his door open. Evidently, he had sensed Anakin awake.

"What are you two doing? Do you _know_ what time it is?" He asked, his voice filled with apprehension. "Is there trouble?"

"No." Anakin grumbled, rubbing his right hand through his hair, stifling another yawn. "Padme, care to explain it?"

"We don't have time for that." She insisted impatiently, heading toward the garage door, "We _need_ to go get that Big Mac and tapioca pudding _right now_ or…or I'll just die of hunger!"

"Don't forget the Funyuns." Anakin added dryly.

"Yep. The Funyuns, too."

"See?" Anakin said, arching his eyebrows and motioning toward his retreating wife, and Galen frowned, looking at Anakin like they'd _both_ gone off the deep end. Through their Force bond, Galen had to ask...

 _Is this a_ _ **girl**_ _thing or what?_

 _I guess you could say that._

 _Weird._

 _Whatever you do, don't tell_ _ **her**_ _that._

 _Guess there's no figuring out women, huh, Master._

 _Oh, you have_ _ **no**_ _idea._

Galen smirked and shook his head while Anakin pursed his lips and nodded before following his wife down the hall.

"Well, I'm awake now," Galen said, "So, can I come along, too?"

"As long as you hurry." Padme replied before Anakin could. "I need that food _now."_

And so, _that_ was how Anakin found himself driving his apparently craving-driven wife and his half-asleep apprentice to the 24- hour Wal-Mart, which _thankfully_ had a McDonalds inside that was _also_ 24-hours. While Padme went to get the pudding and the Funyuns, he and Galen ordered the sandwich and a large Sprite for Padme and a medium Coke for Galen from a very grumpy fast-food employee. As the employee tried to rush Anakin through his order, Anakin clenched his teeth and held back the urge to snap at the man. If he lashed out, being as tired as he was, it probably would not end well for the man, and it would set a _very_ _bad_ example for his apprentice.

 _Besides_ , _it_ _would_ _only_ _give_ _Padme_ ' _s_ _father_ _the_ _reason_ _he_ _needs to_ _turn_ _me_ _into_ _the_ _government_ , Anakin thought with a scowl.

Finally, they received their bagged food and drinks, and Anakin waited for his wife up at the very front. It didn't take long for her to show up, a pack of tapioca pudding cups and a large bag of Funyuns in her hands without the Walmart bag.

"Fantastic," she grinned when she saw the McDonald's bag and the drinks in Anakin's hands. "Let's get out of here."

Anakin was _more_ than happy to comply. All he wanted was to get back home ASAP.

As they got back into the SUV, Anakin was already picturing them getting back into bed, wrapping his arms around Padme's waist, pulling her close to his chest as he buried his face in her curls, and falling asleep with her sent wrapped around him. He turned the SUV on as Padme got into the front passenger seat, Galen getting in the back. "Can I have the sandwich, please?" Padme asked.

Normally, Anakin didn't like it when people ate in the SUV—even though they'd had it for over a year, it still had the new-car smell it had come with. He had worked hard to keep it that way, too. However, as it was now 2:45 in the morning, he just wanted to get home and go back to bed. So, if it got them back in bed faster… "Sure, Sweetie." He handed her the bag.

"Thanks, Honey," She said meaningfully, and he glanced over to find her smiling wide, her eyes full of love. He relaxed a little. If this whole crazy trip made her happy, he thought, then perhaps…

She opened the bag, and immediately the mixed aroma of beef and melted cheese and the special sauce on the Big Mac wafted through the car, and Anakin watched, his eyebrows arching and his mouth falling open in concerned surprise, as her smile faded, her skin paled, before she shoved the bag back at him, thrust open the car door again, and hurled the little contents of her stomach onto the parking lot pavement.

He held the bag in shock, staring at it. _This_ had been what she wanted, right? He glanced back at Galen who looked just as shocked and confused as Anakin was. "This isn't a dream, is it?" Anakin asked.

Galen slowly shook his head. "If it is, we're _both_ having the same weird dream."

He let out a shaky breath, turning back to his wife. Thankfully, she was no longer throwing up. "Angel?" He cautiously asked, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Ani," She assured him, but she did not shut the door or turn to face him. "Just…get that thing out of the car, would you? I _never_ want to smell a Big Mac **ever** again!"

Anakin groaned. "Seriously?"

"Do I _sound_ like I'm kidding?" She asked, consternation clearly evident in her tone.

He sighed and lowered his head, pinching the bridge of his nose, trying to maintain calm. "Did you get cravings like this the first time you were pregnant?" He finally asked.

She hesitated and cast a sideways glance at her husband, feeling a bit sheepish. "Yeah...Maybe once or twice...at the very beginning…Threepio usually was able to go out and obtain the food I wanted. Like chocolate covered shurra fruit and shaak steaks with blue milk. I usually sent him to Dex's, and Dex always got me what I wanted, so..."

Guilt began to replace the annoyance. He had known that the first five months of her pregnancy while he had been fighting in the Outer Rim hadn't _exactly_ been a walk in the park for her. He had always felt bad that he hadn't been there to help her with that. Apparently, _this_ was part of it.

"Wouldn't you remember this?" Galen asked him, still sounding very confused.

"Back in our…previous life," Anakin explained, "When she was pregnant, I was fighting as a general in the Outer Rim in the Clone Wars for the first five months. I didn't even _know_ she was pregnant until I got home."

"Oh." Galen paused. "Well, if she doesn't want it, I can eat that real quick outside." When Anakin glanced back at him, he shrugged. "What? It shouldn't go to waste…"

Galen had a point.

"Sure. Have at it." Anakin handed him the bag, and once he had slid back out of the car, Anakin told Padme, "OK, you can get back in now."

She quickly did so, leaning back in her seat, clearly exhausted. "I'm sorry." She said, but even as she was saying it, she was opening the pudding and the bag of Funyuns. Apparently, the craving for the pudding she normally hated was very real indeed.

"It's fine, Angel," Anakin replied, and he found that he _really_ did mean it. "I should have been there the first time for this."

Padme munched a handful of Funyuns and then snorted. "And _what_ would you have told the Jedi if they noticed that you kept going out to get me food in the middle of the night?" She asked with a smirk, continuing to chew her Funyuns.

"Easy." He smirked right back. "I would have said you needed someone to go get you food because you couldn't send Threepio, and being the oh-so-helpful Jedi that I am, I volunteered to do it."

This made Padme smile again, and he relaxed and grinned at her.

"I had hand maidens at the time."

He shrugged. "They would have mysteriously been on vacation." He reached out and caressed her cheek. "Besides. You were _my_ wife and carrying _my_ children. The least I could have done was make sure you got the food you wanted... _When_ you wanted it." His hand moved down to rub her abdomen, resting there. Even though she wasn't showing yet, it still warmed him inside knowing that their child was growing inside of her there. "So, to make up for not doing it _then_ , I'll do it _now_."

"Even at two in the morning?" She asked, her eyes tearing up. Oh, hormones.

"Even at two in the morning." He confirmed lovingly. He leaned over, and planted a tender kiss on her forehead.

At that moment, Galen slid back into the SUV, the bag having been thrown away and the burger eaten. He grinned triumphantly. "Well, I enjoyed it."

Padme laughed. "I'm glad someone was able to."

Anakin started the SUV. "Is there _anything_ else that you want before we go back home?" She shook her head, drinking the pudding from the cup as if it were a thick smoothie, and grabbing another handful of Funyuns, before sipping on her Sprite. Anakin relaxed and smiled as he drove out of the Walmart parking lot. "Alright. Let's go home and go back to bed then."

* * *

It was official.

Babies-R-Us was certifiably **the** creepiest place Anakin had _ever_ been…and that was saying a lot.

It was like an over-priced nightmare for soon-to-be parents. The "cute" baby items, Anakin decided, was the trap to lure unsuspecting parents-to-be to their financial doom. He was so glad that he had Obi-Wan take Galen for the day, because Anakin was _certain_ that Galen would be bored out of his mind.

Because Anakin certainly was bored out of _his._

Although, he _had_ to admit, while they were waiting for the associate to come to the randomly placed 'baby registry' desk in the middle of the store to help them, it _had_ been fun to watch Padme get all excited about the cute tiny baby clothes and fawn over how adorable they were. Again, something he'd missed out on last time and wouldn't _dream_ of missing now. Her beautiful face lit up as she talked about the different possibilities for each gender. _She's truly glowing,_ Anakin thought with loving pride.

"And, if we have both, we can do both of those." He reminded her before he could stop himself. She paused, the smile turning tense and worried. They hadn't spoken of what the results would be for the ultrasound since Padme had told him she was pregnant. They were too worried to keep hoping and speculating.

"We'll find out today." Was all Padme said.

Anakin let it drop.

When the store associate finally arrived, it was not an adult manager, as Anakin had expected, but one of the teenagers from the front of the store, the same ones that looked bored and irritated with their presence. To the girl's credit, she attempted to seem interested and excited for them about their registry, but Anakin could tell that she was faking it. Padme didn't seem to mind, however.

Once they were set up in the computer system, the girl handed them an object that to _him_ looked suspiciously like a ray gun, even though he knew it wasn't. "Just point this at what you want on the registry, pull the trigger, and when it beeps, you know that it's saved the info. When you're done, bring it back here, and we can go over it and save it to the system so anyone can access your requested items with a passcode."

Well. If he could _shoot_ things, maybe this trip would be worth it. So, he made _sure_ that _he_ was the one to grab the pretend ray gun. Unfortunately, the next two hours (yes, _two hours)_ were the _longest_ hours of his entire life.

He was sure of it.

It started off easy enough. They began with the essentials, and their decisions were basically unanimous. Their conversation essentially consisted of this:

"We need that."

"Okay." He pointed at the tag and pulled the trigger. _Beep!_

"We should probably have extra of those."

"Good idea." Point. Pull. _Beep!_

When they finished the essentials, things became a bit more… _difficult_. His wife went into her planning mode. When she entered this mode, she got sucked in, and would remain so until it was _all_ planned out. He remembered trying to convince her to do other things with him back in their old galaxy, and if she had entered _planning_ _mode_ , just forget it. There would be _no_ _way_ he would sway her.

It was the same now.

The conversation changed to:

"Well, _this_ crib is nice, but I actually like the wood of this one better."

"As long as the baby has somewhere safe to sleep, _why_ does it matter?"

" _It_ _just does._ Trust me."

"Okay, I trust you…."

And…

"Do you think the baby will like these kinds of toys?"

"I have no idea. Will they even know the difference?"

"Of _course,_ they will, Ani. They're babies."

"Right. I should have known."

When she started comparing the different shades of the same colors, Anakin was _pretty_ _sure_ he was on the verge of a meltdown from the boredom. If someone had told Darth Vader that he would someday be stuck in a warehouse specifically made for babies for seemingly endless hours, comparing baby items, Vader probably would have choked that person. Even telling the old Anakin that, he doubted he would have believed them.

She held up two baby blankets that looked exactly the same to him. "Should we pick _this_ shade of pink," she lifted one up, "Or _this_ one?" She held up another one.

"They look the same."

"But, they're _not."_ She insisted.

Anakin groaned and pointed to a random one. "Fine. That one. Can I shoot the price tag now?" His look was hopeful.

Padme's eyes narrowed. "You're just saying that so that we can be done, aren't you?"

"What? No, never." She raised an eyebrow, not believing him. "But, Sweetheart, you don't even really _like_ pink that much. We don't even know the gender yet! So, _why_ get pink?"

"Because." She looked back at the blankets, clearly taking the decision into her own hands.

"Are you serious right now?" Anakin had a feeling he was going to be asking this question _a_ _lot_ for the duration of the pregnancy. She ignored the question, her eyes going back and forth between the blankets.

Anakin _tried_ to be patient, he really, _really_ did, but after five minutes of her debating, he finally let out a loud groan, rubbing his hand down his face.

"Padmeeeeee…Come on, just pick one already!"

"Don't rush me."

"Angel, at this rate, our child is going to be in college before you make a decision!"

Padme sighed, finally looking up at him. "Ani."

Her voice was tight and filled with annoyance. _This_ was usually how it ended whenever he tried to convince her to do something else whenever she was in her planning mode.

"Yeah?"

"I love you, but please _shut_ _up_ for five minutes, okay?"

After that, he dropped the subject. He _knew_ when he wasn't going to win a battle. There was no sense in continuing it.

 _Finally_ , they finished, and though it took another forty five minutes to enter everything into the computer and set up their registry website, they eventually were done. Anakin breathed a sigh of relief. A headache had begun to form from the musty smell of the store, and the dim lighting was beginning to get on his nerves. "Okay, Ani," Padme said as she gathered up her purse, "We can go now."

 _Finally._

"Oh, that's good." He casually said as he took her hand in his and began to head for the front door. He tried not to seem like he was rushing. Anakin could practically _hear_ Padme roll her eyes. She made no further comment, and soon they were passing the stuffed animal section that stood next to the front door.

EXIT in sight. YES! Almost there…

"We still have an hour and a half before our appointment. Maybe we could stop and get lunch…Anakin?"

He had stopped. He hadn't even realized he'd done it until she'd called his name. His attention had been grabbed by a small brown and white stuffed pony. Slowly, he reached out and picked it up. It was super soft to the touch, and when he squeezed it, he couldn't help but imagine little Leia holding it…

"Anakin?" Padme called again, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"What? Oh. Sorry. I just…" he looked back down at the horse. They didn't have animals like this in their old galaxy (that he knew of), but they _did_ have animals similar to them. He wondered if Leia, raised as a princess on Alderaan, had ever learned to ride one of them. If so, had she _liked_ to ride? Did she dream of owning her own mount like most little girls in this world did? To be honest, he had _no_ idea. He had _no_ _clue_ what she liked, except politics, but he clearly wasn't going to give her a book on politics as a baby.

With Luke, it was easy to know what he would like. He had heard enough stories from Obi-Wan to know that Luke's likes and dislikes were very similar to his own. Leia, however…

He had no idea.

Still, looking down at the little pony, he thought, just _maybe_ , it would be something she would have liked. A part of him knew that it was possible that they had lost her and her brother again, and that this baby was different, but…

What if?

"What are you thinking, Ani?" Padme asked again, looking at him clutching the stuffed horse.

He looked back up at her. "I think I'm going to buy this." He told her softly. He saw realization dawn on her. She knew his reasoning behind buying the toy. She knew, just as well as he did, that it was likely that they had already lost the twins.

Again.

She didn't argue though. Instead, she smiled softly and wrapped her arms around his right arm, hugging him.

"Okay. Let's go get it."

* * *

"How are you feeling today, Padme?" Bail asked with a smile as he walked into the examination room that she and Anakin had been led to. It still sometimes weirded her out a little to see Bail as a doctor instead of a politician, but in this world, she had long grown used to him being her family doctor. In _this_ world, the profession suited him perfectly.

She managed a tense smile. She was already sitting on the examination bed with Anakin standing next to her. She laced her hand with Anakin's, and with Bail in the room, she knew that the answer to their fears would be confirmed in a matter of moments. To say that she was nervous would have been an understatement.

"Fine," She partially lied. Anakin gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. It was moments like _this_ when she wished that she could communicate through the Force to him. If she could, her frenzied mind would be constantly relaying its thoughts to him throughout the procedure.

Bail seemed to sense a little of her apprehension. "You should be fine, Padme. Relax. From what my nurse says, everything appears to be going well."

"Okay." She kept her response simple. She knew her baby was healthy. That wasn't the issue. She wasn't going to explain that to Bail though.

As Bail began to get out the tools he would need, Anakin gave her hand another squeeze and leaned over. "Please relax, Angel. Stressing out isn't going to do anything good for you or the baby." He whispered.

"I know," she replied, swallowing the thick lump that had arisen in her throat. "I can't help it though."

Anakin sighed and kissed her forehead, and although she wasn't _completely_ calm, his presence did help her breathe a little easier.

Bail finished making the preparations and came back to her side. It was at this time that Anakin moved so that Bail could work, and although she missed him being directly next to her, he never let go of her hand to remind her that she wasn't alone in this.

Bail pulled up a chair and his little moving table with his ultrasound instruments and made sure that the screen next to them was ready to receive the images. "I think we're ready." He smiled kindly at Padme and Anakin. "Are you both ready for this?"

No. Yes. Maybe.

She glanced at Anakin and opened her mouth to respond, but her throat was too tight. So, she eventually closed her mouth and merely nodded. Bail smiled in understanding. "Well. Let's get started, shall we? Could you lift your shirt up a bit please?"

She did so, bringing it just below her bosom, fighting to keep her breathing under control. She gripped Anakin's hand tightly as Bail squirted the cool, light blue jelly onto her skin, smearing it around with the imaging wand. "Sorry if this is a little cold." He said.

Images began to appear on the screen, and Padme almost stopped breathing. _Keep breathing,_ she reminded herself over and over again, _you'll_ _ **love**_ _this baby no matter what…_

Bail continued to move the wand around, and the images became clearer. Still, Padme was not exactly proficient in looking at ultrasound images. When her sister had her girls and would show her pictures of their ultrasounds, Padme could never tell what was what until the very end of the pregnancy (not that she ever told her sister that). Looking at her own ultrasound, it was no different. There were a lot of black and white images, and she thought she saw things there, but she wasn't sure…

Bail suddenly frowned, moving in a little closer to examine the screen. He continued to move the wand around, pressing firmly, and just when she thought that she couldn't take it any longer, he leaned back, a look of mild shock on his face. "Well. That is a surprise."

"A good surprise or a bad one?" Anakin asked anxiously. By now Padme couldn't speak even if she wanted to. She was a nervous wreck. She was grateful that at least her husband still had his wits about him.

"A good one." Bail smiled at them. "You're expecting twins."

 _Twins._

 _ **Luke and Leia.**_

Padme let out a breath of relief, happiness flooding over her. She smiled so wide, her cheeks hurt, and she squeezed Anakin's hand again... _ **hard.**_ "Thank goodness," She breathed, leaning her head back against the pillow.

Bail blinked in surprise. "Wow. I didn't realize you were hoping so much for twins, Padme. It's a rare occurrence."

She couldn't even begin to explain herself.

She was carrying Luke and Leia, again!

 _This_ time, she would live past their birth. She was sure of it. She would mother them, watch them grow up. She would actually get to nurse, cuddle and _hold them…_

Tears had begun to fall down her cheeks. "I know," she finally managed, "I've, uh, always wanted twins." It was a flimsy lie, but it would do.

"Well, you certainly got your wish." Bail smiled, moving the wand around again.

As he began to explain that they were indeed healthy babies (not that Padme needed that assurance; she could feel that already), Padme turned her attention to her strangely silent husband. Sure enough, he was staring intently at the screen as if he were memorizing it, his blue eyes shining with unshed tears.

Still, he said nothing, and there was no other indication from him that this news was out of the ordinary. She frowned; she _knew_ he had been worried about the results as well.

Why hadn't he said anything?

She turned her attention back to what Bail was saying, and as he pointed out things, she began to really see them for the first time. They were tiny, and their bodies were still very much in the process of growing, but she could see their little heads and their little bodies curled close. More tears fell down her face. She hadn't seen them since her death, so many years ago, and it had only been the briefest of moments.

She had _always_ loved them, and she supposed that a part of her had _always_ known _something_ was missing from her life when she didn't remember, but seeing them again, she felt an immense amount of love. She wanted to hold them, to tell them she loved them _so_ much, that she would _never_ leave them again, but she still had quite a bit of time before she could do any of that. However, they were currently part of her, and _that_ was a bond that could not be broken or replicated by anyone or anything.

Finally, Bail finished, wiped the jelly off her abdomen, and began making a copy of the ultrasound for them to take home, and reluctantly Padme pulled her shirt back down. "Again, congratulations to you both." Bail said with a smile.

Padme wiped her tears away, still smiling wide. "Thank you, Bail," she said, "This is just the **best** news _ever_."

"I'm glad," Bail laughed, "Now, make sure you schedule your follow up appointment in 2 weeks time before you leave. With twins, it's a higher risk pregnancy. So, we'll need to keep a close eye on everything. Oh, and have my nurse give you a copy of the book _What to Expect When You're Expecting,_ onyourwayout _._ I highly recommend you both read it, so you'll _both_ know more about pregnancy and the changes you're going through."

"Ok. Thanks again, Bail."

Anakin was _still_ silent as they made their way out into the lobby. Her hand was still intertwined with Anakin's, and it remained that way even as she set up her follow up appointment in 2 weeks. When Anakin _still_ hadn't said anything by the end of that, she was beginning to get concerned. She _knew_ he was happy— So, why wasn't he _saying_ anything?

She didn't press the issue until they had left the office and were heading out to their car. "Ani?" she asked, slowing down, "Are you alright? What are you thinking?"

Anakin stopped. Completely stopped. She frowned, turning to face him, about to press him again, but she didn't need to. A huge, massive, almost dopey grin had spread across his face.

"We're having Luke and Leia," He said, his voice barely above a whisper.

His smile was infectious. She smiled back. "We're having Luke and Leia," She repeated with a matching grin.

She didn't think she'd _ever_ seen Anakin react this way, but she loved it, and she knew she'd _never_ forget it. He suddenly let go of her hand, pumping his fists up into the air, and let out a wild, exuberant _whoop_.

 **"WE** ' **RE** **HAVING** **LUKE** **AND** **LEIA!"** He shouted up into the sky, and the next thing she knew, he was scopping her up in his arms, whirling around and around, laughing like a school boy.

She laughed too, happier than ever.

Somehow, she had been granted another chance at life with her beloved soul mate and husband. _That_ in itself had been an unexpected miracle. But **now** , she was also given another chance to be there for her precious Luke and Leia.

 _ **Thank the Force!**_

As she and Anakin hugged and kissed and repeated over and over again that they were having Luke and Leia, Padme couldn't help but feel like life, as wild and crazy as it could be, was _perfect_. She could face anything, as long as they were together...As a family.

The Skywalker Family.

* * *

 **LUKE AND LEIA! :D WOOHOO! But, really, there wasn't much doubt. I have been so excited to write this part, I've already started on the next chapter!**

 **For this chapter, I pictured Leia's theme playing for the stuffed horse scene, and Luke's theme playing for when they find out they're having twins. Although, I wrote this chapter to the Batman Begins soundtrack, and even though it didn't technically fit, it's great writing music. Most of Han Zimmer's stuff is, though. John Williams...I often have to stop and just bask, so it can be hard to write to his stuff cuz he's just so dang good...**

 **I LOVED your feedback last chapter! People seemed to enjoy the battle scene, and, as I intended, people thought Padme's revelation to her parents that she was pregnant was funny. I was going for a run one day and I thought about it and I had to stop cuz I was laughing so hard. I knew I would do the Grievous battle, but that just iced the cake for me.**

 **Anyhow, this chapter was super enjoyable to write. I just kept imagining what Darth Vader would have had to say about this whole thing had he been the one to do it. Redeemed Anakin is pretty hilarious as well, but throwing a Sith Lord in...oh boy.**

 **Hopefully, expect an update soon. I am SUPER excited to write all of this...**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	46. Luke and Leia

**WARNING: This chapter is combined with real experiences that are...intense, to say the least. If you get squeamish reading birth scenes...skimming is the best option. It is by no means graphic, but I feel like you should know going in.**

 **Have fun reading!**

* * *

 **6 months later…**

Anakin startled awake. He lay at the edge of their king size bed, his heavily pregnant wife taking up most of the space. He could sense that she was awake, and due to her uncomfortable shifting, he realized, with little surprise, that _this_ was the reason why he'd woken up. It had become almost a nightly ritual—he would wake up because of Padme's shifting, he would use the Force to try and calm the twins inside of her or rub her low back to ease her backache, and then attempt to fall back asleep, wrapping one arm around her belly, sliding one thigh between hers as a cushion, and trying to help _all_ of them to get their much needed rest.

"The twins are causing problems again." Padme said, having already figured that she'd woken her husband up. Her voice was apologetic, as it always was. She had suggested that he sleep in Galen's room, since the boy was back in Nepal and the bed was going unused. Anakin refused, wanting to be close to his wife, but there had been _some_ nights when he had had to take her up on her offer when he'd had exams for school the next day or a busy day at the factory scheduled, and he'd needed a full night's sleep.

Tonight, he decided, would _not_ be one of those nights.

"It's fine, Sweetie. Tomorrow is Saturday: We don't have classes or work to worry about." He rolled over, spooned up against her back, dropped a loving kiss on her shoulder, and put a comforting hand on her belly, rubbing soothing circles to try and quiet the twins down. For whatever reason, _this_ time she had grown _much_ faster and bigger than she had before in her second and third trimesters, much to her discomfort and annoyance. Even if she hadn't, it was _extremely_ obvious this time that she was carrying twins due to the _very_ powerful Force-signatures both of them were emitting.

He and Obi-Wan had discussed these differences at great length. Obi-Wan had finally theorized that perhaps the children, being as sensitive to the Force as they were, had recognized that the situations their parents lived in were vastly different than before in their old galaxy. Before, the need to hide her pregnancy was a constant concern for Padme, and had the Jedi sensed the twins' Force signatures, it would not have taken the Jedi Council long to figure out exactly _who_ the father was.

Now, Padme's only stress, besides getting to class on time (which _was_ a challenge, as slow as her gait was with the heavy bulk of a twin gestation) and studying for the BAR exam, was from the aches and pains of her pregnancy...the near constant backache, the swollen hands and feet (her feet had grown 2 shoe sizes), constantly having to go to the bathroom, and even having difficulty breathing at times (when the twins decided to use her lungs for a trampoline). Anakin and Obi-Wan were obviously allowing romantic relationships in the Jedi Order now, so there was no reason to hide a Force presence.

Anakin wasn't sure he fully bought into that explanation, but it was the only one offered thus far, so he reluctantly accepted it. At the moment, he could feel _both_ of the children kicking their mother like crazy underneath his hand. "It feels like they're fighting," He noted, slightly amused.

In the darkness, Padme grimaced, obviously not finding it nearly as amusing. "I feel like they're trying to tear out of me right now, except not the way they're supposed to go." She shifted again and let out a small moan of discomfort.

Anakin chuckled before sitting up, placing his other hand over her belly. "Let's see if they'll listen to me tonight."

"They _better_ ," Padme groaned, "I don't know how much longer I can take this, Ani. I'm ready to march down to the hospital _right_ _now_ and demand they induce me immediately. I don't _want_ to be pregnant anymore!" She grimaced and bit her lip as a particularly sharp karate kick impacted her hip bone.

This was not the first time Padme had said something like that. Clearly, the larger stomach this time was making his wife _much_ more uncomfortable than in her previous pregnancy, and he hated seeing her that way, watching her struggle to even _move_ at times. Still, there were many more moments when they were home alone, not working on school work, when they both had a chance to truly marvel at this precious miracle given to them.

Despite the hardships of pregnancy (which, after reading that book Bail had given them, Anakin now realized were _many),_ neither of them had _any_ regrets.

"I know, Sweetie. Just _one_ more month to go. You can do this, Angel." _Women are tougher than men are,_ Anakin thought, as he leaned down and kissed his wife's forehead sweetly before concentrating on their children. He reached out through the Force, finding their presences with ease. Both were shining lights in the Force, so innocent and pure, and each time Anakin touched their presence with his, he felt so inadequate. How could he, a _very_ imperfect man, be expected to _raise_ both of his precious children? They were so perfect…what if he failed?

Not for the first time did Anakin think of the monumental task ahead of them...and felt deficient for the job.

He pushed those thoughts away, though, as his children recognized his presence. As usual, they began to kick faster, as if his being there was a shining light in their otherwise darkened world. _Hello, Luke,_ he thought with a smile. His son's presence, though innocent due to the lack of life experience, was familiar to him. _Hello, Leia._ His daughter's was an entirely _new_ presence for him. He had never felt her Force presence before in their old galaxy, so he was still trying to memorize hers.

Padme groaned. " _Ani_...That's **not** helping, whatever you're doing. You're making it worse, and it kinda hurts." She grimaced again and arched her back, reaching out to fist the bedspread.

"I know, Angel. Hold on." He smiled, beginning to send calming thoughts to his children. _Be_ _ **nice**_ _to your mother._ _ **STOP**_ _kicking her,_ he reminded them as he spoke to them through the Force. He doubted they could understand the words, but he _did_ know they understood the feelings he projected. Sometimes, they were still _too_ restless to fully calm down, but other times…

The kicking calmed until it stopped completely, though he could still feel them moving beneath his hands. Padme let out a sigh of relief. "Ohhhh, if only I could get my professors to let me bring you into the testing room with me, now _that_ would be amazing." She said as Anakin smiled and leaned down and pressed his lips gently against her belly. "Then I could do my tests, and if they started fussing in there, you could calm them down."

Anakin laughed, lying back down next to her, one hand still over her stomach. "I don't think you'll be able to pull that one off, Angel. Besides, how would you even explain that?"

"I don't know," Padme admitted, "But that doesn't mean I can't try."

Anakin chuckled again, burying his face in her curls. He himself was quite ready for the twins to be born. Now that he knew for _sure_ that Luke and Leia were coming, that he could _finally_ hold them and be the father he always wanted to be, it was sheer torture waiting for them. They were so close, and yet still very much unreachable.

Of course, that said, he knew his anxiousness was nowhere _near_ Padme's. She was _more_ than ready for the twins to be born. He had to admit he couldn't blame her, considering how miserable she felt most of the time now.

"Try to go back to sleep, Sweetheart. Everyone is coming in the morning to help finish preparing the house. I assume you'll want to be out and about for that and not stuck in bed resting, right?"

Padme yawned, confirming his suspicions of how very tired she was. "Probably." She replied drowsily, and Anakin held her close as she drifted back to sleep, even while the babies within her moved about, _very_ much awake. Anakin closed his eyes, letting their presence soothe over him. Soon, _very_ _soon_ , he would be a father. Anakin smiled contentedly to himself at the thought as he drifted back to sleep.

* * *

" _Why_ are we baby proofing the house _now_ if they aren't going to be crawling around and getting into things until about six months after they're born?!" Satine asked, as she helped install the baby proof locks in the kitchen drawers.

Padme, sitting down on one of the kitchen chairs with Jedi curled at her swollen feet, rubbed her rounded belly absent-mindedly as she opened her mouth to respond, but Mindy, working on the lower cabinets, answered for her. "From what I've been cataloging, Force sensitive babies can sometimes get into trouble...I mean... _stuff_ with the Force even _before_ they can crawl around. If those children are anything like Anakin, they'll probably try to get into _everything_ from the moment they're born."

Padme smiled, looking down at her protruding belly, and giving it a gentle rub. _Yes_ , she had a sneaking suspicion that Mindy was absolutely right about **that**. It was a good thing she was taking her last semester online, because otherwise, there would be _no_ _way_ that she could go to school _and_ mother **two** very Force sensitive Skywalker children at the same time.

Besides, she wanted to spend as much time with them as she could and actually **be** their mommy _..._ time she had been robbed of in her previous life.

Satine frowned. "So, if Obi-Wan and I have children…"

Padme shrugged her shoulders. "There's no guarantee that they'll be Force sensitive, Satine. Anakin and I are really one of the few incidents where a Jedi has had children, and Anakin is the most Force-sensitive person _ever_. Obi-Wan might be different. You won't know until it happens."

"Obi-Wan is still pretty Force-sensitive himself," Ahsoka, working on the Christmas decorations in the adjacent living room, pointed out. This year, Padme was _much_ too big (and too close to delivery) to be able to travel around the country visiting family. As a result, they would be spending Christmas at home, with her parents and Sola's family coming to visit them on Christmas Day, and Anakin's parents coming to stay for a couple of weeks when the babies were born.

Satine blushed scarlet. "Well...we haven't really _talked_ about children, but if we _do_ have kidsand they're anything like Obi-Wan, then I'll be a lucky mother for sure." Padme grinned while Mindy rolled her eyes, muttering at what she deemed ' _married_ - _people_ _sappiness_ ,' and Ahsoka giggled.

Out of nowhere, a massive cramp low in her belly suddenly made Padme grimace in pain, grabbing her belly and biting her lip to keep from crying out. Satine paused. "Padme, are you alright?" She asked, and the other two girls stopped what they were doing to stare at Padme hopefully. Padme couldn't speak for a moment as she panted through the pain and then slowly let out a cleansing breath.

It had been happening more frequently lately—she would get a massive cramp in her back or her belly, and if the girls were anywhere near her, they would look at her as if she was going into labor right _that_ second.

Padme waited for the cramp to pass, and after a couple of minutes, it finally did. "Yes, I'm fine," She assured them, waving them off, "I'm not going to have these babies just yet."

"That's been happening more and more, though," Ahsoka noted. Ahsoka, being one of the Order's Jedi Masters, was often at the house with Obi-Wan even when Satine wasn't. She had seen Padme's progression with the pregnancy more than the other two girls, or anyone in her family, for that matter.

Sadly, after the fight after the ballet, her relationship with her parents had become somewhat strained. She and Anakin still visited her parents' home, of course, at least two or three times a month, and her mother had even gone to a few of her ultrasounds with her and Anakin, but her father still seemed openly suspicious around Anakin now. Even her mother seemed apprehensive about what she didn't fully understand. Padme knew it was largely because they were worried for her (and now the twins), and they wanted her to be safe, but it was starting to become harder and harder to have patience with them. _Why_ couldn't they accept her choice of husband? Didn't they _trust_ her?

The topic always made her stress out, so she quickly put it aside. "It's just part of the twins fighting for space in there." She assured Ahsoka, even though at the moment the twins were relatively calm. It was almost like they _enjoyed_ keeping her up at night and preferred to stay still and rest themselves whenever she didn't have time to take a nap.

Honestly, it was driving her _crazy_.

Ahsoka didn't seem convinced, but she let the subject drop.

"So the nursery is supposed to be done today, right?" Mindy asked after an awkward silence. "Any chance that we'll finally get to see it before we leave?"

Padme smiled, happy they were changing the subject. "Yes. Anakin and Obi-Wan were supposed to set up the cribs. They should be done by now." She looked off in the direction of the nursery. It was set up in Anakin's old room, and the twins would share the room at least for the first few years of their life. Perhaps they would move into a bigger home in the future, or she would simply let Luke use Galen's room (which was Mindy's old room) when he wasn't living with them…

"So, let's go see it." Mindy grinned.

"I agree," Satine replied with a smile, "You've been keeping it a surprise for us. Obi-Wan has said good things about it. I want to see what he's been talking about for the past few weeks."

Padme did not particularly relish the idea of getting up (she usually tried to avoid it, actually), but she supposed that she had kept her friends waiting long enough. "Oh, alright," She said, "As long as you help me get up."

* * *

Anakin held the crib piece steady as Obi-Wan screwed the bolt into the wood, linking the piece together with the rest of the crib frame. Anakin was currently telling Obi-Wan of Padme's recent craving for a Dex's Double, and due to the food only existing in their previous galaxy, he had not been able to get it for her.

"It was like I'd told her I ran over Jedi ten times with the SUV." He lamented, recalling the super sad look on her face after he'd broken the news that, in fact, there was _nothing_ similar to that particular food in this world. "I tried to get her to eat the Chinese crispy noodles and pistachio almond ice cream and those Kraft mini marshmallows she's been craving for the past few months, but she barely touched it." He sighed. "Honestly, it makes me wish I could travel between both galaxies and get her the food she wants."

Obi-Wan laughed, though he glanced up at Anakin in sympathy. "I seriously hope that Satine doesn't get those kinds of cravings…whenever we decide to have children." He finished bolting, and he leaned back. "There. It's done."

As both men lifted each side of the crib and moved it to the right spot, Anakin laughed and said, "For your sake, I hope not! I'm relieved she hasn't asked for shurra fruit, which was _always_ her favorite, because then I'd _really_ be in trouble! I've not found _anything_ remotely like shurra fruit here." Obi-Wan grinned and chortled as Anakin began to set up Leia's bedding inside of it, all the while regaling him with more fun pregnancy... _adventures_ , like having to throw out _all_ of her shoes ( _twice)_ when her feet had swelled so badly she couldn't fit in any of her shoes. Or the time she was wrapping Christmas gifts two weeks ago while sitting on the living room floor and then couldn't get up and was stuck, and he'd had to hastily jump out of the shower to go help her up, dripping wet and wearing only a loose towel around his hips. By the time Leia's bedding was done, both of them were almost crying from laughter.

Looking at his handiwork, he was thankful Padme had moved away from the idea of making _everything_ in the room blue or pink. Most of the room was soft neutral colors with the children's bedding only accented by the colors. Above each crib, cream curtains hung over the heads, attached to the ceiling. Anakin wasn't sure what the point of _that_ was, but it did look nice and less pointless with the cribs completed and in place. As Anakin finished Leia's bed, he also placed the little stuffed horse he'd gotten for her all those months ago inside of it. "There." He said triumphantly. "Perfect."

Obi-Wan took a measuring look around the room before nodding. "I agree. Padme has an eye and a talent for style."

"Yes, _and_ a talent for getting _me_ to put it together," He teased, though he knew she didn't actually have to do much to get him to agree. All she did was ask, and because he loved her more than anyone or anything else in the entire universe, he'd agreed without hesitation. Besides, his children deserved the best as well.

Obi-Wan sat down on the plush glider rocking chair in the corner of the room, rubbing a hand over his face. "I suppose the girls will want to see the room."

"Probably."

Obi-Wan smiled, but he didn't move to get up, and Anakin felt his brother hesitate through their Force connection. Clearly, Obi-Wan had something else to talk about. "Speak your mind, Obi-Wan." Anakin encouraged gently, leaning against the wall.

Obi-Wan didn't seem the least bit surprised that Anakin had sensed his emotions. "Obviously, you know that Padme is close to her delivery date."

"No, that _never_ occurred to me." Anakin teased sarcastically, causing Obi-Wan to roll his eyes.

"Well," Obi-Wan continued, "I just thought that I should warn you…" He paused, as if coming up with the right words to say.

A million different things flashed through Anakin's head. _What_ would Obi-Wan need to warn him about? "About what?" Anakin finally asked, not sure he truly wanted to know the answer. Obi-Wan looked him straight in the eye, as if he were about to reveal the universe's greatest secret.

"When she goes into labor…you're going to wish you still had your prosthetic hand."

It was said with so much seriousness, that Anakin wasn't sure if his friend was kidding or not. But then he remembered that Obi-Wan had been there with Padme when she'd first had Luke and Leia. He'd held her hand then. He was _much_ more experienced than Anakin, in this case. He probably wasn't kidding.

So, with a serious nod, Anakin replied, "Duly noted."

"And, I wanted to ask another question," he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and again Anakin could feel the unease in the Force. "Have you had any… _visions_? Like before?"

Anakin didn't need him to elaborate. Even now, years later and in a different galaxy, Anakin _still_ remembered those awful dreams with perfect clarity. He scowled, crossing his arms over his chest. "No, thankfully. But, then again, I won't _ever_ turn back to the Dark Side, so there's no reason for Padme to die of a broken heart again. She's healthy. The babies are healthy. Everything…"

"Die of _what?!"_ Padme's voice suddenly interrupted, chilly and _full_ of a barely controlled anger that he rarely heard from her. Anakin and Obi-Wan looked over at the door to the nursery, both of them surprised to see Padme standing there with the girls at her back, who gave Padme a confused look. Clearly, they weren't sure why she sounded upset either.

But she didn't just _sound_ upset—she was _furious_. Anakin could feel it pulsing from her like white hot coals, and right now, she was barely holding it in check.

Somehow, Anakin didn't think _this_ had anything to do with hormones…although he wasn't exactly sure _why_ she was angry.

"Padme," He began, hesitatingly, thinking on every word before he said them. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

Apparently, it was the _wrong_ thing to say.

"What's _wrong?!"_ She repeated incredulously, "Did I just hear you right?! You think I died of a _broken heart?!"_

Alarmed, Anakin glanced at Obi-Wan, who seemed _just_ as puzzled as Anakin. "Uh," Anakin began, looking back to his wife, trying to find the right words to say, but unsure of what they were.

Obi-Wan interrupted. "Padme," Obi-Wan began, "When you were dying, the medic who attended to you told me that _physically_ you were perfectly healthy, but that you had simply lost the will to live."

Padme turned her glare on Obi-Wan, silent for a very long time, so long that even Obi-Wan shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. Hesitantly, Anakin tried to speak, "Angel…"

Her gaze snapped back to him. " _Don't."_ Anakin shut his mouth as she whirled back on Obi-Wan. "That is the _stupidest_ thing I have _ever_ heard. I can't _believe_ you believed that crap!" She shifted the glare back on Anakin. "And I can't _believe_ you've believed that for who knows how long!" She actually cursed in Huttese, causing everyone's eyes to widen in shock (except Mindy's, as she had never heard that language before).

"It…never occurred to me to bring it up…" Anakin admitted honestly. He had been more concerned about trying to make up for the way he'd lashed out at her on Mustafar, and since they had settled that matter as best they could, Anakin had once again done his best to keep from thinking about how, exactly, she'd died. He'd only been grateful to have her back again. He had no idea _she_ felt so strongly about the way _he_ viewed her death.

Anger began to melt into hurt. " _How_ could either of you think me so weak and selfish as to die that way?!" Tears of anger began to well up in her eyes, and Anakin was tempted to reach over and wipe them away, but he didn't feel that in that moment she would appreciate it.

"First of all, I wasn't going to just _give_ _up_ on trying to bring you back home to me as my Anakin! I _knew_ there was still good in you, and I wasn't going to just give up and let other people fight for it! I _knew_ you still loved me...and that meant you weren't fully a Sith, because a _true_ Sith can't love. So, I knew there was a good chance to bring you back to the Light!" She was ranting now, and he couldn't help but notice her putting a hand to her belly. He could feel the twins' presence react distressingly to her emotions.

"Padme," He began, worried for her and the children, but she was not interested in being interrupted until she was finished.

"Not only that, but _how_ could either of you think that I would willingly abandon my children right after their birth?! They _needed_ me. I _loved_ them! I _wasn_ ' _t_ going to orphan them if I could help it!" She shook her head vigorously. "No. Something was very, _very_ wrong when I had those babies. Something that I could _literally_ **feel** shutting down my body no matter how hard I fought against it, and I _did_ try try to fight it." She scowled. "Broken heart…as if. I can't _believe_ you've all thought that of me this entire time!"

The more she spoke, the more Anakin realized she was right—and how foolish he was to think otherwise. She had not died by his hand. She had lived and given birth to his children. He understood this fact only when he'd found out about Luke being his son. When Obi-Wan had told him the reason behind her death according to the medic, Anakin should have _sensed_ that something was off. He knew his wife better than anyone. She was a fighter. She would have fought for him, died for him, if it brought him back to the Light. More importantly, she would have done _everything_ in her power to be with their children. She would **not** have given them up so easily to others to care for and raise them...No, that was not his wife.

So…what, then, had killed her?

He didn't need to think about it long. Suddenly, the pieces clicked into place, and he let out an angry breath as white hot anger rushed through his veins. _How_ had he not seen it? He should have put the pieces together a long time ago…

"Palpatine." He muttered darkly.

Padme hesitated, and again she touched her belly, wincing a little. "We don't know…"

"No," Anakin shook his head, his mind whirling. Again, he wondered _how_ he had been so blind so as to _not_ see it. So many years, he had thought losing Padme was all _his_ fault, but the entire time, he had been serving under the man who had **murdered** her. The signs had been right in front of him… "I should have known…I should have…."

"Why, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked, his voice bringing him back into reality, "What makes you so sure?"

Anakin scoffed. "Other than the fact that Palpatine is the epitome of evil?" He sarcastically asked, and Obi-Wan frowned, clearly not appreciating the sarcasm. Anakin took a few deep breaths to calm down. "Padme was five months pregnant when I found out. Think about it, Obi-Wan. If her life was _truly_ in danger, I would have had those dreams while we were in the Outer Rim, even _before_ I'd found out. I only had them when I got back to Coruscant. I'd also confided in Palpatine of my dreams of my mother dying, and by then I had killed Count Dooku, and Palpatine had already chosen me to be his new apprentice." He looked at his wife's swollen belly, feeling his children's presence clearly through the Force. "He would have been looking for a reason to convince me to turn, he would have sensed…" He trailed off upon seeing his wife's face.

Padme had paled, while Ahsoka cleared her throat. "Is it even _possible_ to manipulate someone else's dreams?" She asked, her voice filled with worry.

Anakin met her eyes, a grim scowl on his face. "With the Dark Side, it is. You can even alter memories, if you're powerful enough, although that usually destroys an adult's mind, so it's not usually used."

"It's incredibly invasive…some would argue that it's one of the _worst_ things a Force Wielder can do, messing with someone's mind." Obi-Wan agreed. Anakin did not bother to mention that he had done those sorts of things multiple times as Darth Vader. Besides, Obi-Wan and Padme, and even Ahsoka already knew about it. There was no point in bringing it up again.

"So this could happen _again_." Satine quietly stated. It wasn't a question. Looking at the girls in the doorway, Anakin had a feeling they already knew the answer.

"It's possible…although, I have _not_ had any dreams lately. So, I doubt that Palpatine will try that route again." Anakin couldn't say for sure if that would be the case, but he had a feeling Palpatine was looking for _other_ ways to bring Anakin and his family down. Not only that, but Palpatine probably thought Anakin figured all of this out a long time ago. Shamefully, that had _not_ been the case. He glanced at his wife, who was again shifting uncomfortably. "Padme, I'm so sorry…we should have discussed this a long time ago, preferably back when we discussed," He paused, glancing at everyone else. "The other things."

Padme seemed to melt a little, the anger and confusion leaving her eyes. "It's okay Ani," she began, taking a step forward…and stopped. Suddenly, she leaned against the doorway, her hands on her stomach, alarm flashing across her face. She grimaced, her face contorting with pain, as she let out a long low "Aaarrrgghhh." Just then, before anyone could move...

 _ **GUSH**_

Everyone froze in shock as fluid suddenly poured down Padme legs, soaking her casual maternity dress.

" **Ani** , **my** **water** **just** **broke!** " Padme declared through gritted teeth, before doubling over, hands clenching her belly, and letting out an agonized wail.

Panic raced through his blood as a million thoughts slammed into him at once: Was there some sort of sudden complication? Was Padme okay?

Were Luke and Leia okay? _This_ was too soon! She wasn't due for another _month_!

Anakin was at her side in an instant, wrapping an arm around her for support. "Padme," He queried, trying to keep his voice calm. He didn't want to alarm _her_ , even if _he_ was worried. For a moment, she didn't answer, her eyebrows furrowing, face clenched with pain, as she clutched her stomach. She breathed deeply, pain sweeping across her face.

It seemed to take ages, and his impatience was growing, but finally, whatever was happening seemed to subside, at least for the moment, though the look of pain did not fully leave her eyes. "Ani," She managed to say through gritted teeth, "It's time."

Anakin froze. Literally, _froze_.

He stared at her, blinking, not fully comprehending. He didn't even breathe. Years of commanding legions of soldiers through intergalactic battles had _not_ prepared him for _this_. Somehow, this seemed vastly more important than anything he had _ever_ done.

And, he suddenly was not ready.

"Ani?" Padme was calling, her voice muffled in his ears.

"Oh Lord, we're going to have to admit _both_ of you to the hospital," Mindy sighed, rolling her eyes. " _One_ for having a baby, and the _other_ for going into shock."

"Anakin, where is her overnight bag?" Satine was asking. He knew the answer to that question. Padme had gone over it with him a thousand times. But, it suddenly didn't seem to matter anymore.

Padme was about to put her life at risk giving birth to his children.

Luke and Leia were coming.

He was about to be a dad. For real.

And, he was on the verge of having his _own_ meltdown now.

It was Obi-Wan that snapped Anakin back to reality. "Anakin." Obi-Wan's voice was firm, commanding, like it was whenever Anakin had gotten into trouble as his Padawan. Anakin slowly looked at him, blinking. Obi-Wan was standing now, jaw set, determination in his eyes. "Your family _needs_ you. You have a job to do—an important one at that. Snap out of it and get to work!"

"Right," Anakin said, shaking his head. "Okay. Satine, the overnight bag is in the front hall closet. Mindy, take Jedi outside, and make sure he has food and water. Ahsoka, make sure Artoo and Threepio are plugged in and charging in the garage. Obi-Wan, I need you to call Vokara to let her know we're on our way. I'm going to go help Padme change into some dry clothes and then take her to the hospital. Mindy, please call her parents and Sola and let them know. Obi-Wan, please call my mother and let her know."

Now that he was in _general mode,_ and giving orders, he was beginning to become a little more comfortable. He was good at giving orders. He was good at _action_.

Soon, however, there would be _nothing_ he could do except hold Padme's hand while she delivered their children, trusting her life and the lives of his children to the expertise of someone else. He shook that thought away. Dwelling on that would _not_ make things better.

Wrapping one arm around her waist, he took Padme's arm in his other hand and slowly walked her across the living room to their bedroom to help her change out of her wet clothes, whispering loving encouragement to his wife, never wavering even when they had to pause twice as more contractions hit, preventing her from moving. As everyone else scrambled about doing what he'd asked, he kept his focus on his wife and her needs.

Force! This was _it._

 _The twins are coming,_ he thought with excitement and awe.

 _Never_ had Anakin felt more inadequate than in that moment. Padme wasn't the only who needed to breathe.

* * *

As he'd feared, Anakin felt utterly _helpless_ as soon as Padme was settled into her hospital room.

The time between contractions rapidly decreased, her cries and shrieks of pain escalating with each one. Vokara had met them at the registration desk when they'd arrived, and as soon as they'd gotten to the room and Padme had changed into a hospital gown and got into bed, she performed an internal exam. Padme was dilated to four centimeters. The nurse immediately hooked Padme up to an IV to provide her with fluids, as Vokara monitored the readout from the fetal monitor. "When you reach six centimeters, Padme, then we can call anesthesia and administer an epidural. Ok?" Vokara said.

Another contraction hit, and Padme moaned, "Bring it on...The faster, the better... _Ohhhh_."

"Remember to breathe Padme. That's it...slow, deep breathing...In through the nose, out through the mouth," Vokara coached her, as Padme nodded her understanding.

The time it took for Padme to progress just _two_ more centimeters seemed an eternity to Anakin, as he watched his wife writhe in sheer _agony_ with the force of the contractions. He watched in shocked amazement each time one hit, because her stomach would _harden,_ and he could literally _see_ thewave from each contraction ripple across her belly.

He was starting to understand _why_ it was called _labor._

Encouraging her as best he could, he wiped her flushed face gently with a cool damp cloth, brushing her now sweat-dampened hair tenderly back from her forehead, and silently cursed _why_ it was taking so long before she could be given some pain relief.

This was ridiculous!

Just then, Vokara returned to check Padme's progress. "Excellent! You're at six centimeters. Are you ready for the epidural now?"

Padme snorted, " Are you kidding?! I've _been_ ready. I was _ready_ as soon as my water... _Aaaghhh_." Another contraction took hold, and Vokara watched the monitors to see how the twins were handling the stress of labor as Anakin leaned in close and whispered encouragingly to his wife.

Within just a few minutes, a tall, smiling man walked in wearing blue surgical scrubs. "I hear someone's ready for some happy juice in here!" Anakin and Padme must have shown matching looks of shocked surprise, as the man began to chuckle, and Vokara and the nurse grinned. Walking over to the bed, the man was older than Anakin had first thought, with dark hair graying at the temples visible beneath his surgical cap. He wore glasses, but his expression was one of smiling calming friendliness. He looked like someone Anakin had seen before, but he couldn't remember exactly _who._

Padmedidthough _._

As the man reached out his hand to shake Padme's and Anakin's hands, announcing, "Hi, I'm Dr. Griffin, the anesthesiologist on duty today," Padme grinned, a sappy charmed look on her face, and declared:

"You look _just_ like Sean Connery! Has anybody ever told you that?!"

That's when it clicked. Yeah, this man really _did_ look just like that actor who played _James Bond_ in those movies Padme and Mindy liked. No wonder his wife was grinning from ear to ear. Anakin grinned, too.

Dr. Griffin beamed, clearly pleased by the comment. "Yes, I've heard that before, but I don't mind hearing it again... _especially_ coming from such a _sweet_ young mommy such as yourself!"

Anakin watched, amused, as Padme actuallyblushed and , the labor was going to his wife's head.

Dr. Griffin chuckled, giving Padme's arm a quick pat, and said, "You and I are going to get along _just_ fine!"

Anakin liked this man immediately, and if he could help ease his wife's intense pain, he'd like him all the more.

Dr. Griffin called down to the nurse's station for the supplies he would need, while Vokara and the nurse helped Padme sit up and move to the edge of the bed, her legs dangling over the side. Anakin stepped away from the bed to allow the medical staff to maneuver in the small space.

Once the supplies were ready and on hand, Dr. Griffin moved behind Padme, scrubbed her bare back with surgical scrub to make sure the area was sterile, and told her to lean against Vokara's shoulder for support. They waited for another contraction to pass, and then, in one swift, practiced movement, Dr. Griffin had inserted the epidural, taped it into place to secure it, and started the pain medicine on the IV control box at a steady rate.

"Well done, Padme. It went in the first try. See, I _knew_ we'd get along well! Feels better already, I bet." Dr. Griffin said, pausing on his way to the door.

Vokara and the nurse eased Padme back into bed, and she smiled sweetly and remarked, " _You_ are a lifesaver! Seriously, we're like friends for life now." A look of complete relief washed over her face as the medicine kicked in, and her pain eased off immediately.

Dr. Griffin chuckled again,"Good! One can never have too many friends...especially in _my_ lineofwork!" Padme grinned and held out her hand to grab Anakin's, tugging him back toward the bed.

told Vokara and the nurse to call him if there were any problems, then exited the room. The nurse smiled at Padme and said, "Looks like you won't have too long of a labor from this point! Some women can go hours, even days, before it's time to have the baby."

"Don't jinx it," Padme ground out through gritted teeth, as another contraction hit her, the epidural not quite totally kicked in yet. Anakin didn't need to ask whenever she was hit with one. He could _feel_ her pain through the Force, and even if he couldn't, her face contorted into a grimace of pain. Still, once the epidural was working fully, she was able to relax, and she was taking it rather well, or so Vokara said when she came back to check on her thirty minutes later. She had rapidly dilated to eight centimeters with the help of the epidural.

Anakin almost wished that Obi-Wan was allowed back with them so that he could ask _him_ how things were similar and the same as last time. He felt so… _inadequate_.

He'd been given his own scrubs to put on over his clothes the closer she got to actually pushing with the contractions, with _strict_ instructions from Vokara to keep it on. Apparently, newborn babies were susceptible to disease, and the precautions were necessary. Anakin wasn't sure if their hospitals back in his galaxy did that, but if it would protect his children, he'd do anything.

He now sat next to Padme, one hand in hers, while the other gently stroked her forehead. As soon as the nurse left, he asked the most obvious question he could have asked. "How are you feeling, Sweetheart?"

Padme managed to smile tiredly. "I'm not in as much pain now, _thank_ _the_ _Force_ , but I'm already exhausted, and I still have all that pushing to do."

Anakin let out a sigh, frustrated that he couldn't do more to help. He was a man who _acted_ , not a man who _waited_ for the action to take place. "I _hate_ seeing you in pain, Angel." He said, again stating the obvious. Padme was well aware that Anakin hated it when she was in _any_ sort of pain or danger.

She opened her mouth to respond, but instead gasped as another contraction hit her. This time, a moan escaped her lips, not so much from pain this time, but more from an intense feeling of pressure in her groin, and she leaned her head back against the pillows, taking deep breaths.

Anakin tightened his grip on her hand, trying to lend encouragement. When the contraction passed, she breathed out in relief. "That was a _big_ one," She huffed, glancing back over at Anakin. "We knew this was going to come, though." She reminded him.

"I know," Anakin wiped some sweat from her forehead. "That doesn't make it any easier."

"You're telling me," she teased, and Anakin managed to smile. If she was still able to tease him, she was doing just fine. Another contraction hit her, and again she closed her eyes and moaned with the feeling of pressure.

When she finished, Anakin decided to try to help by getting her mind off of the contractions. "Obi-Wan texted me earlier. Your parents have arrived and are out in the lobby with Obi-Wan, Satine, and Mindy and Ahsoka. Sola is still wrapping up filming, so she can't make it, and he also called my mom, and she will be leaving first thing in the morning to come here."

They had decided, much to her parent's displeasure, that the moment of Luke and Leia's birth was too intimate, too private and important for them, and that it was a moment that should only be for _them_ , just the two of them, as it _should_ have been in their old galaxy. Besides, from Anakin's point of view, the twins' conception had _certainly_ been a private intimate moment between just he and his wife, and their birth shouldn't be any different.

"I figured." Padme replied in a strained voice. "We're lucky Sola was able to agree to come for Christm— _AAHH!_ "

Anakin shifted restlessly, just wanting to do _something_ other than just stare at his wife writhing with each contraction. "Maybe I should get Vokara…" He began, starting to get up, but Padme's hand tightened around his own.

"It isn't time just yet," She huffed, sweat beading across her top lip. "Almost, but not quite."

Anakin hesitated, looking towards the hospital door. Everything in him _screamed_ to go get the doctor, but something deeper whispered to him to stay and trust his wife. "Are you _sure_ , Angel?" he asked, but he was already sitting back down in his chair.

Padme nodded. "I've done this before. Remember?"

"Sort of." He managed a sad smile. "But I guarantee _this_ experience is going to be burned into my mind permanently." He frowned, recalling their conversation just before she'd gone into labor. Had the stress of it caused her to go into labor? He should have insisted she calm down, or at least sit down while they discussed it.

"Padme," He began, "About earlier…"

She held up a hand, stopping him. "I know. I'm sorry."

He blinked in surprise. "You don't have anything to be sorry for. I should have brought it up before, but…" he trailed off.

"You didn't want to think about it. I know. I _get_ it. To be honest, when I remembered," She paused, closing her eyes tightly as another contraction hit. She continued once it passed, giving Anakin's hand another reassuring squeeze. "When I remembered, I thought it was a strange sensation I was remembering, but it's sort of creepy to remember your past life's death, so I tried to ignore it, just like you did."

Well, he was certainly happy to know she was no longer furious with him. He _hated_ it when she was angry, _especially_ when it was directed at him. She was… _frightening_ when she was really angry. Even Darth Vader would have paused to rethink how he approached her when she was like that. Thankfully, it _was_ rare for his sweet tempered wife to get _that_ angry, but it was still nerve wracking when it happened.

He didn't get a chance to continue the conversation, however, for Vokara re-entered the room. "Alright," she said, and Anakin knew her well enough to know that she was already focusing on what needed to be done next. "Let's see where we're at, shall we?"

* * *

"Almost there, Padme, push! Come on! You can do it!" Vokara was saying, and Padme let out another painful scream that tore at Anakin's heart, his eyes tearing up at the amount of pain she was in again. Vokara had explained that the epidural needed to be mostly worn off in time for Padme to be able to _feel_ when to push. As a result, her pain was now back full force with _two_ babies fighting at the same time for the exit.

Anakin thought her anger was scary. Oh, he was wrong. So very, _very_ wrong.

This was _horrifying_.

 _How do women_ _ **do**_ _this?_ Anakin thought, simply floored at the strength, stamina, and endurance labor and delivery required of a woman.

His respect for his wife...and _all_ women, really, was growing exponentially from this experience.

And sure enough, just as Obi-Wan had warned, with each push, her hand tightened on his to the point that the bones in his hand felt like they were _cracking_ , and he certainly _was_ wishing that he had his metal hand back, if only for this one moment. Still, he didn't complain. His discomfort was _nothing_ compared to Padme's. So, he held her hand and murmured words of encouragement to her while she pushed, placing his arm around her back to support her while while she pushed.

"One more!" Vokara urged, and Padme gritted her teeth and closed her eyes tight, sweat drenching tendrils of her hair to her face, her bare legs shaking in the stirrups, as she gave one long final push…For their first baby, that is. Anakin honestly had _no_ idea how she was going to push _another_ baby out. Silently, he even wondered if she'd _ever_ want to make love with him again after _this._

Padme bore down with all the strength she could muster and let out a long screeching yell with the effort, and suddenly...

The room was filled with the wailing cries of a baby. His firstborn.

"Congratulations! It's a **boy**!" Vokara declared, as she held up their squalling son for them to see, tears of joy falling down their cheeks.

All of a sudden, the world seemed to disappear as a familiar Force presence washed over him, accompanying the lusty cries.

 _ **Luke**_ _._

 _"_ Anakin, do you want to cut the cord?" Vokara asked. Anakin nodded his head vigorously, and followed Vokara' s instructions, clipping the cord, and then watching impatiently as his son was taken by the neonatal nurse to be dried off, examined, and weighed, an I.D. bracelet being wrapped around his tiny ankle, at the same time I.D. bracelets were placed on his and Padme's wrists.

"Congratulations," the nurse was saying as she gently wrapped him in a white blanket, "You have a son."

 _ **Our Luke.**_

The need to hold his son was overwhelming. He had waited _years_ to hold his children, and now… now…

Padme weakly let go of his hand as he was handed the squirming baby, who felt much lighter than he had anticipated. He stopped breathing, staring down with loving awe at the little innocent life in his arms.

His son. His Luke.

Images of the last time he'd seen Luke swirled through his mind. Luke struggling to drag him towards the shuttle that would get them off of the second Death Star. Luke urging him to stay with him, concern and worry etched into his features, despite the fact that Vader had been more of a massive disappointment for a father than anything else. That didn't seem to matter to Luke though. He had still projected his love for his father through their Force bond, and now...

Here he was. Innocent and fragile. His little tuft of hair was still light brown, but Anakin knew that it would one day lighten, and he would grow to look more like him. As Anakin held him, he felt the boy instinctively reach out through the Force, feeling the world around him. It didn't take long for the boy to connect with Anakin, and Anakin gently responded with love and a fierce need to protect the child in his arms. Luke stilled for a moment, calming, his presence latching onto his own as if it were the only thing keeping him alive and breathing.

Padme collapsed back against the pillows, breathing hard, taking that moment to take a break. " _Padme_ ," Anakin managed to choke out, his voice rough. He finally realized, then, that he was crying.

He didn't care.

Padme opened her eyes, every inch of her face lined with exhaustion and pain, but once her tired gaze fell on Luke, her eyes brightened. " _Luke_ ," She whispered, a small, pained smile spreading across her lips.

Anakin smiled back, holding Luke close so that she could see him. He longed to give him to her to hold, but he could sense that it would soon be time for her to push Leia into the world to join her brother. "Say hello to your mother, Luke."

Padme reached over, gently stroking Luke's cheek, and the tiny boy instinctively leaned his face into her touch, a soft cry escaping his throat, making both of his parents smile. He was so quiet, but then again, he hadn't been one for speeches back in their old galaxy. Perhaps he had been more talkative around Leia and Han, and his other friends, but with the exception of their fight on Bespin, he had seemed to contemplate his words before he said them around Vader.

Another wave of pain suddenly hit Padme, and she pulled her hand back, a cry escaping her lips. "It's time to start pushing again, Padme. One more baby to go," Vokara announced.

" _Anakin_ ," Padme managed to grind out through clenched teeth. The message was clear: She needed him still. Doting on their children would need to wait. Anakin handed Luke back to a nurse, albeit reluctantly, giving Padme his sore hand once more. His eyes lingered on his son, who had started to whimper now that he wasn't in his parent's direct presence, and he sent feelings of comfort to his son to calm him. _We aren't leaving you, Luke,_ he promised, _not this time. I have to help your mother with your sister._

His son calmed, and as Padme again pushed, screaming in pain, Anakin snapped his attention back to the arrival of his second child.

This time, it did not seem to go as smoothly. It was taking longer for Padme to push Leia out. Tears of pain flowed freely down her face, but still she kept fighting. "Harder, Padme, push harder!" Vokara encouraged.

"You can do this, Angel," Anakin whispered, kissing her sweat-drenched forehead. He was still horrified at how much was involved in a woman giving birth, and the amount of his wife's blood in the room was making him sick, but now that he had held the miracle that was his son in his arms, it was almost...well, just _barely_ , bearable. "You're almost done, Sweetie."

Suddenly, Padme began to shiver violently all over, and even her teeth were chattering. Anakin felt her alarm spike in the Force, and looking over at Vokara, he noted a look of deep concern on her face.

Something was suddenly wrong.

Padme's shivering intensified, and she looked at Anakin with fear in her eyes, and Vokara grimaced, and the nurse reached over immediately and slapped the emergency call button on the wall behind Padme's bed, and instantly, Vokara yelled out, **"I need mag...STAT!"**

Fearing for his wife, Anakin started to demand to know what was happening, but at that moment, additional nurses and Dr. Griffin came running into the room, and something was injected immediately into Padme's IV, and her response was instantaneous. Her eyes widened alarmingly, she threw her head back against the pillow, arched her back off the bed, and _screamed_ at the top of her voice, "MY ARM IS ON **FIRE**!"

Anakin's ears were ringing from the volume of his wife's screaming, but he still heard Vokara saying,"Padme, listen to me. You were seizing...that's what all that shaking was...We've given you medicine to stop it. That's why your arm feels like its burning."

Looking down at his exhausted wife, Anakin noticed the shivering had indeed stopped. Turning his attention back to Vokara, he listened intently as she explained what was going on.

"Now, the baby is trying to come out face first, and the forehead is getting caught on your pubic bone. So, I'm going to have to maneuver the baby to get it in the right position. So, whatever you do, _don_ ' _t_ push until I tell you, even if you feel the urge to. Got it? **Do not push!** Understand?"

Padme nodded her head weakly, tears leaking out of the corner of her eyes to slide down the sides of her cheeks into her hair. Anakin leaned over and gently kissed her forehead and whispered how much he loved her and how _proud_ he was of her, encouraging her in every way he could.

He wished he could do more, and hated that he couldn't.

Vokara worked quickly, and they heard a slight _pop,_ at the same time Padme eyes widened and she moaned " _Ughhh."_

Satisfied, Vokara said, "Ok, Padme...next contraction, give me a _big_ push."

Something like determination flashed in Padme's eyes, and somehow (he honestly wasn't sure _how_ since he'd already lost the feeling in his hand), she squeezed his hand even tighter and, with one final yell that sounded more like a battle cry to him, she bore down and _pushed,_ againherlegsshaking with the effort, straining andgiving it _everything_ she had _._

A _very_ loud wailing suddenly filled the room, a wailing that seemed to shake Anakin to the core.

 _ **Leia.**_

Luke, hearing and perhaps even feeling the cries of his twin, began to cry as well, though Leia's wailing drowned most of it out.

 _Oh yes,_ Anakin thought with a huge, dopey smile gracing his face, _she is_ _ **my**_ _daughter, for sure!_

"Congratulations twice over, you two!" Vokara said with a smile, needing to raise her voice to be heard over Leia's lusty wails, "You have a daughter as well." She smiled tiredly as she held Leia, also now wrapped in a white blanket, having been wiped down, examined (much to her vocalized displeasure), and weighed, a pink I.D. bracelet around her own tiny ankle. Vokara handed the squalling baby girl to Anakin. "I'm _very_ happy for you both."

She motioned to the nurse holding Luke, who carefully handed the boy to Padme, where his cries calmed immediately into whimpers once more, as he was cradled against his mother's bosom.

Again, Anakin was washed in Leia's Force presence, so different, and yet so similar to Luke's. It was still bright with innocence, like a light in the darkness, but hers seemed to be more…direct? Anakin wasn't sure if that was the right word. In many ways, he could see himself in her presence, and thinking back to his encounters with her in their galaxy, she had responded to things rather firmly, in ways that reminded him of himself now that he thought on it.

Her tuft of hair was dark, but much darker than Luke's. Anakin knew that when she opened her eyes, he would find himself looking into Padme's beautiful eyes. Leia may have had her similarities with Anakin, but Anakin also had no doubt that she was her mother's daughter in even more ways. He could feel it, and now that he held her…

Images of her torture on the Death Star flashed through his mind. Images of her struggling against his grip as she watched her planet be destroyed in front of her. He remembered her hatred blazing brightly through the Force when they met again on Bespin, her despair as she watched him freeze her lover in carbonite.

Guilt accompanied the feelings of love and protection he felt as he held her body close to him. He had been the cause of _so_ _much_ of her suffering, and yet now, here she was, an innocent babe, in his arms, given to him once more by the Force, _this_ time to raise and love as he should have the first time. What if she remembered what he'd done to her? He shuddered at the thought. Surely, she would despise him. He wouldn't blame her if she did.

In many ways, the thought of raising Leia scared him more than that of raising Luke. Luke was forgiving like his mother, but Leia was stubborn and set in her beliefs, much like…well, both Padme and Anakin combined. She'd received a _double_ _dose_ of stubbornness it would seem.

Well, at least, she came by it honestly, he had to admit.

No, he would not receive forgiveness from her for what he'd done if she knew. However, _if_ he raised her and showed her the unconditional love and devotion he had for her, showed her how _much_ he had changed… perhaps, even if she did remember, she'd give him a chance. That chance was _all_ he desperately wanted when it came to Leia, a chance to be loved in return as her father.

She continued to wail, squirming around, and again, he tried to reach out through the Force to calm her. To his utter surprise, she responded…it wasn't with words, but with her _bold_ impressions, confirming her Skywalker genes.

 _It_ _was_ _too_ _cold_.

 _It_ _was_ _too_ _bright_ _in_ _here_.

 _She_ _wanted_ _her_ _brother_. _Now._

 _It_ _was_ _**too**_ _ **cold**_ _._

 _Okay, okay, my Princess,_ he communicated back, _I will help you._ Amusedat his daughter's already strong opinions, he pulled the blanket more securely around her, trying to get her warmer, and he brought her closer to Padme and Luke. Her cries quieted to whimpers, but did not completely go away.

Padme was crying now, too. "They're beautiful, Ani," She managed to whisper.

"They're perfect, Angel," He agreed, and he noticed that he was also crying…again. "Leia, this is your mother. She's a very beautiful woman, and you look just like her, Princess."

That made Padme smile, and her eyes drifted from Luke to Leia. "Oh, Ani," she breathed, "I _finally_ feel fully complete."

He didn't need her to elaborate—he _knew._ He had spent so many years as half a man while being Darth Vader, and even when he and Padme had reunited and re-sealed their love here in this world, he had always known that Luke and Leia were missing from the picture. The feeling of incompleteness had lessened once he was sure that Padme was carrying them, but _now_ that they were finally born, breathing, and in their arms, he felt as if the entire universe was somehow **right** again.

Looking up from their children, Anakin stared into his wife's eyes, and _never_ had she looked more beautiful to him than right then. His heart overflowing with love, he leaned in and gently kissed her. "I love you, Padme. _Thank_ _you_ for the gift of these precious babies," he whispered.

Despite her exhaustion, she beamed at him. "I love you, too, Ani."

A nurse approached them with a clipboard. "Have you two decided on names for them yet?" She asked with a smile, a pen already pressed to the paper.

"Luke and Leia," Anakin answered without hesitation, his eyes meeting Padme's.

"Luke and Leia Skywalker."

* * *

 **YAY LUKE AND LEIA ARE BORN!**

 **So one of the very first things I wanted to address when even thinking about writing this chapter was that the birth scene in the movie was like...Barbie unrealistic. Sure, Padme cried. Sure, she died. But like...it didn't look like anything she should have had problems with. I mean I'm not asking for graphic, but that's what I pictured happening when I was like...five. Which...I guess...maybe was their targeted audience, except that again, it was a PG-13 movie, and I've seen better birthing scenes in PG-13...IDK.**

 **So I consulted with people I know who actually had twins (who ALSO agreed that scene was totally unrealistic) and I combined that with stories my mom has told me and...here it is! And a serious thank you to my Beta SW who worked super hard to help me make this chapter perfect. I have never had children myself, so all of the input anyone has given me, thank you to those people, because my scene would probably have not been much more realistic than the movies had I not gotten that information.**

 **The music for this chapter was very important. I imagined A New Hope and End Credits by John Williams from Episode 3 for most of this chapter, but when Anakin holds his children for the very first time I pictured Suddenly, performed by Hugh Jackman from Les Miserables. The two stanzas that really strike me as being in line with the moment are these:**

 **How was I to know at last**  
 **That happiness can come so fast?**  
 **Trusting me the way you do**  
 **I'm so afraid of failing you**  
 **Just a child who cannot know**  
 **That danger follows where I go**  
 **There are shadows everywhere**  
 **And memories I cannot share...**

 **Nevermore alone**  
 **Nevermore apart**  
 **You have warmed my heart**  
 **Like the sun.**  
 **You have brought the gift of life**  
 **And love...**  
 **Suddenly I see**  
 **What I could not see**  
 **Something suddenly**  
 **Has begun.**

 **I know this is a long authors note, but I just thought some things were important to note. If you read to the end of this, you are my hero.**

 **Anyhow, Review! AND HAPPY EARLY STAR WARS DAY! :D I'm going to a Star Wars Symphony and I'm going to wear my classy Darth Vader stockings! So excited! #bestholidayEVER**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	47. The First Christmas

"They're just so precious," Shmi cooed, holding Leia snuggly in her arms after finishing dressing her in a white and gold "My First Christmas" outfit with red and white stripped socks. It was Christmas Eve, just two weeks after the twin's birth. Soft Christmas music played from the speakers in the house, and the smell of cooking ham and fresh-baked apple pie filled the air. Padme's mother had helped her friends finish decorating the house while she was in the hospital, and despite there being no snow outside, Padme felt like it was the perfect Christmas. She had her parents visiting. Her nieces were playing in the backyard. Anakin's mother was with them. Most importantly, she was with her husband and her Luke and Leia.

Leia, as she always did when someone put socks on her, began to squirm and kick her tiny feet, making noises that Padme could instantly tell, even just at two weeks old, that she was beginning to get unhappy. "They remind me so much of Anakin when he was this small." Shmi sighed wistfully, seemingly unconcerned about the squirming baby in her arms.

"I don't know," Sola commented with a grin, holding a comparatively calm Luke in her arms, "Leia looks more like Padme to me."

Padme leaned back against the couch next to her mother, taking that moment for a needed break from the twins. They were so much _work_. People said that one baby was a lot of work, but _two_?! Double the diapers, the feedings, the _laundry..._ She'd barely made it through her finals, though her professors had been more than accommodating as she had done them while still recovering from labor, since she and the twins were in the hospital for five days after delivery. Mindy had proclaimed her a superhero for not only completing them, but aceing them as well.

"Like you remember what I looked like as a baby," Padme teased, even though she knew her sister was right. All anyone had to do was look at the twins and they could tell _instantly_ who looked like who. Luke looked like Anakin. Leia looked like Padme.

" _Of_ _course,_ I remember," Sola challenged with a grin, "I _also_ remember asking mom to take you back to the hospital."

"She did," Jobal remembered dryly, "Thankfully, it was a _very_ short phase."

Thankfully indeed. Padme and Sola didn't _always_ see eye-to-eye, but they had grown close in both galaxies.

Suddenly, Jedi trotted into the room, followed closely by Artoo. As soon as the dog spotted the babies, he stopped, his ears perking up, and he immediately sat down to stare at what he probably considered to be hairless, loud puppies that had suddenly shown up in his home. "Well," Jobal smiled, amused at the dog's antics. "I think _someone_ is fascinated by the kids."

"He's done this every time he sees the babies. He just stares at them." Padme reached over and scratched the dog's ears and laughed—she personally thought it was adorable. Anakin, however, had gotten annoyed with it already, and whenever he caught Jedi doing it, he would usually take the dog outside. He didn't do it to be mean to the dog, but rather because Anakin was very protective of his children, and since Jedi had yet to actually try to approach the babies, they didn't know exactly how the dog would interact with them.

Artoo, knowing his master's feelings on the dog staring at the babies, bumped gently into Jedi, causing the dog to jump back up with an irritated _woof_ , which drew the twin's attention immediately. Artoo made a few annoyed chirps at Jedi, and reluctantly Jedi moved on to go sniff at the Christmas tree and the wrapped presents underneath it. Artoo continued over to the back door, pressed the automatic door button Anakin had installed just for Artoo, and rolled outside to go play with their nieces. From their squeals of delight, Padme could tell they were happy the 'fun' droid (as they called Artoo) had come out to play. The girls had taken to calling Threepio, 'The Stiff.'

" _So_ ," Sola said as Leia continued to fuss over the socks on her feet, "What are these two babies really like, besides adorable?"

Oh, Padme could go on for _hours_. **Any** waking moment she had that wasn't occupied with studying, she was focusing on her children. It felt like she was making up for lost time, as if she would go to sleep one night and wake up in the morning to find them gone (which was a stupid worry, since they woke her up without fail at least twice a night every single night to be fed and changed). Her mother and Anakin's mother had been quite helpful, but after Christmas, they would both be going back home. As much as Padme appreciated their help, she was ready to have her children all to herself. She knew Anakin felt the same, as much as he adored his mother.

When Padme wasn't with the kids, Anakin always was. In fact, Anakin had taken to doing most of his work from home so that he could be with his kids, and he already doted on them probably more than Padme and both their grandmother's combined. He would help Padme burp and rock the babies after she finished nursing them. He also loved to help give them their baths, and he had become _very_ adept at diaper changing since their birth. There was just absolutely _no_ _doubt_ that Anakin loved and adored his children.

"Well," Padme said, trying to think of a place to start, "Leia is the loud one. When she wants something, you _know_ it. The neighbors probably know it, too. Honestly, she's the one that keeps Ani and I up the most at night."

She almost mentioned how Anakin said that she was also _very_ direct in what she wanted through their Force connection, but Sola still didn't know about the Jedi.

Padme was determined to keep it that way, too. If her parents had reacted badly to the news of Anakin's secret lifestyle, Sola would have reacted _worse_. When Padme had mentioned that to her parents, they had completely agreed. Sola not knowing was for the better.

She thought back to the moment they brought them home. "The first night the kids were here, I was nursing the twins. While I was busy with Luke, Anakin was with Leia. He was going on and on about how beautiful she was, and how much she was his little princess, and her response was to spit up **all** over him. And, I mean, _all over him._ Anakin spent his childhood as an only child, so I don't think he was expecting it. The look on his face was _priceless!"_

That got a laugh out of the women. "Oh no, Ani has _no_ experience with babies." Shmi confirmed, "Even before his, ah, accident, he had _very_ little experience with them."

After more laughter at her poor husband's expense, Padme managed to calm down and continue. "Luke is usually the quieter one. If it wasn't for Leia, we probably wouldn't hear him crying at night, because his cries are relatively soft. They're more like irritated whimpers, really. However, if Luke _is_ crying, you can _guarantee_ that Leia will start crying. It's very obvious that those two are extremely close." In fact, Anakin described their bond as going beyond normal twins. According to him, their bond extended into the Force, and they were pretty much _always_ communicating with each other, not with words, but with emotions.

Padme looked at her newborn twins in her family's arms and wondered if they were communicating now, and what they were showing one another. _Leia is probably expressing her absolute displeasure at the socks on her feet,_ Padme thought with wry amusement.

"Twins are said to be that way." Shmi remarked with a smile, "I love those stories about twins growing up separately but having identical lives. It's interesting."

Jedi continued to sniff at the tree, inspecting it thoroughly, as if some other dog had come in and marked its territory since the last time Jedi had sniffed the tree. Padme was happy that Jedi had grown out of his "I-Must-Pee-On-The-Indoor-Tree" phase.

As he moved to inspect a different part of the tree, his paw slipped, pressing down on one of Luke's presents her parents had gotten for him. The wrapping tore a little, and whatever was inside began to make noises, a series of beeps and whirls. Jedi jumped back, alarmed, staring at the box he'd stepped on as if it had bitten him. Luke began to squirm. "Uh oh," Sola laughed, "I think Luke heard his present."

"Padme said he seemed to be drawn to noisy toys. He's not old enough to play with it yet, obviously, but when he is, it's available to him." Jobal replied with a soft smile as Luke began to fuss louder.

"Yes, but he likes looking at it." Padme reminded her. Artoo was Luke's _favorite_ thing in the world as a result, with his plethora of what Luke probably thought were strange noises. Luke was _always_ calm whenever Artoo was in the room.

Jedi stepped on the present again, causing the noise to go off once more, a different jingle this time. Luke began to cry, and with a sigh Padme got up to pull Jedi away from the tree and the presents. If she didn't calm Luke down, Leia was sure to start crying too, and then it would take _forever_ to get them _both_ to calm down.

"Lukie, you need to wait for…"

Suddenly, the presents exploded out from underneath the tree, flying off in all different directions, knocking the tree sideways into the wall, sending several ornaments flinging off, clattering across the living room floor, while loudly jingling the rest. All of the women in the room gasped, ducking their heads, waiting for the flying boxes to settle. A few hit the back glass paneled door with a resounding _WHACK_ , cracking it in two places, while another hit the TV with a loud _WHUMP_ and knocked it off of its stand onto the living room floor with a loud _CRASH_. The noisy commotion freaked Jedi out, and the dog barked wildly and scurried outside to join Ryoo and Pooja in the backyard, who were drawn to the patio door by all the noisy ruckus.

It only took a few seconds, but to Padme it seemed much longer, and when it finally stopped, she stared at her messed up living room, her jaw dropping, as her brain struggled to fully process what had happened. Luke was wailing now, louder than he had since he was born, and _this_ time, Leia was quiet. When Padme turned and glanced over at her daughter, she was no longer fussing, but completely content, an almost _amused_ smile on her face.

Padme knew that she was too young to consciously smile—everyone said babies this young did it because of gas. Still, if Leia was _enjoying_ her brother's attempt to use the Force…

"What," Sola breathed, looking around the room wide-eyed, "Was _that?"_

* * *

 **15 minutes earlier…**

"I'm sure Padme just _loves_ that you're using the garage again for your work, huh?" Darred said dryly as Anakin pulled out his recently completed plans, rolling the large parchment out on the wooden table in the center of the garage. Ruwee, Darred, and Threepio stood in the room, which was sort of awkward for Anakin, since Ruwee _still_ gave Anakin suspicious looks whenever Darred wasn't looking.

"Oh, she hates it." Anakin agreed, grinning, as he used tools to hold down the edges of the paper. "But we're calling a truce on it for now, at least until the twins are old enough for me to go back to my workshop at the factory."

Ruwee, as had become usual the last few months, said nothing, only moved to look at the plans Anakin had spread before them. "So. This is it." He finally said, moving straight to business.

Anakin ignored his father-in-law's skeptical tone, his own eyes running over the plans he had completed for his finals at Stanford. "This is it." He confirmed with a nod. "This is the ship that's going to take us to Mars in three months instead of the estimated year." He couldn't help but grin proudly. He had done his best with what resources he could find in a short amount of time, but if he wanted to get NASA's attention, he had to put his plan into action. Fast.

"And, you're the one to build it." Ruwee didn't ask. He already knew the answer. Anakin nodded. "How do you know this is even possible?" Ruwee continued skeptically.

 _Oh, years of experience,_ he wanted to say, but he didn't. "I don't go to college to _just_ stare at the classroom walls, you know."

"Yes, Anakin, but there are _a_ _lot_ of people who graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering, but very few of them actually draft plans for and build a spaceship _to_ get them to distant planets in an unreasonable amount of time," Darred pointed out. "This isn't like building a droid, Anakin. This is… _way_ more complicated, not to mention, life threatening."

"I beg your pardon, Master Darred," Threepio objected, "But, we droids are, in fact, _very_ complicated! I, myself, am able to communicate in…"

"It's going to work, okay? You'll have to trust me on this. Remember, my other degree is in _physics._ " Anakin interrupted before Threepio could go on a tirade, but he had to admit, _now_ he was annoyed. He wanted to reveal that he had built _way_ _faster_ ships in his past, ships that could have made a trip to another planet within the same system within an hour. He had built ships that could travel to _other_ solar systems in a matter of hours, the same amount of time it would take for them to get from California to China. If they only knew everything _he_ did…

But, they would **still** think he was crazy...

Perhaps more so, if he told them he was really from a different planet in a totally different galaxy. _Of_ _course_ , _they are,_ _ **too**_ _, but can't tell them_ _ **that**_ _,_ Anakinthought _._

Already, Ruwee wasn't reacting well to the news that Anakin was a Jedi. He had yet to tell Ruwee and Jobal that their grandchildren were also gifted with those powers…

"When it's built, and _if_ it works," Ruwee started, but Anakin couldn't help but interrupt.

" **When** it works."

Ruwee rolled his eyes. "Right. _When_ it works, **who** is going to be brave enough to fly it?"

"That's easy," Anakin shrugged, "I will."

Darred and Ruwee exchanged uneasy glances. "By yourself?" Darred asked cautiously.

"No. Obi-Wan will be with me." Anakin assured them. That didn't seem to reassure them at all.

"But, you don't have _any_ training!" Ruwee argued, "Our astronauts spend _years_ training before they go up into Space. What you're suggesting is _completely_ insane!"

"I beg your pardon, Master Ruwee, but if Master Anakin says he can do it, then he _can_. I have personally calculated the plans, and I predict that the plans have an 88.1 percent chance of being successful!" Threepio defended, but that didn't seem to calm Anakin's in-laws much.

"So, there's _still_ room for disaster there," Ruwee pointed out, "And, besides, the droid could be programed to just _agree_ with whatever you say…"

"I _beg_ your pardon…!" Threepio started, but Anakin quickly shut him off before he could launch into another offended rant. It would likely happen when he turned him back on, but at least by then, things would be calmed down. Besides, Anakin knew Threepio was _anything_ but agreeable to whatever he or Padme said. Anakin figured he was probably standing up for the design because he had already been assured that _he_ didn't have to go on the ride with them to Mars.

"I'm going." Anakin said firmly, "That's final."

There was an awkward silence. Ruwee crossed his arms, clearly not looking pleased, while Darred sighed. "Is Padme okay with this?" He finally asked.

Anakin hesitated. "She's known about these plans since before we were married," He said, "I kept her informed _every_ step of this drafting process while she was pregnant. But, with the kids…well, we're working the details out. We _still_ have about a year of building the ship before we _really_ need to make solid plans."

Darred still looked skeptical, and Ruwee apparently agreed with this. "I somehow doubt _my_ _daughter_ would be okay with _her_ _husband_ literally traveling across space for months at a time while she's stuck at home with the twins by herself."

To be honest, Anakin hadn't really thought about it. Back when he'd started putting the plans to paper, the twins were still tiny embryos in the womb. But, now that they were _here,_ and he could hold them and care for them, even _he_ was suddenly worried about leaving for a total of six months. Sure, he'd left Padme for _much_ longer periods as a Jedi in their old galaxy, and he knew he would need to go on Jedi missions in the future as well, but to _completely_ go off planet in a ship that was not as fast as the ones from his galaxy?

Suddenly, he wasn't so sure.

"That's between Padme and I," was all he could think to say.

Darred sighed and continued to say something, but Anakin didn't hear him.

There was suddenly a _large_ spike in the Force, full of both desire and distress, coming from within the house.

Coming from his son.

The twins were _very_ strong in the Force, and even stronger when they were together, just as he and Obi-Wan had suspected. Anakin had already begun to get used to feeling that presence in the back of his mind all the time. Usually, he could feel when one of them was about to cry, and sometimes he could even figure out _why_ they were crying and fix the problem immediately.

But this… _this_ was a _deliberate_ use of the Force, or as deliberate as a newborn baby could be.

"I'm sorry," Anakin interrupted whatever his brother-in-law was saying, "But, I'm needed inside. My son is upset." He turned, flipped Threepio on again, and without bothering to put his ship plans away, he walked back into the house.

Behind him, he could hear Darred ask, "How does he _know_ that? I can't hear anything…"

"Master Anakin always knows when the children need him." Threepio, back on again, assured him, as if that were an adequate answer to Darred's question.

The garage door shut behind him, and he was suddenly hit with the intensity of Luke's wailing. That in itself was odd, because Luke hadn't cried _that_ hard since he was born. The other thing that struck Anakin as odd was that _Leia_ was **not** crying with him, like she usually did.

He all but rushed into the living room and stopped in his tracks, frozen, staring slackjawed and wide-eyed around at the chaos that the room had become. The presents underneath the tree had been rocketed all over the room and the tree rested sideways against the wall. Ornaments littered the floor. The TV had been knocked from its stand, screen down, onto the living room floor. The back door's glass had been cracked in several places, and the dog and the Ryoo and Pooja were now checking it out from the backyard.

Luke was wailing at the top of his lungs in Sola's arms, and Leia was radiating amusement from her place in his mother's arms. All of the women were staring at the room in shock, including his wife.

" _Ok_ , Ani," Padme breathed, "What was _that?"_

Anakin translated Padme's real question, the question that they couldn't outright discuss in front of Sola: _Could the twins really use the Force at this age?_

Yes. Oh, _Yes_...they most _certainly_ could.

Most Force sensitive children exhibited signs of being able to use the Force at a young age, but _few_ would be able to do it to **this** extent.

Luke being _his_ son, however…

Well. _This_ could easily be the result. He hadn't worried about that until now, but he suddenly realized he should have been.

"I don't know," Anakin said, though he gave Padme a look that said _I'll tell you later,_ "But, it seems like Luke needs a little break from all of this."

"Yes, it seems so." Padme threw him a grateful look as she stood, taking their squalling, squirming son from Sola's arms. "We'll clean up in here. Why don't you go try to calm him down, Honey?"

"Good idea. I think I'll take Leia with me, so she doesn't start crying, too." He took his wailing, aggitated son in one arm, and his mother stood and helped him cradle Leia in his other arm. Thankfully, she _still_ seemed rather calm, because handling _two_ crying babies at once would have been difficult to do. Even for the Chosen One.

As he turned to leave the room, he caught Jobal's eye. She frowned as she watched him with the twins, as if she were putting the pieces together. " _What?!_ " He asked, struggling to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

She shook her head. "Nothing, it's just…" She hesitated. "They're like you, aren't they?"

Anakin clenched his jaw. They had known they would need to tell Padme's parents eventually, but Anakin _really_ was not in the mood to tell them right _that_ second. "They're perfect the way they are, Jobal," was all he was able to say without completely snapping at her. If she treated his children _any_ differently than before because they were Force-sensitive...

But, instead she sighed, as if she had already suspected the inevitable, and she nodded her head in acceptance. Anakin relaxed, glad she hadn't reacted with the same revulsion she and her husband were treating _him_ with, before he turned and left the room.

He took the twins to the nursery, using the Force to shut the door behind him, as he settled down into Padme's plush rocking chair in the corner of the room. He began to rock softly as he sent both of his children calm feelings through their Force connection. _It's okay, little ones,_ he told them, _I'm here. You're safe._

Leia immediately began to respond with drooping eyes and burying her face closer to the warmth of his chest, but Luke continued to wail. Clearly, Luke was _not_ worried about safety. So, what, _exactly_ , had caused his use of the Force? Anakin gently used the Force to try to coax something out of his son, a feeling or an image, since the boy couldn't form words yet.

He was rewarded with a clear picture of Jedi stepping on a present that made a lot of noise. He could _feel_ Luke's desire to _see_ what the thing was, to _hear_ it make those noises again, but when Luke had reached out for it…

Well. It explained the explosion of presents.

Interesting. _Very_ interesting.

With no training and being so young, Luke's use of the Force had, _thankfully_ , only thrown all of the presents everywhere...

And, tilted the tree sideways.

Cracked the glass in the back door.

Plus, knocked the TV to the floor.

Suddenly, Anakin was very, _very_ glad that Darth Vader had _not_ known about his children. If Vader had known and taken the twins for himself…

Anakin shuddered. It would have been catastrophic.

He needed to thank Obi-Wan and Yoda when he saw them next. _It's okay Luke,_ he told his son through the Force, _You'll get to see that present tomorrow and every day after that. I promise._

Luke must have felt the sincerity behind his father's words, because he began to calm down, sniffling. Leia was already fast asleep in his other arm, one of her tiny little hands fisted in his shirt. Anakin smiled, once more marveling at how _lucky_ he was to be holding both of them, after everything they had _all_ been through. He looked back down at his son, who was also starting to fall asleep from the rocking of the chair and the calming feelings Anakin was sending his way.

"Luke," He said aloud, quietly so as not to interrupt his son's drifting off, "I swear, Luke, that I _won_ ' _t_ leave you alone again. I'll be there for every sports game, birthday party, and school award, even if that award is one of those silly awards they give to make kids feel included. When you're old enough, I'll train both you and your sister in the ways of the Force. You'll _never_ have to feel ashamed of your abilities, and I'll _never_ do anything that makes you wish that I wasn't your father. I will be the father you _always_ wanted, my son. I swear."

He doubted Luke understood any of that, but the moment he spoke the words, he felt as if their bond through the Force strengthened, as if that promise had literally _bound_ them together. It felt that if he broke it, something more disastrous than _ever_ before would happen, and he would truly lose his precious son forever.

Luke was asleep now, and Anakin slowly stood up and placed his son gently in his crib, covering him with a blanket, before carefully walking to Leia's crib to set her down. As he did, he pulled her pink fleece blanket over her little body, and paused, staring down at her. She was so at peace when she slept. She looked _just_ as angelic as Padme did.

 _Beautiful._

He smiled softly and reached down to gently brush her soft tuft of dark hair with his fingertips. "Leia," he whispered, his throat tightening. "I swear to _you_ , too, all of what I swore to your brother, and _more_. You're my little princess, and I will make sure you _know_ it every single day of your life. I won't…I _won_ ' _t_ hurt you again, or the people you love…even if I disapprove of them," He thought back to that smuggler she had been dating back in their galaxy and winced. As much as he didn't like the guy, torturing him and freezing him in carbonite had likely _not_ earned him any points in Leia's eyes. "I promise to be a father that you can be proud of. I hope…I hope someday you'll love _me_ the way you loved Bail...even more so. I'll work extra hard to earn that love, Princess."

Again, he could feel that binding between he and his daughter, and he swore to himself that he would do _everything_ in his power to uphold it. He wouldn't break it. Not this time. He would _die_ before that happened.

With that decided, Anakin smiled, at peace himself, and watched as both of his twins slept peacefully, home where they belonged, at long last...With _both_ their parents.

* * *

 **Just two more weeks of school...just two more weeks of school...just TWO MORE WEEKS of school...**

 **As you can guess, these next two weeks are going to be busy, so I will try to update before then, but no promises.**

 **Basically, the next few chapters will highlight major points in Luke and Leia's childhood. So there will be some time skips.**

 **Thanks for all of the reviews! They make my day! I'm glad you enjoyed the birth scene!**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	48. The Final Frontier

**1** **Year** **later...**

"D-D-D-D-D-DORA!" Anakin winced as the theme song for the dreaded " _Dora_ _the_ _Explorer_ " resounded through the house. Even from his bedroom where he was packing he could hear it clearly. It meant that it was Leia's pick for what was _constantly_ being played on the TV... without the twins actually watching it, of course. Dora was their newest fascination—previously, the kids had been fascinated with _Leap_ _Frog_ , and it drove him so crazy that he began to "accidentally" lose control of the Force and fling the DVDs or the DVR up against the wall. Each time, Luke's cherubic little face -so like his own, his grandmother _swore_ he was Anakin reincarnate - would frown, point at him, and say, "Da!" which would be accompanied by an image of Anakin fixing it through their Force connection. Leia usually just started screaming, her forte since birth.

After the _third_ time of this happening, Padme had put her foot down and threatened to make him watch five hours of the horrible shows if he didn't stop pretending to _accidentally_ destroy the shows with the Force. He'd _tried_ to pretend that wasn't what he was doing, but he'd simply gotten 'The Stare' from his wife, the one he remembered so well from her Galactic Senate days, and he'd ducked his head shamefully. And, to top it off, she had reminded him that she didn't _have_ to be a Jedi to know when he was using his Force abilities inappropriately.

He knew a losing battle when he saw one.

So, with _that_ threat, Anakin did indeed stop, but that didn't keep him from doing his own research, _much_ to Obi-Wan's amusement, for alternatives to replace those dreaded shows with ones that were _slightly_ more tolerable. His twins were a year old, they wouldn't know the difference he reasoned. They just liked the noise and the visuals…when they were _sort_ _of_ paying attention.

Now, however, he regretted bringing Dora into the home.

He tried to tune out the horrible nightmare that was the Dora opening theme song, but to no avail. Finally, he sighed and gave up, leaving the bedroom to go back out into the kitchen area where Padme was busy beginning to prepare dinner. Glancing over into the living room that was littered with toys and blankets, Anakin could see that, sure enough, Luke and Leia were busy playing together with their toys and not actually _looking_ at the TV at all. Jedi was curled up next to them, tail thumping happily against the carpeted floor. " _Why_ turn the TV on when they are clearly focused on something else?" he asked for about the thousandth time, as he leaned back against the countertop.

"Because, it distracts them enough for me to get something done," Padme replied without turning around. She was bent over and searching through all the lower cupboards, seemingly to no avail. "I _think_ Luke might have hidden the pan I need. Again." She finally said with an exasperated sigh.

Anakin couldn't help but laugh. The very moment Luke had learned to crawl, things began to 'mysteriously' go missing in the house. If Luke could drag it, it was _surely_ going to turn up missing. "Threepio is helping Artoo make sure everything is ready out in the garage, but I'll have him search the house for it." Anakin paused, the smile beginning to melt from his face a little.

He had heard men in _both_ galaxies complain about their wives after the stress of having children changed their marital relationship from that of being lovers to one of just being parents. The first time, he had worried so much for the safety of his family, that it had _literally_ driven him to become a totally different person. Now, he chose to view the hard times - and there _had_ been some hard times in the first few months after the twins' birth -as a blessing, a gift from the Force, and a learning experience that he was _determined_ to use to strengthen his relationship with his beautiful wife instead of alienating them.

And, beautiful she was. Gorgeous.

Even on the days when Luke and Leia were impossible for _both_ of them to handle. Even on the days when he came home from school or work and she looked like she was going to drop from sheer exhaustion. In fact, he thought she was more beautiful than ever.

He loved her more now than he _ever_ had.

So, as she hunted around for another suitable pan, he stopped and just watched her. The way she moved. The way curls fell out of the messy bun she'd thrown it up in so the twins wouldn't pull on it. The way her hips, a little bit wider now after giving birth (but in _just_ the right places), swayed sensually as she moved to and fro, muttering under her breath about mischievous little boys who took after their father.

He was going to miss _this_. Six months in space… the sight of his wife, the sight of his children playing in their living room…if he wasn't so worried about establishing a firm future for them, he might have backed out of this trip altogether. He knew Padme didn't love the idea of him leaving, but she supported it anyway. She knew how important it was to him and for their family, and just as he supported her in her endeavors, she supported him.

Still. He didn't want to leave. Not now. Not ever.

Finally, as Padme failed to find a suitable pan for what she needed, Anakin approached her from behind, sliding his arms snugly around her waist, bringing her close to his body. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, planting wet kisses that he _knew_ would send shivers down her body, and breathing her scent in. "We'll order delivery, Angel," He muttered as he trailed kisses up her neck, pausing to gently nip and suckle her earlobe, and then further across her jawline. "Let's not spend tonight cooking. Let's just…enjoy each other's company." He whispered into her ear, reaching out with his tongue to trace the shell of her ear.

Padme groaned, leaning further into him, reaching up with her right hand to tangle her fingers in his hair. "I am totally okay with that." She murmured before she turned around in his embrace and, wrapping her arms around his neck, kissed him deeply. He was so relieved and _thankful_ that, after her body had healed from the delivery, they had been both willing and able to resume lovemaking on a _somewhat_ normal basis...despite _both_ of them being tired all the time from caring for two newborns. Now, Anakin could feel her desire reflecting his own—and he could also feel her apprehension of him leaving. They had been separated before in this life, but not for _this_ long, and not in such a way that was so _completely_ physically separating. The ship he and Obi-Wan had built was superior, but it didn't match up to what he was used to from their old galaxy. If something happened back home while he was off planet, he couldn't easily turn around and go back to help her or the kids. It drove him mad thinking about it, and if it wasn't for Galen coming in to stay with Padme and the twins right before take off to help Ahsoka protect his family while he was away, he _wouldn_ ' _t_ have been leaving at all.

So, he enjoyed _every_ moment of that kiss, his hands reaching up to cup both her cheeks, when….

"Da?"

Luke.

They broke apart, a blush covering Padme's face, as they looked down at their son. He had a red Hot Wheels car gripped in one hand, and he was looking at both of his parents expectantly. Anakin glanced at Padme, who shot him a smolderingly suggestive look and mouthed "later." That made Anakin grin ferally and his eyes darken instantly with desire, before he shook his head and gave his son his full attention. "Hey, Buddy, what are you doing?"

A large, goofy smile played out on Luke's face—which was very normal for Luke, and it warmed Anakin's heart every time. An image of food flashed through their Force connection. It was one of the benefits of being Force-sensitive like his children, but now that they were of an age where they needed to start relying on physical speech to communicate what they wanted, Anakin was doing his best to encourage them to speak. "Luke, what have we told you? You need to actually _tell_ us what you want, Buddy. Your mother can't understand you through the Force like I can," Anakin reminded his son.

Padme shot him a grateful look: Often, both of the twins tried to send her their desires through the Force like they did to Anakin, and due to Padme's non-sensitivity to the Force, it was totally lost on her, which had led to quite a few tantrums in recent weeks. Wryly, Anakin acknowledged that the next six months without him there would be a… _different_ experience for his children... _and_ his wife.

Luke frowned, and an image of food flashed through Anakin's head again. "Say 'food,' Luke." Anakin insisted gently.

Luke's little frown deepened, and, assuming that Anakin just didn't understand what he wanted, Luke turned and toddled over to the open pantry where he knew the food was kept, reaching out. "Da!" He said again, his favorite word (much to Anakin's pleasure), and he looked back at his parents expectantly.

"Oh no," Padme began, "He'd better not try…"

She hadn't even finished her sentence before a glass jar of food teetered over the edge of a shelf and went falling towards the floor. Having felt Luke's surge in the Force, Anakin quickly stopped the jar and levitated it to his own hand. Luke giggled, scrunching up his face in delight, having successfully gotten Anakin to play the twins' favorite game: Drop everything and see if Daddy will catch it with the Force.

"...that." Padme finished with a sigh, rolling her eyes. "Y'know, this house is going to get _a lot_ messier without you here to stop them from knocking everything over."

Anakin smirked. "I'll add it to the list of things for Galen to watch out for. He could use practice in spontaneous levitation anyway." That wasn't _quite_ true, but if it helped ease his wife's mind, it would have to do. Giving up on getting Luke to say something close to the word 'food,' Anakin walked over and picked his son up and settled him in his high chair before going into the living room for Leia. Padme took that opportunity to order the two of them a large supreme pizza—with bacon on top of it, of course.

Anakin was going to miss bacon.

"No!" Leia yelled when Anakin picked her up. She immediately began to squirm, kicking her legs and twisting to try and get out of her father's grasp.

"No!" was her favorite word.

"Leia, it's time for dinner. Now, stop squirming, young lady." Anakin said patiently and calmly...but _firmly._ He had patience for few things and people, but he had quickly learned that Leia was even _more_ stubborn than he'd originally thought, and responding to her with impatience just made it worse.

Still, she stubbornly squirmed until he had managed to get her into her high chair, and he pulled out the jar of food for her to see. She reluctantly calmed down after that and watched as her mother proceeded to place a plastic bowl with some dry _Cheerios_ in it before her and her brother.

Mealtime with the twins was _always_ eventful, be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner. As usual, Jedi left his spot on the living room floor, planted himself beneath the dual high chairs, and stared intently, waiting for the inevitable rain of food to come crashing down to the floor for him to quickly mop up with his tongue. The twins ate as they usually did—extremely messily.

Luke would sit there enjoying each moment the food was in his mouth…which only ended up dripping down his chin and onto his bib. Leia was _always_ a battle, from putting on her bib to actually getting food into her mouth. Anakin had fought easier lightsaber duels compared to getting Leia to eat. She liked food, but no one would know it by the way she acted. She would try to hit the spoon, grab the spoon to throw it, and if she was _really_ feisty, she sometimes lashed out with the Force, sending her little plate and fork flying across the kitchen to splatter in a heap on the floor. It was a big game to her, and it didn't help that her behavior made Luke giggle, thus encouraging his daughter to continue to act out. Dinner _usually_ ended in the twins _needing_ baths and both parents taking showers.

This night was no exception, but _tonight,_ Anakin was content, even while he was splattered with baby food. It was a night when he basked in the overall peacefulness of _this_ life. Sure, he and his family were constantly on the alert—Palpatine was _still_ on the loose, and he had thwarted two assassination attempts against himself by nameless assassins over the last year. But overall, this life was so much calmer than in his previous galaxy.

He wondered, like he often did in calm moments like this, how he was so lucky to have a life like this one. He didn't _need_ power. It had brought him nothing but trouble and misery. What he needed, what he'd _always_ needed, was his family. Moments like this—his wife waiting for their pizza delivery, his twins together and happy, his friends and his mother just a phone call away— **this** was true happiness.

"You have that look on your face again," Padme suddenly said, distracting him. Leia used that opportunity to lash out with the Force, orange goop from her strained carrots hitting him in the face.

Leia and Luke giggled.

"What look?" He asked, trying to feed Leia again. He couldn't _wait_ to properly teach them how to use their abilities…

"That look that tells me that you're wondering if this is all too good to be true. If this is actually real." She motioned around them with her hand, indicating the whole of this life, this world.

Anakin took a moment to think about her comment and about all they had experienced over the last year. So many memories. _Good_ memories. He remembered the various milestones they'd both been blessed to be there for this time in the twins' lives: Learning to sit up, roll over, and to crawl, their first teeth, first words, and first steps, Padme's first Mother's Day, his first Father's Day, and the twins' first birthday. He thought about how his relationship with his in-laws had improved somewhat over the last year because of the twins, whom Ruwee and Jobal simply _adored._ He thought about the twice a month dates he took his wife on to ensure they had some romantic time alone just for them.

Yes, all in all, _this_ second chance was worth it.

Anakin smiled softly as he managed to get Leia to take a bite. Success! "Y'know, it's sort of comical to imagine myself sitting here as Darth Vader, in that suit, trying to feed these two little squirts." He paused, really considering that. "It's also a _terrifying_ thought, too. I'm…I'm really glad I didn't know they existed at this age when I was…" he trailed off, looking at his children's innocent, currently very messy, faces. As he always did when he thought about this, he felt a fierce need to protect that innocence for as long as possible.

Suddenly, Padme was at his side, her fingers finding his chin to tilt his face up so that his eyes met her deep brown ones. "I'm going to _miss_ you, Ani, while you're gone," She paused, looking at the twins. "They'll miss you, too."

Oh, Anakin was aware of that. _Too_ aware. He was worried about his wife, but he was also very worried about his children. They had never been separated from him for more than a few hours at a time. He worried that his leaving would awaken some slumbering separation complex ingrained in them from their past life, and that, by leaving, he would be awakening that.

It was not a good thought.

"Maybe it won't be _too_ bad, Angel. They're still so young." He didn't really believe the words, but he wanted to be positive minded for his worried wife…and, truthfully, for himself.

He could tell she didn't buy it either. "Okay." She said on a sigh, wiping off baby food from his cheek with her thumb. "You're a mess, by the way."

Anakin grinned, wiped more baby food off of himself, and smeared it on Padme's nose. "Now you are, too." Laughing, Padme pulled away, the doorbell ringing just at that moment for their pizza delivery. "I'm _sure_ you'll miss getting messy," she called over her shoulder, her voice full of playful sarcasm. As he watched her saunter out of the room, Anakin's smile softened.

"Yes, I will."

* * *

"Okay. Everything is in place," Obi-Wan announced, as he entered the cockpit of the shuttle.

"Good," Anakin said, running his final check of the systems. Everything looked in place—perfect, actually. That didn't surprise him, since he was confident that the ship would work as they'd built it to. The NASA engineers who had visited the ship two days ago, having been notified of their plans by Stanford when Anakin had submitted his ship plans for his final exam, didn't seem _too_ enthused about its chances, but that was because Anakin had used materials that NASA believed to be "too reckless" for space. Still, NASA _had_ agreed to follow the ship's progress over the next six months, which Anakin was pleased to hear.

But, when the _media_ had gotten wind of the trip six months ago, there had been a huge uproar and a particularly nasty debate raging on the nightly news talk shows, not to mention online on Twitter, for weeks on whether or not it was safe for "droid builders" to build a ship and take it to Mars, let alone outer space.

Obi-Wan had soothed Anakin multiple times over to keep him from marching down to each and every news station to not only explain _why_ the ship would work, but also rave about how, out of everyone on the planet, he and Obi-Wan were the _most_ qualified to complete a mission like this.

Thankfully, cooler heads had prevailed.

No. Doing that would have exposed too much of their past, revealed too much about the Jedi Order to media scrutiny - not to mention the prying eyes of the government - so, Anakin had let Obi-Wan do the talking to the media, while he focused on building the ship.

Now, outside of the ship, there were hundreds of reporters behind a blocked off barricade, guarded by federal officers, cameras ready, waiting for the chance to see whether or not Anakin's ship would crash and burn as NASA had publicly predicted. Also waiting outside, in a closed private tent protecting them from public scrutiny, because the media had gone nuts about Anakin bringing his children onto the 'dangerous' ship, were his and Obi-Wan's families and closest friends.

When the media had openly accused Anakin of being a bad parent for bringing the twins aboard with Padme to show them the completed product, it was the only time Obi-Wan had not been able to convince Anakin it would be better if _he_ addressed the media. Obi-Wan did, in the hours leading up to that particular press conference, outline a strict statement for Anakin to follow, and Padme, calling on all her years of senatorial experience, had coached Anakin on keeping a diplomatic face even while boiling mad on the inside. In the end, the 'diplomatic' solution was to keep the twins off of the ship until he could prove that it was, indeed, safe.

"Artoo," Anakin asked, trying to keep his mind from thinking about the less than favorable arrangement too much. He wanted so badly to show his children, even if they _were_ too small to understand it yet, the legacy they'd been born into. He wanted them to know that if he could do what this world deemed impossible, they could, too. "Are the systems fully functional?"

Artoo was plugged into one of the many ports that Anakin had built into the ship. A high pitched whistle of agreement reached his ears, causing Anakin to relax a little. "Alright. Then we're ready to launch." He got up from his seat, turning to Obi-Wan. "Let's go say goodbye and get this show on the road."

"You know," Obi-Wan said on a sigh, as he followed Anakin out of the ship and back out onto the launch pad, "I'm starting to remember that I really, _really_ hate space travel, and that it's better suited to droids. Almost six months in space does _not_ sound fun."

Anakin grinned at that. "You're making history, my friend...on _this_ planet anyway. Think of it that way. What did Neil Armstrong say when landing on the moon? One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind?"

"Yeah, but that's the _moon_. The moon is a lot closer...and not nearly as _red_ as Mars is. Need I remind you I'm not fond of red?" Obi-Wan sighed. "Just don't fly _too_ wildly. I know you, Anakin. Remember, you have a wife and kids to live for now, and I have a wife to live for as well. I would like to actually come back in one piece and not die on this mission."

Anakin laughed. Of course, Obi-Wan would remember his hatred of space travel right before takeoff. "Come on, Obi-Wan, surely you're not too... _chicken_...to go?," Anakin smirked, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

If looks could kill, Anakin was _sure_ he would have been one plucked bird, as Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes and huffed at his friend. Laughing at his expression, Anakin slapped his copilot good-naturedly on the shoulder.

"Well. Too late now. You're stuck with me. For six whole months. I promise I'll do my best _not_ to kill us both." He shot another grin at Obi-Wan, who scowled in response.

They reached their families in their private tent. Padme stood with Leia in her arms, while Galen, who had arrived in the States early that morning with Peter, awkwardly held Luke. Galen had created a pretty good relationship with the twins over the summer, but it was clear that he didn't generally hang out with toddlers in his spare time back in Nepal. Threepio also stood at Padme's side. His mother and stepfather, Shmi and Cliegg, his in-laws, Jobal and Ruwee, Mindy, and Ashoka were also present to wish them well and say their goodbyes.

Obi-Wan immediately went to Satine, enveloping her protectively in his arms. Satine had been calm and supportive the whole time they had been building the ship, and she had even used her lawyer skills to help Obi-Wan in addressing the media during the height of the scandal. However, Anakin suspected that behind that calm façade, she, too, was apprehensive about her husband leaving for six , they had arranged for Peter to come over from Nepal with Galen, and he and Ashoka would be staying with Satine while Obi-Wan was away, to protect _her_ from any of Palpatine's plots.

Anakin turned his full attention to his own family, leaving his friend to his. "Angel," He whispered lovingly, one hand going to her waist, pulling her close, as he leaned in and kissed her deeply, his other hand twining in her chestnut curls. The night before, after they put the twins to bed, they had intimately expressed to each other again and again, long into the night, just _how_ much they were going to miss one another, and even now, as he kissed her and breathed in her familiar scent, he felt that doubt of leaving her.

He would have continued to kiss her forever, but Leia's little hand began to push at his face. He pulled away, their lips making a soft _smacking_ sound, laughing a little as he took Leia in his arms and held her close, dropping a gentle kiss on her forehead. For once, she didn't squirm. She was quiet, as if sensing that something was changing. She looked up at him with her beautiful brown eyes, so much like her mother's. "I won't forget about you, my Princess. Please don't forget _me,_ ok? I love you, Leia. So much." He promised, kissing the top of her head. She whimpered, but didn't cry or yell. Yes, he suspected she knew something was amiss.

He looked back at Padme, meeting her eyes. "I double and triple checked the communication systems. They are functional. Call me _everyday_ so that I know everything is okay." His throat tightened. _Force_ , this was hard. If he didn't believe in what he was doing so much, he would call everything off. But, one look at his family, and he knew he _needed_ to do this, even if he hated leaving them for so long.

"I will, Ani," Padme promised. To anyone who didn't know her, they would think she was calm, but Anakin knew it was her senatorial face, the face she was using to keep the media from coming up with some ridiculous story about how he had left his sobbing wife to go die in space, or something similarly stupid. Still, he could feel her distress rolling off of her in waves, and he kissed her, fiercely, once more…and was again pushed by Leia.

"Okay, okay," He said, pulling away, giving Leia another kiss on her forehead. " _You_ be good for your mother, Princess, while I'm away, understood?" He said, using their Force connection to make sure that she _fully_ understood. "Be nice to her and your brother. And the dog. Oh, and Galen, too."

"And Threepio!" Threepio reminded him. Leia had a habit of throwing her toys at Threepio whenever she saw him for some reason. They weren't sure _why,_ but maybe it was because she took after Ryoo and Pooja, who called him, 'The Stiff.'

Anakin chuckled. "Yes and Threepio, unless he isn't doing his job." That caused Threepio to start to protest, but Padme quickly waved him off. Leia looked at her dad, her eyes as serious as he'd ever seen them.

"Da," she whispered, and he smiled for her, kissed her forehead a third time, and handed her back to Padme, where she continued to remain eerily calm.

Anakin faced his Padawan. "You understand that I'm leaving the safety of my family in your hands."

Galen nodded soberly. "Yes, Master."

"This is _not_ a small task to be taken lightly. You need to be _constantly_ on your guard. I am certain Palpatine will try to take advantage of the fact that we're not on planet to hurt them. Ahsoka and Peter will help you as well, but when they aren't around, be _extra_ careful, and _always_ vigilant. Do **not** hesitate to contact me if there's a problem. I'll have my comlink with me at all times."

Galen nodded again. "It will be done, Master."

Somewhat satisfied, Anakin nodded. "Good." He turned his attention to Luke, who, abnormally, was squirming in Galen's arms. "Luke," Anakin sighed, taking his son into his arms. Immediately, Luke calmed, though Anakin could sense that his son was still struggling with inner turmoil. "Luke, _look_ at me, Buddy." He ordered, using the Force to get Luke to understand. Luke looked at him, tears welling up in his bright blue eyes.

Anakin's heart practically broke.

Like Leia somehow knew, Luke did as well, and he was not taking it as calmly. "I'll be home before you know it, Buddy. I need you to be the man of the house for me, okay?"

Anakin tried to calm him with the Force, but it seemed to only make Luke even more upset. He began to openly bawl. "No, Da! No!" He blubbered, and it was accompanied by an image of Anakin at home playing with Luke and Leia. Anakin had to fight back tears of his own.

"I know, Luke, but right now, I have to go on an important business trip. I'll come back home, I promise." He kissed Luke's forehead, sending calming feelings through their bond. It did little to calm him down, though.

"Da! No, Da!" An image of Anakin buckling Luke into his car seat in the SUV flashed through his head. The message from his son was clear: _If you aren't coming home, Daddy, I want to go with you._

Anakin's heart nearly shattered. If only.

Even if he _could_ have taken him and Leia without the media going into a frenzy, not to mention child protective services getting involved, he still would have been too young to be cooped up on a space shuttle for six months. Actually, Luke may have been okay, but Leia…Leia was _not_ meant to be cooped up in a place like that. _Ever._ Anakin could only _imagine_ the tantrums she would throw. It was a _terrifying_ thought.

"Not today, Squirt. Maybe next time. Ok? I love you, Buddy. Very much. I'm going to miss you, Luke. Be a good boy for your mother. Remember, she can't use use the Force. And, don't fight with your sister." He ruffled his son's blonde hair and bent to gently kiss his forehead, sending as much comfort as he could through their Force bond, before handing Luke back to Galen.

He met Galen's eyes and said through their Force bond: _He's going to have a hard time with this. Help Padme when she needs it._ Galen nodded in understanding as Luke began to squirm and wail. It tore Anakin up. Each cry was like a lightsaber being shoved into his chest, and suddenly Anakin realized that if leaving Luke for a comparatively brief time period of six months caused his son so much pain, Anakin could never fathom the pain he went through growing up without the father he had always wanted. It took all of Anakin's strength to look away from Luke and back to Padme. "I love you, Angel. Always." He managed to choke out.

Padme nodded, and he noticed her bottom lip quiver just a little. "I love you, too, my Jedi." He looked at her, taking her in, memorizing every detail of this moment, leaning over to kiss his wife one last time, before he turned to hug his parents, his in-laws, Mindy, Peter, and Ahsoka goodbye, pausing to give Snips some last minute instructions for the Order, as she would be in charge stateside, with Nejaa in charge in Nepal, while he and Obi-Wan were away. He then headed back to the shuttle where Obi-Wan stood, waiting.

"I'll be sure to take good care of them, Master Anakin!" Threepio called out, and Anakin smiled just a bit, more amused than anything else _._

Threepio never changed.

Each step he took, Luke's wails seemed to get louder, and by the time he reached Obi-Wan, Anakin himself was practically going mad with the pain he could feel through his Force bond with Luke. "We have to go," He choked out, "Now."

Obi-Wan nodded in understanding, turning and heading up the ramp with Anakin. "The twins will be okay," Obi-Wan assured his friend, as the ramp rose up and they entered the cockpit. "Even at this age, they're stronger in ways that you and I could never fathom."

Anakin nodded, no longer able to speak. Instead, he sat down in his pilot's chair and began powering up the system. Obi-Wan sat next to him in the copilot seat, buckling up. "Are you _sure_ about this, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked quietly.

Anakin sighed. "You know I'm sure. Maybe someday I'll figure out a way to use this world's resources to create a ship that will be faster than this one, but I have to start somewhere. We both know that."

"I understand." Obi-Wan said. "Well. It's now or never. I've got your back, my old friend. Punch it."

Anakin smiled a little, letting out a pent up breath and taking the steering mechanism in his hands. The ship beneath them shook slightly and then lifted up off of the ground, and he began to maneuver the ship into takeoff position. "Ready, Artoo?" He called to his droid, and received a whistle of confirmation from the astromech. "Here we go then," He said, and pushed the ship into take off, shooting towards the atmosphere, and out into space.

* * *

 **So...I clearly haven't updated in a while, and I sincerely apologize for that. For whatever reason, after school ended, I got randomly depressed and writing was hard for me. I started this chapter back then, but I couldn't finish it. Then when depression phase was over, our company took on a major client and I was told last minute that I needed to create a massive training program and that is still not completely figured out, even though it was an overall success. Point is, I'm hoping that things will get easier from here on out.**

 **I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I know some of you are concerned with time skips, but bear with me. I know exactly where this story is going, and my Beta knows exactly where this story is going. Everything I do is for a purpose, unless I specifically state that it's a fluff chapter...which I think happened like once or twice, since I'm not very patient with those chapters lol.**

 **Thank you for your continued support, it does mean a lot to me. I just needed a break, and I am back on the writing horse and ready to go now. I again apologize for the wait.**

 **Review!**

 **Love always,**

 **Sarah**


	49. Coming Home

**6 months later...**

"I'm warning you nowbefore you _probably_ find out tomorrow," Padme said with a sigh, as she raked her hands through her hair, her look of exasperation.. _.and_ exhaustion... clearly evident over the video feed Artoo displayed on the wall of Anakin's private cabin, "Our daughter is going through a new...umm... _phase_."

Anakin raised a tired eyebrow. Force, he was _so_ ready to get out of space, get back home, and see his family in person again. Sure, he had enjoyed this mission while it lasted, but he'd never spent so long traveling in space without stopping at various planets to carry out either Jedi or Imperial business. Without the ability to travel in hyperspace, almost three months nonstop to Mars and three months nonstop back to Earth had gotten _boring_. Very quickly. Sure, he and Obi-Wan had kept busy, sparring with their lightsabers in the onboard gym, meditating, talking about the Order, NASA, their company, and their families, but they were _both_ ready to get back on solid ground.

He vowed to make a faster spaceship.

But, at least tomorrow he would _finally_ touch down on Earth, proving to NASA (and his father-in-law) that he'd been right all along, and most importantly, he'd be seeing his family in person again. He'd missed them so much on this trip.

"What phase is that?" He asked, half wondering if maybe he should've pretended Padme wasn't about to announce something he may not like. If he ignored it, maybe the problem would just go away.

Yeah. Not likely.

"Well," Padme sighed again and looked down at her hands now resting on the kitchen counter, and Anakin noticed she was blushing. "She's decided that she _really_ hates...clothing."

Noticing the annoyed expression on his wife's face and realizing the implication of a common, but dreaded, phase many toddlers went through, Anakin couldn't help but smirk. "Oh?" He snickered, earning him a glare from his wife.

"It's _not_ funny, Anakin! Don't you **dare** encourage this behavior by laughing! Earlier this week, Sola and I were at Target with all the kids and Galen, when suddenly Leia just starts _stripping_ in the middle of the store, throwing her clothes on the floor, and took off running before I could grab her! Galen had to Force freeze her to stop her so I could catch her! Thank goodness Sola was in the restroom with the girls at the time. I don't know _how_ I would've explained it otherwise. I was _so_ embarrassed," she complained, a look of frustration on her face. Now Anakin was laughing fully, which made Padme scowl more. "Stop laughing this minute, do you hear me? If you don't, _you're_ sleeping on the couch when you get home, mister."

Anakin took that threat seriouslyand immediately forced himself to sober, though he was still smirking like a crazy space man. Right now, after being cooped up in a small ship (okay, small by _his_ standards) for six months with Obi-Wan, he was desperate to be in the presence of other human beings, especially his wife and kids, to go for a morning run on something other than a treadmill, to eat his wife's _real_ home cooked meals again instead of dehydrated rations. Even going to the beach would be fun, he decided, which spoke volumes about the depth of his _cabin fever_ , as much as he disliked sand.

It wasn't that he was tired of being cooped up with Obi-Wan specifically. They had spent many years in close quarters at the Jedi Temple and then in barracks during the Clone Wars and already knew how to live with each other. Despite how close both of them were, however, they were also _very_ different people, and Anakin was more than ready to be back with his family again. He was sure Obi-Wan felt the same way.

Besides. He really, _really_ missed his wife. And, he really, _really_ missed his kids.

"Well, at least Luke has finally stopped biting everyone and everything now," Padme sighed, which prompted Anakin to start laughing again, much to his wife's obvious displeasure. While he was gone, Luke had gotten into a rather serious biting phase. For several months, no one and nothing was safe from Luke's teeth prints. He'd bitten both of his grandmothers, Ryoo, Pooja, Galen, Peter, Mindy, _and_ Padme, for some unknown reason only leaving Leia, Ahsoka, and Ruwee unscathed. Bail, whom Padme had called about the problem, had said that toddlers who were teething did that all the time but that possibly the separation from his father was exacerbating the issue. Threepio (who had been bitten twice) took every chance he got to complain about it to Padme...and Anakin, if he saw Padme talking to Anakin on the video link.

"Yes, that's a good thing, I'm sure," Anakin agreed with a smile before sobering up and quickly changing topics. "Our anniversary. Are you packed and ready to go, Sweetheart?"

Padme sobered, too. Their third wedding anniversary was in two days. He would be home just in time for it, but due to his extended absence from the family, their original plans had to be... _modified._ They had originally planned to fly down to San Diego for a week alone, leaving the twins with Padme's parents and Galen, but both of the kids had gone into a deep depression after he'd left for Mars, Luke worst of all. Anakin had tried cheering them up on their daily video calls, and though they'd gotten super excited to see and talk to him everyday, as soon as the calls ended, they'd gone right back into depression-mode. It had gotten a _bit_ better over the months, but Luke was still having the hardest time of all with it, and Anakin and Padme theorized that his return home would likely cause the twins to grow overly attached to him and be ultra sensitive to his presence for awhile. If they left on a mini vacation right _now_ , just the two of them, they were afraid the disappearance of not one, but _both_ of their parents, would be catastrophic and just too much for the twins, not to mention a nightmare for whoever stayed to watch them.

But, Anakin realized, they also needed their own alone time as husband and wife, not just as mother and father. After all, they hadn't been together in six months, and they needed to reconnect as a married couple, as lovers, both physically and emotionally, as well.

The solution, they decided, was insane, but their only real option right now: Over the next seven days, they would spend the daytime hours at home and going out to do fun activities with the kids, reconnecting as a family. Then they would wait until the twins were in bed asleep, leaving Shmi and Galen in charge (so he could make sure the kids _stayed_ asleep with the help of the Force), and then go off to have their own private adventures each night and be back home before the twins woke up the next morning.

Yes, it was insane. It was exhausting to think about. But, it was the _only_ way they could think of to make it work without causing additional emotional trauma on their children.

So, as they had discussed, Padme had booked a romantic nightly getaway for them at the luxurious _Seal Cove Inn_ out at Half Moon Bay, which was only thirty minutes from their home. She had reserved the beautiful Cypress Grove Suite for a week, and she also made private dinner reservations for them each night at a different restaurant, reserving a special couple's private spa experience for one evening, as well getting them tickets to a couple of local music concerts, and a private two-hour cruise at sunset off the coast. To allow for their SUV to stay at home for Shmi (who was in town to welcome Anakin home) to drive in case of emergency, Padme had also rented them a black Mercedes to drive to and from all their excursions for the week. She would pick up the rental car first thing in the morning before they had to leave for the landing pad.

"Yes, I've packed for both of us, Ani," Padme confirmed, "And Shmi and Galen have all the instructions…not that Galen needs them anymore."

Anakin nodded in satisfaction. "Good. I can't _wait_ to be alone with you and really celebrate _everything_ that's happened, just the two of us, Angel." He paused, sighing, a look of intense longing crossing his face. "Just a few more hours, and this will _all_ be over. I'll be home with you, Sweetheart."

Padme smiled, her eyes dancing with amusement. "Y'know, you and Obi-Wan are practically celebrities down here now. That selfie you guys took on Mars in your space suits? Priceless. Mindy had it blown up and professionally framed and took the liberty of hanging it on our wall in the front entry way. You two went viral on Twitter and Facebook on that photo."

Anakin grinned. That had been the first picture they sent back to NASA with the subject line _"Told You So"_ attached to it. Obi-Wan had worried that might have ruined Anakin's chances of joining NASA, but Anakin doubted it since they had also collected numerous soil and rock samples from the planet and took more pictures and recorded video and other data for the space agency. NASA had wanted them to stick an American flag on Mars, like the astronauts had done on the moon, but Anakin and Obi-Wan felt this wasn't an achievement for _just_ the United States. Rather, it was an achievement for the whole world, and perhaps even this galaxy.

Plus, Anakin just enjoyed sticking it to them too much. That was something he doubted he would _ever_ grow out of. So, instead, they'd planted a flag with a picture of Earth on it, and took another selfie of them with the flag and sent _that_ to NASA instead.

"I'll put spotlights on that picture when I get home." He teased. "I'll write it into my will and make Luke display it in a place of honor in his home after I die."

Padme rolled her eyes. "The point is, life might be a little _different_ down here, Ani. At least for a little while. You and Obi-Wan are famous celebrities now, which means we'll have to be much more careful, for us _and_ the kids."

He nodded in agreement. "Alright, Angel. I understand. Listen, I hate to cut this short, but I'd better get some sleep before I have to help Obi-Wan land this thing tomorrow."

"No landing in style, please." Padme reminded him with a smirk.

"What? Me? Never." He grinned. Truly, he was confident that he could land the spacecraft safely. He'd done it just fine on Mars. He could certainly do it on a specially built landing pad on Earth. Right? _Right,_ he told himself confidently.

Padme just rolled her eyes again, but she was smiling. "Okay, my handsome Jedi. Get some sleep. I can't wait to see you in the morning. I love you."

"I love you too, Angel. See you in the morning. Goodnight." The video feed cut off, and he was left staring at the blank wall of his cabin. He sighed, running a tired hand over his face. "Ready to go home, Artoo?" He asked his droid.

A low whistle of approval. _The sooner, the better._

"I couldn't agree more, Artoo," Anakin chuckled, patting the droid's dome affectionately, before he reached out through the Force to check on Obi-Wan, who was still in the cockpit. _You still doing okay in there?_ He sent through their connection.

He could feel Obi-Wan's exhaustion and apprehension about the landing tomorrow. Obi-Wan was more than ready to go home, too. _I'm fine. Get some sleep. I won't have you landing in 'style' tomorrow because you're tired._

What was _with_ everyone and their issues with his landing skills anyway?

 _Fine, fine,_ Anakin snickered, _Just_ _don't crash us into a satellite or the moon before we can land._

Obi-Wan didn't even bother to reply. Anakin could practically _feel_ Obi-Wan's exasperation through their bond, and he smirked as he stripped himself of his shirt and laid down in his bunk, where sleep easily overcame him.

* * *

"Mama!" Leia complained, pulling at her shirt collar. "No shurt!"

Padme inwardly groaned as she checked to make sure Leia hadn't actually started trying to pull it off. After six months, they were back in the private tent at the landing pad, waiting anxiously for Anakin and Obi-Wan to land. The canvas tent shaded them from the hot summer sun, but it also trapped the heat as well, making them all uncomfortable. Dimly, she could hear the voices of the crowd of international reporters who had gathered behind the erected barricade to witness the landing of the two men the media were now dubbing _heroes_ , after calling them irresponsible hooligans only a year before. All she needed at _this_ moment was for her daughter to manage to get out of her clothes and run naked out to see her father in front of _all_ those cameras. Not.

It was Galen who answered Leia, as he squatted down in front of the eighteen-month-old. "We talked about this Leia, remember? You promised _not_ to take off your clothes. You don't want to make your daddy mad, do you?"

At the mention of Anakin, Leia paused, staring at Galen with a solemn expression. "Da no mad." She shook her head, her dark curls bouncing around her angelic face.

"But, Daddy _will_ be mad if you take off your clothes." Galen shot Padme a look that said, _I can't believe I'm having this conversation,_ before he turned his full attention back to Leia. Padme couldn't quite believe it either, mostly because she'd never thought she would _ever_ have to worry about her toddler randomly stripping off her clothes. Privately, she _hoped_ this wasn't a harbinger of things to come when Leia hit her teens, or they'd _really_ be in trouble.

Leia puzzled over Galen's words. Padme suspected that Galen had used the Force to help with the meaning behind them, because she repeated solemnly "Da no mad." But she stopped fiddling with the collar of her shirt, thankfully.

Luke was nestled in Padme's arms. When Padme had told the kids that their daddy was coming home, both of them had gotten excited. Leia, however, was usually all over the place, and over the weeks leading up to his return, she kept having to be reminded that it was actually happening. Luke, on the other hand, fixated on it. Every day, the first thing he'd ask was, "Da home?" When he found out that it wasn't going to be _that_ day, he'd quiet down and toddle off by himself for awhile until Leia managed to distract him with one of their toys.

This morning when he'd asked the question, Padme had expected him to get super excited when she told him yes, today was the day. But instead, he'd looked at her warily, as if he didn't believe her, which had broken her heart to realize he probably _didn't_ believe her. As she'd helped him get dressed and ready to go, he'd remained quiet, stoic almost, and had latched onto her the moment they got out of the car at the landing pad to go wait for Anakin in the tent.

Padme didn't blame Luke. It _did_ feel surreal to finally have her husband back home again after so long apart. She had missed him, greatly. The only reason she hadn't gone mad with worry was because this time, _this_ separation didn't have anything to do with a war her husband was off fighting in. She knew at all times that her husband was safe, because NASA was constantly monitoring their progress and posting hourly updates on their website, and unlike their old galaxy, she was able to _see_ and _talk_ to him everyday. Still, if it hadn't been for the support of their friends and family, the last six months of parenting the twins alone would have driven her up a wall. If there was ever an issue that needed to be addressed using the Force, Galen, Peter, and Ahsoka had been _more_ than helpful in that endeavor.

A cry of excitement suddenly engulfed the tent. "There they are!" Satine cried out from the folded chair she had planted herself in, fanning herself with a file folder. Padme didn't blame her. Standing for long periods of time was exhausting and painful when you were six months pregnant, especially in this miserable summer heat.

The news of Satine's pregnancy had come barely a month into the Mars trip. It had been Padme who had first recognized the signs in her friend, and insisted that she go to the doctor. Sure enough, Bail had confirmed that Satine was, indeed, pregnant. When they'd gotten back to Padme's home that day, Satine had immediately called Obi-Wan, even though it wasn't the time they usually called. She had holed herself up in Padme and Anakin's room for two hours to talk to her husband, and when she finally left, she had been grinning from ear to ear.

Now, as the ship was beginning it's landing decent, Ahsoka and Peter were right by Satine's side to help her out of her chair. "I can't _wait_ to see the look on Obi-Wan's face when he sees how big you've gotten," Ahsoka teased, earning her a mock glare from Satine.

"Just you wait," Satine warned, "Someday _this_ will be you, and I'll tease _you_ endlessly about it as well."

"Yeah, Snips. It's not wise to tease pregnant women." Padme agreed half-heartedly, watching intently as the ship seemed to crawl ever lower towards the landing pad. Couldn't Anakin land the thing any faster?

It felt like ages, but in reality, it was probably only ten minutes before Anakin's ship finally touched down. Thankfully, it was a smooth landing, with no landing gear breaking or engines flaming out. She had no doubt that her husband would land the craft so that he and Obi-Wan survived, but as much confidence as she had in her husband, she also was aware of the... _realities_ of his less than perfect landings in in the past.

Now that he was on the ground, though, it seemed even longer before the ship's ramp finally lowered and…

Out came Obi-Wan.

The crowd of reporters practically exploded with calls and cheers for him. He completely ignored them all, his eyes urgently scanning the landing pad. Satine, ever the one for composure, was no longer composed. "Obi-Wan," She whispered, tears in her eyes, her hands clasped together under her chin, and before Ahsoka could warn her to be careful, she began to rush (well, as fast as a heavily pregnant woman _could_ go) toward her husband.

Obi-Wan, seeing his pregnant wife, immediately picked up his own pace, meeting her halfway. The moment they met, he immediately gathered Satine tightly into his arms, his lips finding hers and...Well. It was _not_ a chaste kiss. Having never actually witnessed Obi-Wan kiss Satine like _that_ (even at their wedding), Padme was sure that she was actually blushing.

But, that was soon forgotten.

The next person out of the ship, followed not long after by his ever faithful droid, was Anakin. As soon as he appeared, a resounding cheer and shouts of _Welcome Back_ and _Congratulations_ came forth from the gathered media and federal officials, and police, which he, too, ignored.

He was a bit skinnier than she remembered, probably since he hadn't exactly been eating home cooked meals for the last few months, but other than that, he was even more handsome than she remembered. She had seen him on their video calls every day over the last six months, of course, but video didn't do him justice. It never had. His hair, in sore need of a haircut, was all tangled sandy-blonde curls. Even from this distance, as his sparkling blue eyes eagerly searched for and settled on her, she could practically _feel_ his cerulean gaze raking her from head to toe, stripping her to her skin, making her breath hitch, and desire well up in her belly. His skin hadn't lost it's color (though he had paled a little), and as he began to stride purposefully over to her, he still carried himself confidently, as if he knew that he could handle anything life threw at them.

She opened her mouth to call to him, for at that moment it was the only part of her that wasn't frozen, but her children brought her back to reality.

"DA!" Leia screamed in delight, and she broke away from Galen and was already running as fast as her chubby little legs could carry her towards her dad. Her cry of delight seemed to pull Anakin back to reality, because he tore his gaze from Padme and looked down to find his daughter coming straight for him.

He laughed and beamed, dropping to his knees as she launched herself into his outstretched arms as hard as she could. "OME! OME! DA OME!" Leia was yelling into his neck, drowning out Anakin's words to her. Anakin met Padme's gaze over Leia's shoulder, winking at her, and Padme found herself smiling back at him.

He was home. Their family was together again, just as they should be.

It was then that she noticed with some concern that Luke was shaking in her arms. "Da?" He croaked, his lower lip quivering, but he made no move to squirm out of her arms. He stared at Anakin, as if in disbelief that his daddy could really be home. "Da?"

Worried at his reaction, Padme smiled and planted a kiss on the top of his head to encourage him. "Daddy's home, Luke! Why don't we go say hi to your daddy, Sweet Boy?" She asked him. As much as she wanted Anakin all to herself, she knew she would have him later tonight. Right now, however, whatever was going on with their twins, especially Luke…the twins needed this moment with their dad.

She didn't wait for Luke to respond. She was a bit concerned at how badly he was shaking in her arms, almost as if he was in shock. She shifted him in her arms, protectively shielding Luke from the media as best she could, and headed over to where Anakin was still stuck with Leia giving him lots of slobbery kisses and babbling about whatever it was toddlers babbled about, and Anakin was eating it up, smiling and obviously enchanted with his daughter's enthusiastic welcome. Perhaps Anakin understood more of what she was trying to communicate through their Force bond.

By the time she reached Anakin, Luke was openly crying and reaching for his daddy. "I think someone wants to say hello to you," Padme laughed a little. Anakin grunted, Leia still latched onto his neck. "Leia, Princess," Anakin gently pried her arms off of him. "I love you, but I'm going to say hi to your brother and your mom now. You can tell me more about that later when we get home, Princess."

Leia pouted, clearly not happy, and Padme expected her to throw a tantrum. Instead, as Anakin stood up, she settled for latching onto his leg.

Well. Obviously, they weren't going anywhere anytime _soon_.

"Luke." Anakin said softly, as he held his arms out for his firstborn, and Padme carefully transferred him, wincing a bit as her son's weight was taken off of her now numb arms. Luke immediately latched onto Anakin like he was clinging to him for dear life, his words unintelligible through his tears. "It's okay, Luke. I'm home now. I'm not going anywhere for a really long time, Buddy." Anakin whispered as he rubbed soothing circles into Luke's back and dropped kisses on his son's head. Luke's cries calmed down to whimpers, but he was still shaking a little bit and seemed to latch tighter onto Anakin's neck.

Artoo, from Anakin's side, gave Luke a cheerful whistle. "Two." Luke mumbled, but he didn't pull one inch away from Anakin. Padme was beginning to wonder if her husband could breathe at all.

Realizing that there was no way her children were going to detach from their daddy anytime soon, Padme carefully (so as not to step on Leia still wrapped around her father's leg) moved closer to Anakin. "Welcome home, Ani," she breathed. Over Luke's embrace, Anakin smiled at his wife and carefully leaned in, his lips finally meeting hers. It wasn't as deep a kiss as she would have liked (probably because he had a toddler cutting off most of his air supply), but it was still sweet and gentle and promised of _much more_ to come, and it sent shivers down her spine.

Oh yeah. She couldn't _wait_ until the kids were asleep tonight.

"It's _so_ good to be home, Angel. I've missed you so much," He whispered as they pulled apart. He paused, glancing at the twins who still babbled and clung to him, refusing to let him go. "Although, I'm not sure when we're actually going to _get_ home at this rate." Padme laughed, their eyes meeting again, a silent promise of things to come later passing between them before Padme knelt down to try and pry Leia off of his leg.

* * *

"It's too bad Obi-Wan couldn't make it," Shmi, who had flown into California from Idaho for the express purpose of seeing her son back home again and to help celebrate his historic achievement in person, said as she held a squirming Leia in her lap. She was trying to help keep the twins from continuing to maul their father with their devoted affection. Anakin didn't actually _mind_ that his kids were so clingy. He had expected it to some degree, and it pleased him that they'd missed him that much. How things had changed since he had been their enemy.

"Well, he's only got a few short months of alone time with Satine left before their attention gets divided." Sola laughed. "I don't blame him for wanting to spend alone time with her."

Anakin didn't blame him either. The day Satine had called to tell Obi-Wan she was pregnant, his friend had sat in his room for well over an hour after she had called, shocked into silence. Anakin remembered well how shocked _he'd_ been the first time Padme had told him she was pregnant back in their old galaxy, but he'd never seen his mentor so…thrown off before. He had felt his immense joy through their Force connection, of course, but there had also been an intense longing to be at home with his wife. Anakin well understood that feeling, too. So, he didn't object when Obi-Wan announced that he was taking Satine home instead of heading back to the Skywalker house for their Welcome Home party.

Once back home, Anakin had walked in the house to a cheerful welcome from his mother, Padme's parents, Sola and Darred and their girls, plus Mindy and Threepio. His father and brother-in-law had grilled hamburgers, Jobal had made her famous potato salad and coleslaw, Mindy had brought a fresh salad, and Shmi had baked a huge peach cobbler (one of Anakin's favorites), which was served with vanilla ice cream. Shmi had also cooked several packs of bacon that morning just for her son.

Anakin had had _double_ portions of bacon on both of of his burgers.

While it was nice to see his family and friends and the home cooked meal had been delicious, Anakin himself didn't care much for the welcome home party, either. He simply wanted to spend time alone with his beloved wife, and his kids clearly wanted and needed his full attention right now.

Padme and the twins were his primary focus.

Leia was currently squirming in his mother's arms to try and crawl back into his lap. Luke was coming back and forth between the twin's room and the living room where Anakin sat with Padme on the couch, one arm wrapped snugly around her. He was bringing out every new toy he'd gotten while Anakin was away (which he, of course, left in a pile on the floor at Anakin's feet like some kind of offering) and was now off again to look for something _else_ to show his dad. Inwardly, Anakin sighed. He would have much rather given his little family his full attention.

However, everyone was excited to welcome him back. His mother had traveled in from Idaho. His in-laws had taken time off of work. Mindy had come by, and Ashoka and Peter were there, allowing Obi-Wan and Satine to have the afternoon alone. It would have been rude to tell them all to outright leave the house, and as much as Padme had missed him, he highly doubted she would appreciate that behavior. So, he relaxed into the couch and simply basked in his family's presence.

"How does it feel to be back on Earth, Space Boy?" Darred asked with a smirk.

"Like I'm grounded." He grinned at his own stupid joke. Padme rolled her eyes but leaned over to kiss his cheek. She was still smiling, though. As long as she was smiling, he considered it a successful joke.

"You're taking well to your role as a father. You're even making lame dad jokes." Darred grinned. "Welcome to the club!"

"Hey," Anakin mock protested. "My dad jokes aren't lame."

"Uh-huh." Sola scoffed. "Keep telling yourself that, too."

"Leia, no." Shmi chided, as Leia had finally broken free of her grandmother's hold, but instead of running back to Anakin, she dashed around the corner and out of sight.

"Uhh...Maybe I should get the girls to keep an eye on her," Sola muttered worriedly, her brow puckering into a frown.

"She'll be fine, Sola," Ahsoka said, as she sat next to Galen, Mindy and Peter looking awkward and out of place. They were the only four there that weren't _technically_ related to the family. Galen didn't seem to mind and was going to town on his _third_ bacon cheeseburger, but Ahsoka looked a bit bored. "She's too much like Anakin to be contained for long."

"Don't I know it." Shmi sighed, giving her son an exasperated look. Anakin almost winced, images of Princess Leia Organa flashing into his head—his mother really had no clue just how much like her father Leia _really_ was.

Luke entered the living room again, and this time he was holding a toy car that Anakin remembered giving to him at Christmas. The wheels had broken off. He held the four tiny wheels in one hand and the car in the other. "Boke caw." He showed Anakin with a pout.

"Oh, man! The day Leia broke that car was a sad...not to mention _loud..._ day for Luke, indeed." Padme lamented to Anakin with a shake of her head. "He's been saving that car to see if you can fix it."

Anakin smiled and held his hand out for the toy, and Luke eagerly gave it to him. A picture of a working version of the car entered Anakin's mind through their bond. He knew the moment he had the car in his hands that he could fix it with his eyes closed, but he still made a deliberate show of examining it for his son's benefit. "I can fix it." He looked at Luke seriously. "But, I'm going to need your help, Buddy. How about we do that first thing in the morning, okay?" He made sure Luke understood the gist of what he said through their Force connection.

Luke's cherubic face brightened immediately. "Fix Caw!"

Anakin chuckled, brushing Luke's hair out of his face affectionately. "Yep, we'll fix it, Buddy. Why don't you go play with Leia? I'm sure she'd love to play with you."

Luke suddenly frowned. "Ee-ya no cose."

Anakin frowned, not understanding his son. "Leia…what?"

"Ee-ya no cose." Luke repeated solemnly.

Anakin glanced at Padme in confusion, puzzled at what Luke was trying to say. "No cose?" Having been gone for six months, Anakin didn't understand the twins' toddler speech as well as his wife did. Padme had no problem understanding Luke, however. Her eyebrows furrowing, she huffed and threw her head against the back of the couch in sheer exasperation. "No... _oh no…"_

"Miss Leia! Come back here this instant! You put some clothes on at once!" The horrified voice of Threepio suddenly rang out through the house. The next thing everyone in the living room knew, Leia came barreling back around the corner, this time wearing only her diaper, squealing delightedly and making a rush for the open door to the backyard where Pooja and Ryoo were playing with Jedi and Artoo.

A few things happened all at once.

Galen quickly used the Force to slam the back door shut, never once bothering to leave his chair or stop eating his burger (pre-teen boys _had_ to eat). Sola jumped in surprise in her chair as the door slammed closed, knocking her drink onto the floor and yelling out,"What was _that?!"_ Jobal jumped up from her seat next to Ruwee, whose bowl of peach cobbler and ice cream was upended in his lap by his wife's flying elbow, and Jobal quickly scooped Leia up, who started howling in protest, so loud that she made Anakin's ears ring. Padme bolted to her feet with a groan, a furious blush covering her face, mortified and beginning to give apologies to everyone. Darred just blinked, his mouth hanging open in stunned shock. Ahsoka and Peter sniggered, fighting to keep from howling with laughter, while Ryoo and Pooja and Artoo came to the glass back door and just stared inside, wide-eyed at all the commotion. Shmi just closed her eyes, sighing as she shook her head.

"Ee-ya no cose." Luke said again calmly, pointing at his sister.

Anakin blinked, watching it all happen in slow motion.

Padme _really_ wasn't kidding when she said Leia had a clothes problem. Given her early aversion to things like wearing socks or onsies as a baby, this turn of events didn't surprise Anakin in the least. He wondered, briefly, if she'd gone through this same phase on Alderaan. He was glad she'd grown out of it, if she had.

While Padme and Jobal fussed over a squabbling and squirming Leia, Anakin stood up, crossed his arms over his chest, and reached out through the Force to connect with his daughter. "Leia Skywalker." His voice was firm and uncompromising, and she immediately quieted, looking at him with her wide, brown eyes.

"We wear clothes in this house, young lady. Look at your mother. Does your mother wear clothes?" He gave his daughter a stern look and waited for her to process what he was asking. He made absolutely sure that she understood him through their bond. Anakin was suddenly _very_ glad he'd regained full use of the Force. If he hadn't, he doubted he could come close to successfully parenting these two.

"Yes." A pout.

"Do I wear clothes?"

"Yes." A frown.

"And, does Luke wear clothes?"

"Yes." A wrinkled nose.

"Alright. So, who else wears clothes, too?"

Leia blinked and ducked her head, and Anakin could feel her pushing to pretend she didn't understand him. It almost felt like she was trying to shut him out through their bond, but being so young, she didn't have that skill yet. Inwardly, she clearly knew it was there.

"Leia." Anakin said firmly, his _'general'_ voice brooking no defiance from his daughter. "I asked you a question, young lady. Who else wears clothes in this house?"

Finally, knowing that she wasn't going to get away with this now that her father was home, she let out a little huff. "Me." She said and held her arms out to him, wanting to be held. "Da no mad." And, he could feel her reaching out for his forgiveness in their bond. She knew he wasn't happy about this, and he could feel her displeasure over that.

Now that she seemed to understand his meaning (for the moment at least), he took her in his arms, gently holding her close to his chest, as he let her feel his love for her through their bond. "Okay. Now, let's go get you back into clothes, shall we, Princess?"

Leia nodded her head, burying her face in his neck. Just before he turned and left the room, he caught Padme's eye. He could see the relief and gratitude there. She had spent six months dealing not only with Leia's little phase, but Luke's as well. It really hadn't been easy for her to deal with all of that by herself.

And, he planned to show her just how much he appreciated her for _everything_ , as soon as everyone left, and he was able to get the kids into bed.

The sooner the better.

* * *

That evening, Padme watched from the twins' doorway, as her husband was finishing his bedtime story to the twins. She had gotten Leia into her PJ's (for the first time in _weeks_ without a fight), while Anakin had dressed Luke in his, and now she stood, waiting for Anakin to be finished putting Luke to bed, as Leia had fallen asleep halfway through the story, secure in the knowledge her daddy was home.

He was doing an awful job at it.

For whatever reason, Anakin had decided the perfect bedtime story would be to re-tell the story of the first time he'd won a pod race on Tattoine. Not only was he just telling Luke the story, he had some of Luke's cars in his hands, using the Force to levitate the cars to show Luke the visuals. Luke stared at Anakin with wide eyes so like his dad's, listening intently.

Despite that, Padme couldn't help but smile. Her two men were clearly having fun together, and Luke was _truly_ happy again for the first time in months. Life was getting back to normal again already.

Finally, Anakin finished, levitating the cars back to their spot on the shelf across the room and tucking Luke further into the covers. "Okay, Luke," he said gently, "Time for sleep, Buddy."

"More." Luke complained on a yawn, as Padme suspected he would. "More, Da."

Anakin chuckled, but leaned down and gave Luke a kiss on his forehead. "Tomorrow night. I promise."

He stood and began to walk towards her. "Da?" Luke asked as Anakin reached her. "Fix caw?"

Anakin turned back and smiled at his son, reaching and turning off the light. "In the morning, Buddy. I promise. Now, go to sleep." Before Luke could come up with _another_ reason to interrupt, Anakin quietly closed the door, leaving them alone in the hall.

 _Finally!_

Immediately, Anakin turned, his arms wrapping around his wife and crushing her flush against him. She eagerly draped her arms round his neck and tangled her fingers in his mop of blonde curls, her mouth meeting his in a passionate, heart-stopping kiss.

She had missed this. Oh, _how_ she had missed it. If it weren't for the fact that Galen was staying up all night to make _sure_ the kids stayed asleep, she may have told Anakin that she couldn't wait until they got to the hotel.

"I missed you so much, Sweetheart," Anakin groaned softly, trailing wet kisses up her jaw.

"So did I, Honey," She paused, pulling away a bit, looking at the kid's door. "Ani, are you _sure_ we can pull this off? What if they find out we're both gone and….?"

"Padme." Anakin interrupted her, his voice husky and raw with emotion, and she met his eyes, eyes that were almost black with desire and staring at her so intensely it melted her to her core. "Tonight, it's just you and me, Angel. Right now, I don't want to talk about the kids, or space, or work, or anything else. I want to focus only on us. Now, let's hurry and get to our hotel. We have an anniversary to celebrate, Mrs. Skywalker." Anakin leaned down and rested his forehead against his wife's, his smile almost feral.

Padme smiled, allowing herself a rare moment to relax, as a shiver ran down her spine. "Okay, let's go, Mr. Skywalker." She said softly.

It was the _best_ welcome home Anakin could _ever_ remember.

* * *

 **Whew! There's a long chapter for you! It's SO much fun to write little Luke and Leia, and it's really fun to write Redeemed Anakin with his kids. Raising twins strong in the Force is NOT an easy task.**

 **I also am working on another story called The Assassin's Blade. I've only uploaded the first chapter so far since this story is my main project, but I hope to also update that one frequently. So if you read this and are like omg I can't wait for another chapter, go read that one ;)**

 **The song for this chapter is Space Oddity by David Bowie (RIP). I love the original version, but I think the version used in the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (one of my random favorite movies)is probably the most appropriate for this chapter because in addition to David Bowie singing, there's a girl singing as sort of a duet/harmony part and I feel like that reflects both Padme and Anakin's feelings while he was in space (okay done with my random David Bowie rant).**

 **Thanks to my Beta, SW! She always helps me a lot, but especially in this chapter!**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	50. The Argument

**A year and a half later...**

"He's too quiet," Anakin said for what felt like the millionth time as he helped Obi-Wan clean up their work space in Anakin's office at the factory. They were finalizing plans for an even faster spaceship to present to NASA in a few weeks' time. There were already other astronauts on a mission to colonize Mars using the first spaceship Anakin and Obi-wan had built, but Anakin wasn't satisfied with what he considered to be a slow ship speed, and NASA seemed to be on board with the idea that they could reach their astronauts quicker with more supplies. However, _this_ time it would be Ahsoka and William going off planet when the new ship was built and approved for takeoff.

"I agree," Obi-Wan said, rolling up more blueprints, "But, there's not much that we can do about it. We have Jedi actively looking for him now, but Palpatine is a master at what he does in keeping himself hidden if he doesn't want to be found. We _both_ know that. We most likely _won't_ find him until he makes another move."

He was right. Anakin (unfortunately) knew Palpatine well enough to know that what Obi-Wan said was right. That didn't mean that it wasn't driving Anakin up a wall with worry. He just had a _very_ bad feeling that whenever Palpatine made his next move, it wouldn't be good. He almost wished he could have a dream about it just so that he would have an idea of what to expect.

Feeling stuck, Anakin took the rolled up blueprints and put them into their assigned drawer in the specially designed safe in Anakin's office, locking them up. "At least these plans are done," He grumbled, glancing around his workshop.

The desk was still cluttered with tools and half-finished projects, and there was more than one discarded tie randomly lying about, but the office was now decorated with all his favorite pictures of his family. There were lots of pictures of he and Padme: At that first Gala together, on their wedding day, on their honeymoon, as zombies at their first charity marathon, at Thanksgiving when she was heavily pregnant just before the twins were born. Plus there were pictures of them with the twins as a family, as well as pictures of each of them separately with the twins, like Anakin and Leia blowing bubbles in the backyard with Jedi trying to eat the bubbles, or him holding Luke on a skateboard, and he also had several pictures of him with his mother and large family portraits of both the Lars clan and the Amidala family…to name just a few.

"And, you finished Luke and Leia's birthday present." Obi-Wan reminded him with a grin. "See? We may not have made much progress on the Palpatine-front, but we _have_ made progress in our careers and in our families."

Anakin glanced over at the twin wrapped up, long boxes stacked next to the door. "Yeah, I guess." He sighed. "How are Satine and Ella?" Ella, or Eloise, was Obi-Wan's daughter. She looked like her mother, all blonde and blue-eyed, but her temperament was _very_ much that of her father's. She too was Force-Sensitive. Not in the same way that Luke and Leia were, as they were stronger in the Force being Anakin's offspring, but she was still sensitive all the same.

"They're well, thank you." Obi-Wan smiled, that faraway look coming to his eyes he always had when talking about his family. As Anakin had suspected, Obi-Wan was doing very well as a father, even if there were plenty of times when the man clearly didn't know what to do. Anakin did his best to give his friend advice, but Anakin himself wasn't a perfect father either. Actually, it was usually Padme who gave Obi-Wan and Satine the best advice, which she, in turn, had often received from Jobal and Shmi. "Ella understands that she's going to see Leia tomorrow, though she doesn't really understand the concept of birthday parties yet."

"Oh, Leia is excited as well. I think she might be annoying Luke a little with her excitement." Anakin grinned. Even though Leia was older, she _adored_ Ella, and anytime she saw Obi-Wan, she always asked for Ella. Luke was always a bit awkward around the other little girl, and preferred to keep to his room whenever Satine brought Ella over to the house, which was usually two to three times a week, given how close their two families were.

It was hard for Anakin to read Luke's true feelings on the matter, likely because Luke probably didn't fully understand the negative feelings himself, but Anakin suspected that Luke got lonely whenever Leia ignored him to play with Ella. "When are you two going to have a boy for Luke to play with?" Anakin teased with a smirk, not for the first time.

"Very funny," Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "Ella may not be as much of a handful as your twins, but she still requires a lot of energy. It probably won't happen for a while yet."

"I know, I'm just kidding. Sort of." Anakin would have to team up with Padme to find Luke a playmate. Gathering up the wrapped packages in both arms, Anakin nodded towards the door. "Let's go home. I'm sure Padme wants a break from the kids by now."

"And Satine probably wants a break from Ella." Obi-Wan agreed, and he helped Anakin take their stuff out to their respective vehicles, including Anakin's dark gray, four-door Ford F-150 truck, which he'd gotten right after they got back from Mars to allow Padme to keep their SUV to drive. Loading up the twins' gifts, he bid Obi-Wan goodnight and drove out of the reinforced security gate (which Anakin had designed himself), deciding to surprise his family with KFC for dinner, knowing Padme wanted to get the party decorations up tonight after they ate, and this would help out, as it meant less to clean up in the kitchen first...but KFC _also_ reminded Anakin of Obi-Wan and the chicken suit, and as he pulled up to the restaurant, he couldn't help but smile. "Cluck, cluck," he mumbled to himself, chuckling at the memory. Palpatine was still at large, true, but that hadn't...and wouldn't...stop them from living life to the absolute fullest.

* * *

"You are under arrest, my lord!' Mace Windu said, holding his violet lightsaber to Darth Sidious' neck," Anakin said, deepening his voice so that he (sort of) sounded like Mace. Luke and Leia lay underneath their covers in their new toddler beds, wide-eyed as they listened to the climax of the story Anakin had been telling them bit by bit before their bedtime since he had returned from Mars. At first, Leia had only half-listened, but as Anakin started to use props to help him tell the story, and occasionally sent (kid-friendly) images to them through their Force connection, even _she_ began to look forward to bedtime when their dad would tell them what they _thought_ was just a fairytale that starred their dad, their mom, and Uncle Ben. Anakin left out the gory parts of his previous adventures, of course. Padme would _kill_ him if he didn't, and he himself didn't want to scare the kids. But…

This part would be a _little_ tricky.

"As Anakin entered the room, Darth Sidious spotted him." It was a bit weird to refer to himself in the third person, but he continued it so the twins wouldn't get confused. "'Anakin, I told you it would come to this! The Jedi are taking over!'"

"No," Luke frowned. "The Jedi are good. Daddy is a Jedi."

Anakin couldn't help but smile at Luke's innocence and total faith in him. Some things never changed. Anakin continued, telling the twins of how Mace and Darth Sidious each tried to convince Anakin to help them, and how Anakin didn't know what to do. "On one hand, Anakin knew that Sidious was evil."

"So help Ace." Leia said matter of factly. She looked at Anakin as if the answer were obvious, and again, Anakin was _so_ reminded of the adult Leia he had known in his old galaxy, so driven and focused on her goals. He wondered if she had ever been tempted to do something she knew would compromise the Rebellion. Perhaps he would never know.

"Maybe," Anakin agreed, "But Darth Sidious also knew how to save Padme, remember?" It made the kids very happy that he had included their mom in the story too, and Padme said they often talked about it to her when he wasn't around. "So if Anakin killed Sidious, how would he save Padme?"

The twins didn't fully understand the idea of death, being so young, but they knew that death meant a character wasn't coming back into the story. They'd seen it in Disney movies. They'd listened to Anakin mention it about certain characters. But, they didn't _really_ understand what it meant. "He'll save mommy," Luke decided assuredly after a bit of thought. "You always save mommy."

Anakin's heart clenched. _No, not always_ , he thought grimly. "Do you want to know what happened?" The twins nodded eagerly. "If I tell you, will you _promise_ to go to bed?" Another nod. "Okay."

Anakin paused, looking at his children. Did he _dare_ tell them the truth? Or, did he tell them a happy ending? They were still so young. He tried to think back to the Disney movies he had _sort of_ paid attention to. Did any of them have sad endings? He didn't think they did. Besides. When the conversation happened about these stories actually being real, for he and Padme had decided that one day they _would_ tell their children the truth, _how_ would he explain that the happy ending he'd originally told them wasn't the truth? He took a deep breath and plunged ahead. "He listened to Darth Sidious. He helped Sidious kill Mace Windu, and then Anakin helped destroy the Jedi."

Silence.

He could feel his children processing his words, unable to believe them. "Daddy!" Leia cried angrily, "That's _not_ the ending! Tell it right!"

"Yeah, Daddy! Jedi can't die," Luke agreed, frowning in distress. "You _can't_ be a bad guy!"

"I…" Anakin began, but the kids were riled up now. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea after all.

"Tell it right!" Leia kept repeating, angry tears welling up in her brown eyes.

"What about Uncle Ben?" Luke asked, "He can't be gone."

"He isn't gone." Anakin agreed. "Uncle Ben escaped, and Padme went with him."

"What happened to Mommy?" Leia asked anxiously, and Anakin immediately shook his head.

"I'll tell you tomorrow. Tonight, you _promised_ to go to bed if I told you what happened to Anakin. I did. He became a bad guy and took on the name of Darth Vader."

Now, Luke was crying. "No, Daddy, no! You're no bad guy!"

Anakin sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Yeah, maybe it _was_ a mistake to tell the kids that. Oh well. Too late now. Somehow, he doubted the twins would get to sleep anytime soon after this. "Who said that was the end of the story, Luke?"

Luke quieted, and Leia did as well. "Did you trick him, Daddy?" Leia asked. "Did you trick Idious?"

Anakin smiled sadly. If only. "You'll have to wait and find out. I promise, this _isn't_ the end. I've still got a lot of the story to tell."

"Daddy isn't bad," Luke decided firmly.

Leia agreed, "No, Daddy isn't bad."

"You'll find out." He promised before he leaned over and made sure the covers were tucked around both of his children and kissed their foreheads tenderly. "Goodnight my little Jedi. Sweet dreams. Love you."

Luke and Leia glanced at each other, and Anakin could feel them using the Force to communicate silently with one another. He opened his mouth to remind them again to actually go to sleep, not talk to each other through the Force, but they abruptly stopped, as if sensing he were about to scold them. "Night, Daddy," They said, rolling over and burying their faces in their pillows.

Anakin was _sure_ they would start communicating again the moment he left the room, but he didn't say anything. He needed to go help Padme in the kitchen. If they were still awake by the time he and Padme went to bed, he would deal with it then.

Turning off the light, he turned and left the room, heading into the kitchen where Threepio was holding a roll of streamers for Padme as she stood on a step stool and taped one end to the ceiling. Soft music played out over the speaker system from Padme's IPhone.

Anakin paused for a moment, taking in the picture his lovely wife presented, debating on going to her right then to pull her into his arms and kiss her soundly, but she was standing on the stool and he doubted she would appreciate him doing that while she was in such a precarious situation. So, instead, he just leaned back against the counter top and enjoyed the view as she stretched her petite frame to hang the streamers.

"How did it go?" She asked without turning around, as if she sensed his presence. Likely, she had heard his footsteps when he'd come in. They had talked about that part of the story the night before: At the time, Anakin had been unsure of what to say. Padme thought it would be okay to tell the kids a glossed-over version of the truth, but she had left the decision up to him.

"I told them that I turned evil and most of the Jedi were destroyed." He admitted, going to the box of party supplies sitting on the kitchen table. "They weren't happy."

"I didn't think they would be." Padme stepped down from off the stool, taking the rolled streamer from Threepio to start twisting it. "It's the first time they've heard something like that…well, except for in _Frozen_. Leia was pretty upset about Hans turning into a jerk."

Anakin made a face and rolled his eyes at the mention of _Frozen_ , but didn't comment on it. It had been the first Disney movie he'd watched after coming to this world (he'd watched it with Ryoo, Pooja, and Padme) and the movie had quickly gotten on his nerves. _Oh_ _how_ he had begun to _hate_ that movie. It was torture for parents.

He pulled out a "Happy Birthday" banner and the disposable plastic white tablecloth. "Do you want me to finish the streamers, Angel?" He asked, as Padme positioned the stool in another corner of the room to finish off that particular strand.

"I've got it." Padme assured him before climbing up on the stool again. "You can hang up the banner though." Anakin did as she asked. As he did, she continued. "They'll be told the full truth eventually. When they're older. I mean, the story doesn't _technically_ have a sad ending, after all."

This was true. He _had_ been given a second chance by the Force, he _had_ found and married Padme again, and he _had_ come back from the Dark Side. To top it off, he had his children again, he had his mother back, and he'd graduated from Stanford University with double Master's Degrees (one in Mechanical Engineering, one in Physics), and he had helped establish a new Jedi Order on Earth and built up a _very_ successful droid business that was currently in partnership with NASA, with his best friend and mentor, Obi-Wan, both of them being co-Jedi Grandmasters of the new Order.

Furthermore, he and Obi-Wan had now made Earth history as the first humans to travel to Mars, and he even occasionally went with Obi-Wan to visit local schools to talk about their experiences in space. Not to mention that Padme and Satine had also teamed up to start their own legal practice, _Kenobi_ & _Skywalker_ , _Attorneys at Law_ , and now he and Padme switched off weeks to work from home and watch the kids. Anakin couldn't remember _ever_ being so happy in his entire life.

"You're right." He said, "We'll have a happy ending this time."

They worked together to finish decorating, both of them catching each other up on what had been going on at work and at home while the other was away. Padme told him of her preparations to get ready to take on a new large client the next week, and Anakin told her of the completed ship plans. He also told her that he had not only finished Luke and Leia's present, but he had boxed and wrapped it as well.

"Oh no," Padme laughed, "Maybe I should check on that wrapping job. You didn't put it in a plastic bag this time, did you?" Anakin sighed—he had put the twin's birthday present the year before in a Walmart plastic bag. It had _technically_ been wrapped, but apparently, it hadn't been good enough, and given the look on both Padme's _and_ Obi-Wan's faces, he doubted that he would _ever_ live that one down.

"Of course not." He said, arching his eyebrows, "I used actual wrapping paper this time." Padme just laughed and shook her head, a smirk on her face.

They finished setting the table, and just then a Coldplay song drifted out from the speakers. One of Padme's favorites. "Good," Padme began, "Otherwise…" She stopped as Anakin suddenly took her in his arms, pulling her flush against him, beginning to sway with her to the music. "Ani," she laughed, the sound like music to his ears, "What are you doing?"

"Dancing with my beautiful wife. What does it look like?" He breathed huskily into her ear before twirling her around and guiding her smoothly back into his arms.

"My, my...Someone's been practicing," Padme smiled, and he was pleased to see that her cheeks were flushed and her eyes sparkling. He pulled her closer.

"Nah," He insisted, "I'm just very much in love."

Padme snorted at that. "I don't think _love_ suddenly makes either of us great dancers."

"Maybe not." He agreed, "But, it certainly helps." She looked up into his eyes then, suddenly serious. "Y'know," she said, "A dance was what set us on the path to taking the next major step in our relationship in this world. Remember the Gala?"

Anakin grinned wolfishly. "I remember. You couldn't keep your hands off me."

Padme rolled her eyes, the blush deepening. "Yeah, right."

"No really," Anakin insisted with a wink, "I can't help it that I'm irresistible."

That made Padme laugh, and Anakin twirled her again. "I never said that, Ani."

"No, but you were thinking it." He said, pulling her back into his arms.

She smiled. "Okay. I was thinking it. Do you remember the dress I wore that night?"

Anakin's eyes darkened immediately and desire gleamed in his eyes. He swallowed hard and whispered, "I sure do. You looked like the galaxy itself in my arms. It's _still_ my favorite dress on you." Padme melted into his embrace at his words, and he bent down and tenderly kissed her.

"You know," Anakin said, pulling back from their kiss, lowering his voice suggestively and leaning forward to touch his forehead to hers with an appreciative leer, "The kids are in bed," He paused and checked with the Force on the twins, "...and they're around asleep. We could…you know...recreate the...ending part of that night, too." He then frowned. "Not the nightmare part though. Let's not go there."

Now, it was Padme's turn to grin ferally. "I agree, my handsome Jedi." She whispered, as she leaned forward and kissed him deeply again.

"Oh my," Threepio fretted, waving his arms about, "I think…I'll leave you two alone and go see what R2 is up to." Neither Anakin or Padme paid him any attention as he shuffled off, leaving the two of them alone to recreate the night that had changed their relationship forever.

* * *

"Happy birthday, you two!" Ahsoka said with a smile, ruffling Luke and Leia's hair. Both of the twins made a face: Neither one of them liked having their hair ruffled.

"What do you say, kids?" Anakin reminded them, as Leia reached up to try to put her hair back in place. Ahsoka hadn't _actually_ messed her hair up, but Leia still seemed to think so. Perhaps it was the feeling of her hair being played with that bothered her.

"Thank you, Aunt Soka." Luke mumbled, ever one to try to please his dad. Leia, on the other hand, said nothing.

"Leia," Anakin warned sternly, and she finally stopped playing with her hair, huffing a bit in annoyance.

"Thank you, Aunt Soka," She said, her voice barely concealing her annoyance. Anakin clenched his jaw, debating on scolding her for the attitude right then and there, but refrained. Hopefully, when Ella got there, her attitude would be better.

As the twins shuffled off to play in the living room, Ahsoka whistled. "Dang. They're in a bad mood. What's their problem?"

Anakin frowned, watching them. "I don't know." He admitted. "They woke up a bit on the grouchy side this morning."

"Did they get no sleep?" she asked, setting their present on the counter with Anakin and Padme's presents.

"No, they got sleep," he frowned. "But, I did sort of tell them how I turned to Darth Vader."

"Oh," Ahsoka said, her voice serious. "Yeah. That _might_ have something to do with it."

Maybe she had a point. Maybe he should have at least waited until after their birthday to tell them that story. He just hoped that their mood improved as more people showed up.

Unfortunately, that was _not_ the case.

As more and more people arrived, the twins' mood seemed to sour further and further. Sola and Darred and their girls came, and when Ryoo and Pooja tried to play with the twins, Luke completely ignored them in favor of building a racecar track, while Leia flat out told them to "Go away." Padme, shocked at the twins' rudeness, tried to intervene, reminding them that these were their cousins and that they loved them. That only got Luke to mutter a quick hello to them, and Leia tried to go back to ignoring them. The girls seemed a little offended, but being much older than the twins, they quickly found something else to do together in the backyard with R2.

Their reception of Mindy wasn't much better, nor their own grandparents. Leia immediately told her grandmother _not_ to pick her up. "Maybe we should call this off," Anakin said quietly in his wife's ear after pulling Padme aside when she was finished apologizing to her mother for Leia's behavior. Anakin was actually glad his own mother wasn't there: It surely would have broken her heart to have traveled all the way from Idaho to see the twins and have Leia push her away like that. "I have a _bad_ feeling about this, Angel. They're not acting like themselves."

"Ani, we've invited all these people. Obi-Wan and Satine haven't even gotten here yet. We can't just say 'Welcome to our home, put your presents on the counter and get out.' That's probably worse than the twins' behavior." She frowned, watching their children putting together Luke's racetrack in the living room while _completely_ ignoring everyone else around them. "What on _earth_ has gotten into them?"

"Ahsoka thinks that it might have something to do with the story last night." Anakin said, trying to reach out through his Force connection to try to get a better read on the situation. There was definitely some stress that he couldn't quite identify coming from Luke, and Leia was doing a pretty good job at blocking him, the ability that she had taken _quite_ an interest in. It was now becoming an issue. He was definitely going to have to address that.. _.soon._

"She's probably right." Padme sighed. "Let's just…try to keep everyone else happy. Maybe Leia will cheer up when Ella gets here."

"Let's hope so." Even if Luke continued to be in a sour mood for the rest of the party, he wouldn't likely make a big deal out of it. Leia on the other hand…

Anakin seriously hoped she cheered up soon. Right on cue, the doorbell rang. "Oh, _thank_ _goodness_ ," Padme muttered before going to get the door. Moments later, Obi-Wan and Satine rounded the corner, little Ella held in Obi-Wan's arms. Anakin relaxed a little with Obi-Wan there. Luke loved Obi-Wan. Maybe combined, he and Obi-Wan could get Luke to cheer up while Ella played with Leia. "Hey. Thank the Force you're here."

Obi-Wan's eyebrows rose in mild amusement. "What a greeting." He teased, but as he opened his mouth to ask for further details on Anakin's interesting greeting, Leia's voice interrupted them.

"Ella!" She cried excitedly, and seconds later she was at Obi-Wan's legs, looking up expectantly, hopping a little in excitement. Anakin let out a sigh of relief as Obi-Wan set Ella down on her feet, Leia immediately beginning to tell her about anything that popped into her head.

Stepping around Leia and Ella, Obi-Wan joined Anakin in the kitchen, as Satine and Padme joined the rest of the adults in the living room eating the Subway sandwiches they had ordered for the party. "What's wrong with Luke?" Obi-Wan asked quietly, nodding towards the boy. Luke still sat in the living room, but now that Ella was here and Leia had ditched _him_ in favor of the other little girl, he glowered at Leia's back from where he sat.

Sometimes Anakin forgot that Obi-Wan also had a bit of a Force-connection with his son, likely from their stronger Force connection in their previous life. Obi-Wan rarely used it, because he knew it weirded Anakin out a bit that he was that connected with his son.

Anakin sighed, crossing his arms across his chest as he continued to watch Luke. "Both of the kids have been in a bit of a bad mood today. I think it has something to do with the fact that I _sort of_ told them last night about how I turned to the Dark Side. They don't even know the story is real, and they didn't react well to it, let's put it that way."

"Well," Obi-Wan frowned, rubbing his beard, "They _are_ three. Maybe you should have waited…"

"I know that. I just thought that I should be as honest as possible with them from the start." He sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I probably could have picked a better night to tell them though."

"Probably." Obi-Wan agreed. "Regardless, you've told them now. You'll just have to let them process it in their own way and time, and you'll have to _really_ let them process it when they figure out that it's _not_ just a cool bedtime story. By the way, Luke's headed to his room."

Anakin whirled around. Sure enough, Luke was edging around the grownups, trying not to be noticed as he made a break for his bedroom, as he usually did whenever Ella came over and took his sister's attention.

"Luke!"

Luke flinched and stopped, looking up at his dad sheepishly. "Hi, Daddy," he mumbled before ducking his head.

"Where are you going, Buddy?" He asked, going over to his son and kneeling down so they were eye level with each other. "Don't you want to see all the people who came to wish you a happy birthday?" Luke thought about it for a moment, then shook his head. An honest answer.

"Why not?"

"I dunno, Daddy." He shrugged his shoulders. Anakin looked at him skeptically. Clearly, the boy wasn't telling him everything.

"Luke," He began, warningly, but Padme's voice drifted over the room, stopping him.

"Time for cake!" She called, bringing out the cake they had ordered for their birthday. One half of it was green frosting (Luke's favorite color) and the other half was white frosting (Leia's favorite color). There were unlit candles stuck into the cake, ready to be lit and blown out.

Anakin could hear Pooja and Ryoo squeal in delight from the backyard, soon making an appearance at Padme's side, following her to the table, as R2 tootled and beeped, rolling in from the backyard behind them. Mindy, Ahsoka, and Satine stopped whatever conversation they were having to join Padme, Mindy asking if Padme needed help setting up the table. Ruwee fished the lighter out of the top cupboard, and Jobal pulled out the ice cream. Leia and Ella stopped playing and wandered over to the table, looking at the cake with eagerness.

Anakin looked back at his son to find Luke looking at the cake, debating on whether or not to approach. "Do you want cake, Luke?" A nod. "Ok, why don't we get some cake and ice cream? Then maybe your mom will let you and Leia open your presents." He leaned forward so that only Luke could hear. "After that, you and I can go play in your room. How does that sound?"

That caused Luke to break into a smile. "Okay, Daddy," He said, and ran over to the table.

"The wonders of cake." Obi-Wan chuckled. "Somehow, I have a feeling that Ella is going to make another mess of herself with it rather than actually _eat_ it."

"I have a feeling my kids won't be much cleaner." Anakin agreed, standing back up. "Let's go be supportive dads, shall we?"

As Anakin and Obi-Wan joined their friends and family at the table, Ruwee handed Anakin the lighter. "Here. A father should do the honor of lighting their kid's candles."

Anakin took the lighter. "Thanks," He said, trying to smile for his father-in-law. Things were much better between them now with Luke and Leia in their lives, but anytime the twins did something with their Force-powers in front of Ruwee and Jobal, they still got this grave look on their faces that drove Anakin up a wall. Every time, they would always cast glances over at Anakin, blame evident in their eyes. They loved Luke and Leia, but they were also _terrified_ of the power Anakin had given them.

It was _all_ Anakin could do to **not** throw them out of his house every time it happened, but for his wife's and the twins' sake, he managed to restrain himself.

Luke and Leia climbed into their respective chairs of honor, both of them staring intently at the cake before them. They were just old enough not to reach out and try to start grabbing handfuls of the cake, but Anakin could tell that they were getting a bit antsy. Satine sat herself next to Leia, holding Ella in her lap, who also stared at the cake intently.

"Alright," Anakin said, beginning to light the six candles: Three for each side of the cake. Luke and Leia leaned forward, their eyes bright with anticipation. "Here we go!" A chorus of happy birthday began, and, sensing that the time for cake was drawing near, Luke and Leia were practically bouncing.

The song ended. "Make a wish!" Padme smiled, standing next to Anakin. She leaned into him, an unconscious gesture on her part, but Anakin couldn't help but notice it all the same.

Taking deep breaths (or as deep as they could), Luke and Leia blew out the candles on their side of the cake. "Good job," Padme said, moving to cut the cake.

She never got to. That's when everything hit the fan.

It started out simply enough. Leia turned to Ella, asking, "Do you want some cake, Ella?"

"Cake!" Ella agreed, but being only a year and a half, Ella waited on no one to get her the cake. Instead, before Satine could move to stop her, Ella leaned over and grabbed the corner of the cake in her small fist.

Anakin felt Luke snap rather than saw it. Outwardly, Luke was a picture of serious calm, but inside Anakin could feel Luke's annoyance and jealousy boiling past the tipping point. Still, ever the calm boy Luke was, he merely turned to Ella and said, "No Ella, wait your turn."

It might have ended at that, but then there was Leia. Likely, she too could feel the animosity behind her brother's calm façade, and she took offense to Luke's rebuke. She whirled on Luke, glaring. "Be nice, Lukie!"

Luke's entire body tensed. Luke despised being called Lukie. Anytime Leia called him that, Luke got _mad._ "My name is Luke, not Lukie!" He glared back.

"Lukie!" Leia said again, "Say sorry to Ella!"

"No!" Luke said. By now, the entire room was silent.

"Luke," Padme began, "Leia…"

"Say sorry!" Leia was yelling now.

"Leia!" Anakin stepped forward, reaching for his daughter.

"NO!" Luke yelled back, and with that yell, there was a surge through the Force and the cake exploded.

Chaos. Absolute chaos. There was a lot of yelling as everyone was splattered in the face with a bunch of chocolate cake. Even Padme jumped a bit, though Anakin had been expecting it after feeling the surge through the Force and managed to throw up a shield to block both of them as bits of cake covered everything in sight. Once the cake had stopped flying and the initial shock of the explosion had passed, Sola groaned. "Why is it whenever I come over to this house, something weird happens?" she asked, but no one dared to answer. Instead, everyone stood frozen, waiting to see what happened next.

Ella and Mindy seemed to be the only ones who were okay with the explosion of cake. "Cake!" Ella said happily as she began to lick the cake off of herself where she could.

"And good cake at that." Mindy agreed, using her plastic fork to scrape some cake off of her arm.

Luke and Leia stared at each other, both of them the most covered with the cake, neither saying anything. That didn't last long. Leia burst into angry tears. "MOMMY LOOK WHAT LUKIE DID!" She cried, pointing to Luke.

Luke sat there, completely stunned, the anger long gone. "I'm…I didn't mean to," He said weakly, though he didn't sound like he believed that.

"YES YOU DID!" Leia yelled, "YOUR FAULT!"

Padme met Anakin's eyes, both of them almost as stunned as the rest of their guests. Luke had never reacted that way…in this world at least. Anakin had recognized as Darth Vader that Luke wasn't totally his mother's son when it came to the Force. He had used that as his bargaining chip to keep the Emperor from outright trying to kill Luke in the first place. This was, however, the first time Anakin was seeing it in this world.

At a very rotten time, too.

Communicating silently with his wife, Anakin moved, scooping up Luke. "Alright," He said, "Let's go." He could feel Luke tense in his arms: he knew that he was in trouble. As Anakin left the room, he heard Padme scoop Leia up, which Leia vocally disagreed with.

They had to separate them. They had to get them to calm down.

Ignoring everyone's stares, Anakin brought Luke out of the kitchen and down the hall, bringing him not to his shared room with Leia, but into his own room, closing the door behind them with a gentle push of the Force. He didn't say a word until he sat down on the bed, holding Luke firmly in his lap.

Luke didn't move. He didn't look at his father.

"Luke." Anakin said sternly. Luke flinched, but didn't look up at him. Anakin could feel the regret and confusion swirling within his son. "Luke. Look at me." Hesitantly, Luke looked up, meeting Anakin's gaze with a wince. Force, his son was covered in cake…He would need to make sure none of it got on their white comforter. Padme would make him get the stain out if it did. "What's bothering you, son?" Anakin's voice was firm, but it was also gentle. How Anakin reacted to this incident would set the tone for how Luke would expect for him to react when he made mistakes with his Force abilities in the future. If he didn't treat this right, Luke might be hesitant to come to him later to seek answers to improve his Force abilities.

No pressure.

Luke frowned. "I dunno."

"No," Anakin shook his head. "You know what's bothering you. Tell me. Do you not like Ella?"

Luke made a face. "No, but…she's a girl."

Anakin raised an eyebrow. "So?"

"So," Luke reasoned, "Girls have cooties."

The corners of Anakin's mouth twitched as he restrained himself from laughing. He didn't know where Luke had heard that, exactly, but it explained some of his behavior towards Ella. "You do know that Leia is a girl too, right?"

Luke shrugged. "She's not a girl. She's my sister. Sister's don't have cooties."

This was clearly something that he would need to address, but he knew at the moment that it wasn't the heart of the issue. "And you're sad when Leia plays with Ella more than you?" A nod. "Luke, it's okay for you and Leia to have other friends. If she wants to play with Ella for a little while, that's okay. She's your sister. You two have plenty of time to play when Ella isn't here."

"I guess." Luke relented, though he still didn't look happy about it.

Anakin waited for a moment, assessing Luke's feelings through their Force bond. "That's not the only thing that's making you sad, is it?" Luke shook his head. "What else is wrong?"

Luke continued to frown. "I had," he hesitated, either because he was forming the words in his head, or because he wasn't sure how Anakin would react, he didn't know. "I had a bad dream last night."

Anakin tensed. Oh no. No. He didn't pass on his less-than-desirable power to see the future with dreams, did he? He seriously hoped not, and if he did, he hoped that it wouldn't plague his children at such a young age.

But then he said, "I had a dream that you didn't like me, and we were hurting."

Anakin relaxed, but only a little. It was just a normal nightmare. Even as Darth Vader, he never hated his son. "Did Leia have that dream too?" Anakin already knew the answer, but Luke nodded. "Is that why you two were sad this morning?" Another nod. Anakin held him closer to him, not caring that he was getting cake all over himself in the process. "Luke, I love you. I have _always_ loved you, and your sister as well. It was just a bad dream."

"But the you in the story wanted to be a bad guy," Luke said, "What if you be a bad guy now?"

"I'm not going to be a bad guy. I promise." Not again. "I'm going to stay with you and be your dad who loves you. Your mom is going to stay with you too, and so is Leia." When Luke still seemed skeptical, Anakin sighed. "I promise. Do I break my promises?"

Luke shook his head. "No."

"So if I promise to always love you, does that mean I'll always love you?"

Luke nodded. "Yes."

"Then forget about the dream. It's just a bad dream." He kissed the top of his son's head. "Now. Are you ready to say sorry to Leia?"

Luke thought about it carefully for a moment. "Yes." He finally said, and Anakin could feel that Luke wasn't just saying that to make him happy. He really did want to make up with his sister. Now, hopefully Leia was as forgiving as her brother.

"Good." Anakin stood, still holding Luke in his arms. "Then you're going to get cleaned up." He glanced at the bed, noticing a few crumbs, but nothing that would stain the sheets and inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay daddy." Luke paused. "Daddy? Leia will be with me forever, won't she?"

Anakin stopped, looking back down at his son. Luke looked so serious, worry in those clear blue eyes. It was almost as if…but the twins hadn't showed any signs of remembering their past. It couldn't be. "Of course Luke," Anakin said, "Why would you ask that?"

Luke shrugged. "I dunno." He said. "Let's go say sorry."

Anakin debated on pressing Luke for more answers, but he could tell that it wouldn't do any good. Not now at least. "Alright." Anakin said, carrying him out of the room. "Let's go find your sister."

* * *

 **So, sorry for the sort of late update. I got really sick with the flu all last week. Missed a bunch of work. My dad was in town too, and I barely got to see him. Lame. At one point there was talk about me going to the ER, but thankfully I improved and I'm all better now. Still, I feel like maybe this chapter suffered a bit because of that. So hopefully you guys liked it! I'm SUPER excited for next chapter, so I'll hopefully update faster. And if You're an Ahsoka fan, you'll see more of her next chapter.**

 **The song that Anakin and Padme dance to in this chapter is "Til Kingdom Come" by Coldplay. I love that song to death.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	51. The Party

**2** **Years** **later...**

"Mommy!" Leia exclaimed when Padme and Anakin entered the living room where Mindy was in the process of setting up a movie for the twins to watch. "You look like a princess!"

Padme smiled, glancing down at herself. She had to admit (and Anakin had already told her between heated kisses), that she looked good. _Really_ good. Tonight was the celebration event in honor of Ahsoka and William's return trip from Mars the month before. They had made the trip there and back within three months in Anakin's and Obi-Wan's newly designed faster ship. As a result, NASA was putting on a Gala event to honor their collective achievement, as well as Anakin's and Obi-Wan's involvement in making it possible for NASA to make such leaps and bounds in space exploration.

Because it was a formal event, Padme had wanted an outfit to complement Anakin's black suit with his black, gray, and white striped tie. She picked out a dress that reminded her of starlight: It was floor length, strapless and, according to her husband, hugged her curves in just the right places. The under layer was black, with a shimmering, soft gray fabric over it, embedded with glittering rhinestones which gave the appearance of diamonds in direct light. She had pulled her hair up into an elaborate bun with a jeweled hair clip that sparkled, accenting her updo, and diamond earrings dangled from her ears, a diamond bracelet in white gold adorned her left wrist, with the japor snippet hanging from a delicate silver chain around her neck (as usual). Now that the twins were five and didn't yank on everything they thought looked interesting ( _most_ of the time), Padme finally felt comfortable _occasionally_ wearing dangling earrings.

Snapping back to reality, Padme opened her mouth to thank Leia, but Anakin interrupted. "Your mother looks like the queen she is," He said with an obvious hint of pride in his voice, as he put a gentle hand on the small of her back and leaned in to brush a kiss tenderly against her temple.

Luke, who was fiddling with his Lego starship he'd built, looked up at his father with a thoughtful frown. "Mommy is a queen?"

Anakin grinned. "She sure is. Don't you remember the stories I've told you?" Sure enough, Anakin was still telling and retelling the stories of their old galaxy, far, far away, and it enraptured both of their children nightly. They _especially_ loved it when Anakin "pretended" they were in the story.

They still hated the part where "Anakin" turned into Darth Vader. Anakin only told that part of the story once, when the twins had turned three, and the twins _still_ seemed to remember it in perfect detail even two years after it had happened. Maybe it was because of the exploded birthday cake, but they weren't exactly for sure.

"But that's just a story, Daddy." Luke reminded Anakin.

Padme and Anakin glanced at each other knowingly. "Maybe, maybe not." Anakin said, "But your mother will always be _my_ queen." His words made Padme blush, and seeing that, Anakin's grin turned wolfish, and he cast her a wink, making her blush even more.

Turning back to their daughter, Padme told her, "Thank you, Leia." As she did so, Galen came in from the back after having taken Jedi outside.

" _Why_ can't I go with you guys? Will and Peter get to go," Galen frowned, closing the French glass door behind him.

"Because," Anakin explained patiently for what seemed like the gazillionth time, as it was not the _first_ time Galen had begged to go, "The invitation on the fridge specifically states it's for guests _eighteen_ and older. How old are you?"

Galen scowled and rolled his eyes. "Fourteen."

"And, how old are Will and Peter?" Anakin gave his padawan a pointed look, his eyebrows arched.

"Eighteen, but I technically have been an adult before, so…"

Anakin held up a hand, cutting his padawan off. "Not tonight. Besides, Mindy needs your help watching Luke, Leia, and Ella."

Mindy, having just figured out the new state-of-the-art DVD player Anakin had installed, snorted. "Right. Like I _need_ help."

Galen motioned to her. "See? She's got it covered."

"But she _won't_ have it covered if something happens that requires your Force-abilities." Padme shot a glare at Mindy, as if _daring_ her to challenge her in this. Mindy shrugged, but didn't argue.

"But nothing major has happened for _years!_ Not since Grievous and the ballet," Galen pointed out, his jaw clenching with frustration. "I'm not a babysitter, I'm a Jedi!"

"Padawan." Anakin corrected instantly. "Look, we'll go out flying over the weekend, just you and I, okay? I really can't be breaking the rules on this one."

"NASA already puts up with a bunch of his other ' _broken_ ' _rules_ ," Padme playfully nudged her husband with a smile.

"What? It's not _my_ fault that they didn't tell me that I couldn't take a day trip to the moon whenever I wanted." Anakin gave her an innocent look, to which his wife just smirked and rolled her eyes. Anakin may not have been keen to travel to Mars again given how long it took to get there (by their standards), but that didn't mean he didn't occasionally want to go up into space and just zoom around the Earth. Apparently, _that_ had made other nations nervous, and he'd been _politely_ 'asked' to stop his occasional independent spatial _joyrides_.

Galen, seeing that there was no way that he was going to win this one, sighed in defeat and flopped down on the couch. "Fine." He muttered, pulling out his phone to play a game.

"We'll be back before you know it." Anakin said, just as the doorbell rang. "That will be Obi-Wan and Satine with Ella." He turned, about to go to the door, but Leia had already beat him to it, crying "Ella!" happily as she went.

Padme turned to Mindy. "If _anything_ goes wrong, don't hesitate to call me." Padme said—the other usual babysitters they used to watch the twins were off on vacation. It was the start of summer, and most people were taking advantage of the first few weeks to travel. Since Mindy was back in town after a particularly long trip to the Jedi Temple in Nepal to help Neeja document _more_ new findings for the archives, she agreed to watch the kids for free.

"Nothing will go wrong." Mindy promised, "And, if it does, Galen and I will take care of it just fine. So, go. Shoo! Have fun."

Leia came running back in the room with three and a half-year-old Ella hot on her heels, both of the girls giggling. Though Luke had stopped hiding in his room whenever Ella came over, Padme _still_ caught him sighing a little bit as he made room on the couch for the two excited girls.

Obi-Wan and Satine entered the kitchen hand-in-hand, Obi-Wan in a dark gray suit and Satine in a lovely light blue, A-line chiffon dress. "Quite the welcome we received at the door," Satine said, smiling and looking at Leia and Ella giggling as they climbed up on the couch.

"Leia heard me say 'Ella' and that was the end of that." Anakin replied with a grin at his daughter's excitement. "Are we ready to go then?"

"No, I thought I would go change out of _this_ suit and use one of yours instead. Does this make me look fat? And I need to spend another hour on my hair. I think I need more mousse," Obi-Wan replied sarcastically, quirking an eyebrow and running a hand over his hair, as he playfully sucked in his flat gut and turned in profile to them.

Anakin rolled his eyes to the ceiling. "Yeah, go change. I think that yellow _feathered_ suit is still in my closet, _Mr_. _Clucky_ ," he smirked, as Obi-Wan scowled. "But, we'll _never_ get to the party at this rate, if you do. Ahsoka will have to celebrate all alone without us. How sad." Padme smirked, trying not to laugh and exchanged a knowing look with a clearly amused Satine, and they rolled their eyes at _both_ of their husbands. Men.

"Go have fun." Mindy said, pressing play on the movie: _Frozen_. Of course. "Bring me back some champagne and hors d'oeuvres. Oh, and a single hot guy would be nice, too, if you can." She said this deadpan, but both Anakin and Padme _knew_ she wasn't kidding.

Anakin grimaced as the first notes of the opening song began to play. "Yeah, sure, Mindy. Whatever. That's our cue to leave. Like, _now,_ " He said as he took his wife's hand and began heading for the door.

"Be good for Mindy and Galen, you two," Padme said, stopping and meeting her children's eyes with a stern look.

"Okay, Mommy," Luke replied, and Padme knew that he would do his best to listen to her. Leia on the other hand…

"Leia," Anakin warned in his 'general' voice, "Be good, Princess."

A sly grin spread across Leia's face, and she batted her doe like eyes at her father. "Okay, Daddy."

"We mean it," Padme said, recognizing the mischievous tone in Leia's voice. Sometimes Padme wondered if Leia _purposefully_ did the opposite of what her parents asked just to amuse herself, knowing it would annoy them. Maybe if they told her to "be difficult" she would turn around and be a perfect angel.

Padme decided she would have to try that one day.

"Let's go." Anakin said, and Padme couldn't help but laugh as Anakin released her hand and looped her arm through his and practically dragged her out the garage door to his truck.

Tonight was _their_ night. Although they would be surrounded by hundreds of important people, tonight they wouldn't worry about what messes their children were making, or if their children would randomly use their Force abilities in front of unsuspecting strangers.

Tonight, it was about _them_. They were thrilled at the freedom of it. Padme and Anakin meant to make the most of it, too.

* * *

Soft music played over the speakers of the grand ballroom when they walked in. They were given the VIP treatment when they arrived, walking up the red carpet as hundreds of camera flashes went off all around them. Padme's arm was linked through Anakin's, smiling politely as various politicians and celebrities approached them to congratulate her husband. There were quite a few—it felt like every time she and Anakin began to head towards their assigned table, they were interrupted... _again._

Padme had expected this, however. Her husband had _always_ drawn the attention of everyone around him, either because he was the Chosen One, a brilliant military mastermind, or, in _this_ case, gifted with technological innovation skills beyond that of _anyone_ else on this planet. He'd already been named _Time Magazine's '_ Person of the Year,' two years ago, and many leading experts around the globe had begun to declare Anakin Skywalker as being the 'smartest man in the world.' It was a title, just like the 'Hero With No Fear,' label from their old galaxy, that Anakin had just laughed at. To Anakin, he was just doing what he loved to do.

Anakin finished talking with Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks and his wife, before pulling Padme a little closer to his side as he made a bee-line for their assigned table, walking briskly between the other white-clothed tables. "What's this?" Padme laughed, "Are you attempting to avoid people?"

"You bet I am." Anakin grumbled under his breath, "We walked in an hour ago, and we have _yet_ to make it to our table, Angel. I'm starving."

"You know, _most_ people would swoon to meet almost everyone in this room," She teased, but as true as her statement was, Anakin had always hated parties. Well, _most_ of them anyway.

"I'm not most people, Sweetheart." They managed to reach their circular table at the front of the ballroom, right in front of the stage that had been erected for the event. Obi-Wan and Satine had managed to avoid a little more of the spotlight (Padme suspected Obi-Wan had used his favorite Jedi-Mind trick on all the celebrities that had approached him), and were already comfortably seated and eating dinner. Ahsoka, William, and Peter were also sitting at the table, the boys looking a bit uncomfortable in their tux's. Ahsoka was rocking it in her deep red, knee-length, satin sleeveless dress and red strappy heels.

"Some party," Ahsoka commented as Anakin held his wife's chair for her before sitting down himself. "Did you _see_ the President over there?" She nodded to a table on the far end that was surrounded by Secret Service agents. "I had no idea our trip was _**that**_ important."

"For this world, it is." Obi-Wan replied, taking a sip of water. "Honestly, I'm surprised there aren't more foreign dignitaries here."

"Cool! I'm glad to be working for you two if we always have parties like _this_." Ahsoka grinned.

Anakin grimaced. "Then I'll have _you_ go in _my_ place."

"You don't like parties, Ma—uh, Mr. Skywalker?" William caught himself before calling Anakin "Master" in public. It _would_ seem odd to most normal people if eighteen-year-old's openly called Anakin, Obi-Wan, or Ahsoka 'Master.'

"Fancy parties where you have to force yourself to be whatever image these people want you to be? No, I don't." Anakin replied, poking his fork into his chicken. "Perfect. The food is cold now."

"You don't like cold chicken, Sweetie?" Padme teased, nudging him with her foot beneath the table. A massive grin suddenly spread over his face, and she felt him begin to nudge her foot back.

"Oh, jeez," Ahsoka groaned with a roll of her eyes, "You two aren't playing footsie _again_ , are you?"

"Of course not." Anakin said as he nudged Padme again, and though she tried not to, she couldn't help but giggle.

"They are." Satine calmly noted, taking a sip of her champagne. Both Will and Peter cast each other awkward looks while Ahsoka just shook her head.

"You two are so lovey-dovey it's _sickening_. You know that?"

"Just you wait till it's _you,_ Snips _._ And, no, because our love is anything _but_ that." Padme replied, taking a bite of her food. Sure enough, Anakin was right. It _was_ cold. She wondered if she should ask a waiter to heat it up…

The lights suddenly dimmed, and an older man with graying hair and a thick mustache took to the stage. The chattering in the room died down as the guests turned their attention to the man going to the podium and applauded. Padme recognized him as Charles Bolden, the Director of NASA, from the various times he had approached her husband over the last few years about taking an actual job for NASA, rather than just contracting with them. Anakin was never satisfied with the terms he presented, and had yet to accept any of the offers.

"Welcome to tonight's celebration of the recent expansion of space exploration. Tonight we honor the two young astronauts who completed the shortest ever journey to Mars and back, in only three months, as well as the man whose brilliant engineering made it all possible." Charles easily found Anakin with his gaze and smiled tightly. "Perhaps soon we can actually convince him to officially join our team at NASA."

There was a bit of laughter—it was no secret that NASA was trying _hard_ to get Anakin on board. There had been _plenty_ of articles published in magazines, journals, and newspapers that talked about it. Anakin smiled politely and raised his champagne glass slightly in a mock-salute as he leaned in and whispered in Padme's ear, "Remember when that same man told me that my ship was doomed to fail? Now, I'm a brilliant engineer."

Padme couldn't help but smile at the irony.

"We'll first hear from Ahsoka and William who will detail their observations of their trip, and then we will hear from Anakin regarding a future innovation," Wait. What? Padme glanced over at her husband. He hadn't said anything about announcing anything new. Anakin looked sideways at his wife and smiled slyly. "And, following that Ben will come up to answer any questions."

As the room applauded, Padme leaned over. "What _exactly_ are you announcing, Ani?" She asked in a low voice so as not to be overheard by the other tables.

Anakin just grinned. "It's a surprise." He replied, watching as Ahsoka and Will took to the stage, Artoo rolling out from behind the heavy royal blue curtain.

"I thought Artoo was at the shop with Threepio." Padme frowned. Whatever Anakin had planned, it _must_ have been top secret. Any top secret files he dealt with, he always had them stored in Artoo instead of the company's main frame.

"They were—Threepio still is. Artoo was needed for my presentation and Ahsoka's, so I brought him over and set him up behind the stage early this afternoon so he'd be ready." Sure enough, as Ahsoka began to speak, Artoo began to project clear, 3D images from their trip above the crowd's heads, earning quite a few murmurs of amazement. Other droids had been equipped with that technology, but Anakin had reserved the very best for Artoo alone.

Ahsoka and Will took turns describing their experiences for a good half hour, both of them frequently using unfamiliar words that were specific to the mechanics of the ship they'd flown. Padme would always glance questioningly at Anakin, and he would lean into her ear and explain under his breath without missing a beat. By the end of the speech, Padme thanked the stars that she was happy with her law firm. Though she was a very skilled pilot herself, mechanics had never been her expertise.

Finally, Ahsoka declared that she would now be working for Anakin's and Obi-Wan's company full time, having graduated from Stanford with her own degree in Mechanical Engineering, and Will followed up by explaining that he would work there part time while he looked for a college in the States. The announcement was followed by applause, and Ahsoka and Will left the stage and took their seats.

"Phew," Ahsoka muttered, "I hate speaking in front of huge crowds. Maybe I don't want to go to future parties like this after all."

Anakin stood, but not before planting a kiss on Padme's cheek and whispering "Wish me luck," and headed up on stage to thunderous applause. Artoo whistled happily, jostling from one leg to the other, but it was lost in the sound of the crowd's applause. Anakin patted the droid's head affectionately before taking to the podium.

Padme marveled. It was like she was watching a different person than the man she lived with and loved. When Anakin stood up there and began to speak, the whole room quieted, as if entranced by his every word. He reminded Padme of, well, a general giving an uplifting speech to a troop of soldiers. It wasn't as eloquent as a politician's speech, but he had _certainly_ had more than enough experience leading men to draw upon when asked to speak in front of a room of very important people.

He acted as if _he_ was the one leading everyone else in that room, despite the fact that the president was there, the director of NASA, the directors of Homeland Security and the FBI and CIA, and other leaders of Congress, plus various Silicon Valley organizations as well. Anakin was in total command.

Padme could feel a fierce sense of pride welling up in her chest. Anakin had always said that _he_ enjoyed watching _her_ speak in the Galactic Senate, even though he didn't care much for politics. Perhaps, she thought, as he spoke about making more leaps and bounds into space exploration in the coming years, this was what he felt when he watched her deliver speeches or, in this life, take command of a courtroom audience.

As he finished detailing their hopes for a brighter future in space exploration, he paused to allow the applause to die down, before glancing at his wife, a small hint of a smile playing on his lips. "But, the bright future doesn't just start and end in space—it extends to _all_ the people of Earth as well." He motioned to Artoo, who projected…

A speeder.

"We are still working on the logistics with local and federal governments across the planet, but the United States, Great Britain, and Australia have already agreed to help fund and implement this exciting new form of transportation. No longer will we be limited to cars or paying for expensive airfare only to sit in cramped and crowded, ecologically in-efficient airplanes." Artoo displayed a few other speeder models.

"Within the next five years, we will strive to create, and make available, personal aircraft that will not only get us to our destinations faster, but also be cleaner for our environment, and more cost-effective, in manufacturing and for consumers in purchase price and maintenance costs."

Artoo projected the numbers, and Anakin briefly ran through them. As he did so, Padme stared at him in awe. What he was suggesting was simple enough for their old galaxy. But, she had no doubt that Anakin could pull it off on this world. But, to _this_ world, this was something that only existed in Sci-Fi, in fantasies about the far distant future. Here Anakin was, giving Earth the actual ability to now make that fantasy a reality. Her husband was a genius. Sheer genius.

"Now, obviously, we can't just hand people a craft and say 'go fly it.' That would cause chaos. However, we have developed…" Suddenly, Anakin went rigid, at the same instant Ahsoka, Will, Peter, and Obi-Wan went rigid in _their_ seats. Padme watched the slight widening of Anakin's eyes, the subtle shift of his hand towards his belt where she knew, concealed underneath his coat, was his lightsaber.

Padme's heart sank, every nerve in her body coming alive, as she scanned the seemingly inconspicuous ballroom.

Something was wrong. _Very_ wrong.

"Which," Anakin continued, his voice just barely strained. She was sure that only those who really knew him would have caught that shift in his voice. "My partner, Ben Kenobi, will now disclose to you." He motioned a hand to Obi-Wan amid a cautious applause. Artoo swiveled his dome towards Anakin—obviously, _Artoo_ had caught on that something was wrong, knowing his master well.

Obi-Wan stood, a smile plastered on his face, but just before he walked on stage, he turned just enough to catch Peter's eye. "Go with them," Was all he said, and he took the stage, Anakin leaving it.

"What's wrong?" Padme asked, trying to keep her voice low. There wasn't any need to make the other guests panic if they could avoid it. Ahsoka opened her mouth to respond, but Anakin was already there at her side.

"We have to leave. _Right_ _now!_ " His voice was low, but urgent. Padme was already standing, looking up into her husband's face…and almost froze. What she saw in his eyes….

Fear.

When was the last time she had seen that look in his eyes? Perhaps when she was giving birth to the twins, but even _then_ , it wasn't like _this_. As Anakin took her hand and began to lead her from the ballroom, drawing the stares of other guests as they passed, Ahsoka and the boys hot on their heels, Padme whispered, "Ani…? What's going on?" He didn't turn around when he answered, but the impact hit her like being smashed by a speeding train, and she too felt more fear than she had ever felt in her life.

"The twins are in danger."

* * *

"No more _girl_ movies!" Luke insisted with a groan, as the credits to _Frozen_ rolled across the screen. "I want _Treasure_ _Planet_!"

Leia and Ella groaned. "No, I don't like that movie!" Leia insisted, "Let's watch _Tangled_!"

"No!" Luke argued back, a scowl on his face.

Galen sighed and rubbed his temples. As much as he _liked_ the twins, he didn't particularly enjoy babysitting. He was a _Jedi_ …or he had been and soon would be again. Babysitting was _not_ what Jedi's did.

Padawans, however…

"Leia, you already got to watch your movie. Luke was nice about watching your movie, now be nice about watching his movie." Mindy said, pulling out the _Treasure_ _Planet_ DVD to switch out. It was Luke's favorite movie—Galen had noticed that Luke _loved_ anything that had to do with space or electronics or mechanics. His temperament might have been his mother's, but he was most _certainly_ his father's child in all other aspects. It was almost unnerving for Galen at times.

Leia pouted, getting up off the couch. "I'm going to go play in my room." She announced. "Let's go, Ella." Ella nodded and scooted off of the couch as well, following her little friend out. Galen just shook his head and went back to playing yet _another_ game of _Fruit_ _Ninja_ , using his Force-skills to keep up with slicing the ever quickening fruit across the phone's screen. He had met Leia once in their old galaxy—back when she was Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan. Had he known _then_ that she was really the daughter of his Master, Darth Vader, he wondered what he would have done. _This_ Leia seemed to have no memories of her past life, though Luke sometimes asked questions that made Galen wonder if _he_ did.

It had been a long while, though, since he had viewed Anakin Skywalker as Darth Vader. They were the same person, but almost completely different people at the same time.

As the movie started, Mindy sitting down next to Luke to keep the now lonely boy company, Galen felt a sudden slight tingle on the back of his neck. He paused, and subsequently missed the fruit, causing a "Game Over" screen to pop up. Galen didn't care though. He looked up, frowning, scanning the room.

"Hey," He said, grabbing Mindy's attention. He always viewed Mindy as being a little _off_ , so he avoided her whenever he could, but whenever she was with the twins, she was only kind and gentle with them, a completely different person. "I'm going to make a sweep of the house real quick. I think I sense _something_..."

Mindy shrugged. "You don't need my permission." She turned back to the TV.

Yeah. If only Master Skywalker saw it that way. He stood, reaching out with the Force, his senses on high alert as he scanned for which way the danger was coming from. His eyes stopped on the back door where Jedi was laying down on the back porch, completely calm. _If_ _danger_ _was_ _out_ _there_ , _wouldn't_ _Jedi_ _have_ _reacted?_ Galen wondered, but nonetheless, he opened the glass door and stepped outside.

No sooner had Galen closed the door, Jedi tensed, his head lifting, ears perked as he stared out into the darkness of the evening. Galen's hand went to his lightsaber, the Force practically _screaming_ danger at him. "What is it boy?" his voice was barely above a whisper. Jedi didn't look back, but a moment later was on his feet, whining, his tail between his legs.

He didn't know what was wrong, but something was certainly not right. He cursed under his breath, turning around to open the door to warn Mindy to get the children to safety…

And a massive weight slammed into his back, sending him crashing through the window.

He hit the living room floor **hard** , the breath leaving his body ina _whoosh_ , glass shards digging into his skin. Distantly, he could hear Mindy scream and Luke cry out in confusion and fear, while Jedi barked wildly in alarm. Galen opened his eyes to try to orient himself and figure out what was still pressing into his back, but only saw spots of color in his vision. He gasped for air to try to clear it, but there was too much pressure on his chest to clear it enough.

To make matters worse, he heard the tell-tale sound of lightsabers igniting, and felt the heat of it bearing down on his neck.

There was another cry from Luke, though it sounded further away, but that was all it took for Galen to muster what strength he had in the Force. Even though he was disoriented and beginning to feel the pain of the glass shards impaling his skin and what was likely multiple cracked ribs, Master Skywalker's children and Master Kenobi's daughter were in danger. They were entrusted to _him_ to keep safe. This was what he had trained for.

And that is what he would do.

So, with a massive push through the Force, Galen knocked the intruder back off of him and back through the shattered glass door. He gasped for air, forcing himself to his feet, his hand pulling his own lightsaber out and igniting it, as he pivoted to face the attacker.

He came face to face with Grievous, two lightsabers in his metallic hands, as he launched himself at Galen with full fury, a wordless war cry escaping that frightening mask. Instinctively, partly through Master Skywalker's training and partly through his previous training under Darth Vader, Galen immersed himself into the Force, ignoring the pain he was in, and brought his blade up to counter.

He had fought Grievous before, a few years ago at the ballet, but that had been at his Master's side. Now, he faced Grievous' attacks full force and alone, and being injured and only fourteen, it was hard to keep up. But, he managed to do so, lightsabers whirling as they fought in the small enclosed space of the living room, tearing it up as they did so.

Each hit Grievous levied against Galen's lightsaber was hard, with his weight pressed against the blades. Every once in awhile, he would try to sneak in a stab of the second lightsaber beneath Galen's defenses, but Galen easily used the Force to maneuver himself away.

If Mindy had called for help like she was _supposed_ to, Galen thought as he blocked another parry, he could hold out until help arrived. _Force_ , _let it arrive!_

He didn't account for the fact that Grievous actually had _four_ arms, not just the two that he was using to wield the lightsabers. In a split second, one of the arms split, and before Galen could react in time, slammed into his side, sending him flying into the flat screen TV, knocking him and the TV to the small space between the entertainment center and the wall, the TV cracking clean in two beneath his weight.

Pain shot through Galen's body. Something was definitely broken. Each breath felt like he was sucking in glass, his vision swam, and he could taste blood in his mouth. He struggled to rise, but the TV beneath him started to splinter from the shifting of his weight, wedging him further down into the small space between the entertainment center and the wall.

A shadow crossed his vision, and he looked up to find Grievous standing over him, coughing out a bitter laugh that sent chills up Galen's spine. "It's over, Padawan. You have failed." He lifted a lightsaber, ready for the killing blow, and Galen knew he was done for. He was trapped. His lightsaber had fallen from his hand when he'd been sent careening into the TV.

This was how he met his end.

Suddenly, one of Leia's Barbie dolls went soaring through the air like a bullet, hitting Grievous on the side of the head, making the cyborg pause. Grievous looked down at the Barbie that had hit him. "What?" He snarled, turning in the direction the object had been thrown from. Galen followed his gaze, and his blood turned to ice.

Mindy stood there, a large butcher block knife in her hand, shaking in fear as she glared at Grievous in grim determination. "Leave. Now." She ordered, her voice firm but with an ever so _slight_ wobble in it. Even from here, Galen could feel her fear through the Force, but he felt her resolve as well. She was giving Galen a chance, and if Galen didn't move fast enough, she would end up getting herself killed.

The distraction worked. _Too_ well.

Grievous let out a breath of disbelief, as he turned his body from Galen and took a step towards her. Mindy didn't back up, though her eyes followed his movement, and she brought the useless knife up further as if that would protect her.

"Do you know who I am?" Grievous grumbled.

"No," Mindy admitted, "And, I really don't care, Metal Man. **Leave** **this** **house**. **Now**."

Another bitter laugh and another step towards her. Galen was using all of his strength to get out of the space. "Foolish woman. A brave woman, but foolish nonetheless." Another step. Galen was out, searching frantically through the torn up living room for his lightsaber.

"I said, **get** **out**." He was close to her now, towering over her. Mindy was by no means short, but Grievous made her look tiny and frail and…Galen found his lightsaber, tossed in the corner of the room, and used the Force to call it into his hand. He ignited it, whirling…

"It's a shame you got yourself involved." Grievous said, just before he plunged a lightsaber through Mindy's stomach.

* * *

 **I was going to put this whole sequence into one chapter, but it got super long and since I'm on vacation, it would have been an even longer wait for you guys for an update. So, I'll update this one before I update my other one cuz I know this is a cliffie.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	52. Saying Goodbye

Anakin's foot slammed on the accelerator, speeding through a yellow light on the verge of turning red. He was speeding like a madman through the streets near Stanford University and had received numerous honks of anger from other drivers, but he didn't care. He used the Force to keep him from hitting anyone, and given how on edge he was, it was a miracle that he even _cared_ about his driving that much.

His children were in _danger_. The Force practically pounded that fact into him, and it was driving him mad that he wasn't there yet to protect them. Padme sat next to him in the cab of his truck, her skin pale, her lips tight as she stared straight out the windshield. She had long stopped asking him questions—he didn't have the answers to any of them anyway. He just knew their children were in danger, and they _needed_ to get home. **Now**. The high-speed car ride was, therefore, almost silent, with only the occasional bump of the three Jedi holding on for dear life in the bed of his truck to interrupt the silence.

This truck was not designed for more than two passengers. He used this truck to transport droids, mechanical supplies, and tools, and to get himself to and from work. Honestly, it was a miracle in itself that they hadn't been pulled over yet.

As they pulled into their deserted neighborhood, Padme's phone buzzed to life. Padme, who had frantically tried to call Mindy earlier, immediately picked it up, putting it on speaker. "Mindy?! Mindy, can you hear me?!"

"Yes," Mindy's voice was low and shaking. "There's some sort of...robot guy. He…he came in through the French door window with lightsabers and Galen…"

Anakin swore in Huttese, as Padme suddenly looked like she was going to be sick. They knew _exactly_ who it was: Grievous. In the background, Anakin could hear the sound of lightsabers clashing furiously. "We're almost there." Padme said as Anakin took a sharp turn around the corner, tires squealing.

"I called the cops already but…." There was a massive _BANG_! and Mindy gasped. " _Holy_ …."

The line cut off.

Now, it was _Padme_ who swore. Anakin might have been impressed under normal circumstances, or teased her, but now was not a normal circumstance. "Just two more turns." He promised as Padme tried to call Mindy back. No answer.

Padme looked at him then, and though he was mostly focused on getting home without running anyone over, he saw the sheer panic in her dark eyes. Padme. Panicked. He had never, _ever_ seen her panic, not on Geonosis or even on Mustafar, but here she was, looking like she was on the verge of a complete breakdown. "Ani," She croaked, her eyes glassy from her tears, "Grievous…"

"... **Won't** hurt them." He cut her off firmly. Now more than ever, _he_ needed to be calm and collected. Yes, he was afraid for their children. Yes, he was angry that Grievous had launched an attack on his family. But, he was a Jedi Grandmaster, and he had personally suffered the consequences of giving into fear to save his loved ones. Taking a calming breath, he glanced at his wife. "He _won't_ harm any of those kids while I still breathe, Angel. I **swear** it."

The panic didn't completely go away, but he sensed some of her tension dissipate. "Okay." She said, her voice a little firmer.

At that moment, Anakin made the last wild turn onto the street their house was on, barreling straight for the house. He didn't bother to neatly park in the driveway. He slammed to a stop on the front lawn, likely leaving tire treads in the grass. He briefly debated on telling Padme to stay in the truck, but he knew his wife. If she wanted to go in with him, she would, whether he liked it or not.

That didn't mean that he had to wait for her.

As soon as he'd thrown the vehicle in park, he unbuckled his seatbelt and launched himself out of the still running truck, pulling his lightsaber out of his belt as he did so. Ahsoka, Will, and Peter jumped out of the truck bed and were right behind him. As he ran for the front the door, he didn't even bother attempting to unlock it. Instead, he outstretched his hand, sending one powerful blast of the Force at the door. It blew out of the door frame with a tremendous _BANG_ , skidding across the entryway floor as he and his fellow Jedi burst into the house, igniting their lightsabers….

Just in time to see Grievous yank one of his lightsabers out of Mindy's gut to block an oncoming attack from Galen.

Anakin had seen death. He had seen those he cared about or respected die in battle. He had spent a lifetime on the battlefield. He was too well trained to immediately go to Mindy's side. Even in the split second between coming into the house and moving to engage Grievous, he _knew_ that the wound was mortal. There wasn't anything he could do to change that, except get rid of the danger as quickly as possible.

Still, even knowing all of that, his heart sank with dread and despair. Their family would be devastated, his wife especially.

He had no time to dwell on that though. In seconds, he too was on Grievous, pushing back the metallic creature with blindingly fast and powerful strokes of his lightsaber. Ahsoka was right at his side, her twin green lightsabers blazing, and as Will and Peter moved to engage, Galen took that opportunity to move out of the offensive position and back towards where Mindy lay in the kitchen, his lightsaber moved into a defensive stance. In the back of his mind, Anakin could _feel_ that Galen had been injured as well—badly.

Facing four fully trained Jedi's, Grievous snarled, and as soon as he had the slightest opening, he leaped back out of reach of their blades before turning and retreating, making a full sprint out the broken glass door and into the summer night. Anakin moved to go after him, but Ahsoka stepped in front of him, stopping him. "No. We'll go after him. You stay and make sure your family is safe." She said, and without waiting for his response, she bolted after Will and Peter who had already started the chase against Grievous.

Every nerve of Anakin's body felt electrified. His warrior instincts screamed at him to go after the cyborg and end this, but Ahsoka was right. He was needed here, and she and the boys were more than capable of taking care of Grievous.

He had his family to worry about.

He turned, disengaging his lightsaber with a hiss, and the house was plunged into an eerie silence. Once more, fear for his children engulfed him, and he reached out in the Force for their presences.

There was only Ella.

His breath caught in his throat, and he had to force himself to ignore the growing panic that was threatening to bubble to the surface. He took deep breaths, forcing himself to concentrate. Panic would do nothing to help his children if they were indeed gone.

Galen leaned against the wall, completely exhausted, his lightsaber also disengaged. "Master…" He croaked as Anakin approached. Galen looked at Anakin with apprehension and wariness, and Anakin was reminded of how _Vader_ would have reacted to that night's events. It wouldn't have been good. He would have viewed Galen as a failure, and would have punished him accordingly. It sickened Anakin to even _think_ about that now, and he hated that Galen was clearly remembering that. "I'm...I…"

Gently, so as not to hurt the boy, Anakin put a hand on his shoulder. "You did your best. We'll talk about this later." Was all he said before he entered the kitchen…

Where Mindy lay, her head now supported in Padme's lap.

As he entered the kitchen, Padme looked up, catching his eye. Already, tears were streaming down her face—she didn't have to be told to know that Mindy was going to die. He could see the devastation in her eyes, her face twisted in pain, before she looked back down at her dying best friend. "Mindy," She croaked, " _Why_ couldn't you have waited?"

"Oh, this?" Mindy gasped between ragged breaths, a small, painful smile on her lips. "Tis but a scratch. Nothing to worry about."

Padme let out a breath of exasperation. "Seriously? Monty Python jokes? _Now?"_

"I saw," she coughed, "My chance...and I took it."

"I'd be dead if it weren't for her. Grievous had me cornered, and she threw a Barbie doll at him to give me a chance..." Galen quietly praised her in response to Padme's question. "And the kids…"

"Mindy, the kids, where….?" Padme began urgently, but Mindy cut her off.

"Hiding. They're hiding in…" she coughed again, spitting out blood. Padme made a soft sob, but she waited for Mindy to finish. "Your room."

Padme looked back up at Anakin, meeting his eyes again, the urgency clear. She wanted to make sure the children were safe, but she was also holding a dying friend. Anakin nodded in understanding, a bit relieved to hear that the kids were hiding. He could still sense Ella, and the twins…well. He couldn't sense them. But, he knew that Leia had long ago figured out how to hide her presence in the Force, much to his displeasure. Luke though...he'd never witnessed Luke do it. He didn't mention any of that to his visibly distraught wife though.

He moved to head back there, stopping briefly and turning around when Mindy called out to him, jabbing her finger at him. "Ani...Man up, and go get this guy. For me." She coughed and sputtered, choking on blood, but she managed to give him a small smile.

"Mindy," he started, but he stopped. He wasn't good at this. His bedside manner was terrible. He had no idea _what_ to say to her. 'I'm sorry' didn't cut it. 'Thanks for protecting my children' also seemed inadequate. But, Mindy, being who she was, was telling him it was okay, in her own unique way.

Smiling slightly again at their inside joke, Mindy didn't seem to care though. "It's okay. Go. Go to the kids. They…" another round of coughing. More blood. In the distance, Anakin could hear sirens, but he knew it was too late. Already, he could sense Mindy's life force fading. "They need you more than I do." She managed to get out between struggling breaths.

Still, Anakin felt terrible. She had given her life to protect not only their children, but also Galen. To leave her there, dying painfully, cradled in his wife's arms…Suddenly, he knew what he needed to do.

He was by no means a healer, and even if he was, he doubted a healer could do anything to save her. But, he _did_ know how to take away her pain in her last moments. He was all too familiar with that. Reaching out through the Force, he found Mindy's dimming presence and gently projected thoughts of numbness, of weightless floating, of peaceful and happy thoughts of all their shared good times. At first, he wasn't sure if it worked, but after a moment, Mindy visibly relaxed, looking up at him with knowing eyes. "Thank you." She said, her voice no higher than a whisper.

"No," Anakin shook his head, "Thank _you_." He hesitated and reached down to grasp Mindy's hand and give it a quick squeeze. It _still_ didn't feel like he'd done enough to show her his gratitude for not only what she'd done to keep his family safe, but also everything she had ever done for his wife as a loyal friend. "I'll get him, Mindy. May the Force be with you." He didn't wait for a response to that. Keeping himself projecting through the Force, he turned and ran down the hall to their bedroom, feeling Mindy's life force slipping further and further into the Force, until finally, as he opened the door to his darkened bedroom, it slipped away.

Mindy was gone.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Yoda had once said, " _Death_ _is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those who transform into the Force. Mourn them, do not. Miss them, do not. Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed, that is."_ He hadn't wanted to believe it then, had violently rejected it in fact. He had always hated death. But now, he let the rage of what Grievous had done inside of his own home go.

He needed to move forward.

He opened his eyes, scanning the room. The room was silent and empty, except for…He heard it. A growl, soft and low, but there. He followed the sound to the closed closet door, took a deep breath to prepare himself for what he would find, and jerked open the door.

Jedi was suddenly there, barking madly, growling and snarling at Anakin…until the animal seemed to realize that it was just Anakin, not an intruder, and the growling and barking died down into whimpers. Behind Jedi, tucked into the very back of the walk in closet, hiding behind some of Padme's evening gowns, were three terrified little children. Luke had positioned himself between Leia and Jedi, one arm stretched protectively in front of her, while Leia held a shaking Ella in her arms.

Sure enough, even standing right _there_ , Anakin couldn't feel his children's presence, only Ella's. Luke, apparently, had figured out how to cloak his presence and just hadn't bothered to use it until danger presented itself. Anakin couldn't help but feel a bit of pride, even as he let out a breath of sheer relief. " _Luke_ ," He breathed, " _Leia_."

For a moment, the kids just stared at him, their eyes wide, as if they couldn't believe that it was _really_ him. It was Luke that was the first to move. "Daddy!" he cried, and he dropped his arm and ran to his dad. Anakin dropped to his knees, catching the shaking boy in his arms.

A split second later, Leia was there too, her little arms wrapped around his neck. "Daddy!" She echoed her brothers cry.

Suddenly, Anakin was overwhelmed with both of his children's presences, and he could feel them reaching out through the Force to seek his comfort. He gave it to them freely, sending every comforting thought he could through their bond.

He kissed both of their temples, running his hands through their hair, confirming that they were alive and well. They were shaken, but neither of them were injured. The relief Anakin felt at finding them safe was immense, and the thought that it _could_ have been very different had Galen and Mindy not acted…he pushed the thought away and kissed their temples again. "You're safe. It's okay. The bad guy is gone." He promised them.

He sensed her before she even entered the closet. "Ani," Padme's voice, shaky and full of anguish. It sent a fresh stab of pain through him—he didn't want his wife to be in pain. He didn't want his children to be terrified like this. If Ahsoka and the boys didn't get Grievous, he mentally swore again to kill him himself for what he'd done here. He _would_ fulfill his last promise to Mindy.

But, the overlying problem was still _Palpatine_. There was no doubt Palpatine was behind this attack. His hatred for the man grew, and he struggled to push it down before his children sensed it.

He doubted they did. As soon as Padme appeared at the closet door, Luke and Leia let him go and ran to her, both of them crying for her. She, too, immediately crouched down, pulling both of them into her arms. Tears were running down her face as she looked them over. "Thank goodness," She breathed when she found both of them to be physically safe and unharmed. She pulled them in tight for a hug. "Oh my babies!"

Anakin smiled sadly before turning to little Ella who stood grim faced, watching him quietly. "Hi, Ella," Anakin said softly, feeling Ella's confusion over the situation. "Everything is fine. You're okay, Little One."

She just looked at him. "Where's Daddy?" She asked softly, "Mommy?"

Anakin's heart tore. He knew Obi-Wan had wanted to come, but had all of them rushed out in the middle of their speech, it would have caused a media and security frenzy. But _how_ did one explain that to a three-year-old? "He's on his way." Anakin promised, reaching out for her. "They'll be here soon. I promise." Reluctantly, she allowed Anakin to pick her up and hold her in his lap while he turned back to Padme, who was speaking to him again.

"The police are here," she was saying, "They want to talk with us."

"I figured." He sighed, rubbing Ella's back soothingly while he tried to send her comfort through the Force. He didn't have the bond with her that he had with his own children, but he _did_ consider her part of his family, given that she was Obi-Wan's and Satine's daughter, and Leia loved her so much. He felt her relax a little in his arms. "I'm not going out there while…" he trailed off. He didn't want to bring up Mindy's death while in the presence of the children. Not yet anyway.

Padme nodded in understanding, closing her eyes as more tears streaked down her face. "I know. I told them that. They…they said they'd come to this room once they had finished helping Galen get medical attention…but Mindy….they can't move her…" she trailed off, but she didn't have to finish. Anakin had heard enough of Satine's and Padme's conversations over various cases they worked on to know that when it came to murder investigations, the police wouldn't move the body until they were sure they had gathered enough evidence, which could take hours.

The children couldn't stay in the house, not after they had been attacked. Not while Mindy lay dead in the kitchen. They'd have to go to his in-law's to stay. No way would his wife _want_ to stay here now, either. Not after this.

Anakin's phone buzzed to life. Shifting Ella so that he could free one of his hands, he pulled his phone out and checked the ID. Obi-Wan. He answered immediately. "Obi-Wan."

"Anakin." His friend's voice was grim and filled with apprehension. "Something awful has happened, hasn't it?"

Anakin closed his eyes. "Yes. The children are safe though."

There was a brief pause. He could hear Satine asking in the background for Ella's safety. "Ella…is she alright?" Obi-Wan asked, his voice strained.

Anakin paused. Was that… _anger_ that he heard in his former master's voice? The last time he had heard Obi-Wan angry was back on Mustafar. He could hear the struggle in Obi-Wan's voice to keep it under control now. Understandably, it made Anakin _more_ than a little nervous—what was that quote from that Doctor Who show Padme and Mindy had liked back in college? _Demons run when a good man goes to war._ If that wasn't a perfect description of what it would be like for Obi-Wan to lose his temper, Anakin didn't know what else would be.

"She's safe and unharmed. I'm holding her right now." He chose his words with care. "Would you like to talk to her?"

"Yes." His answer was immediate and firm.

"Alright." Anakin looked at Ella, who was watching him cautiously. "Here she is." He held the phone up to Ella's ear. "Someone wants to talk to you, Ella." He told the girl soothingly.

She listened for a moment, her blue eyes lighting up. "Daddy!" She said, practically snatching the phone from Anakin's hand. He let her have it. He doubted he would get that back for a few minutes anyway. "I want you daddy, I want you!" Whatever Obi-Wan was saying, that was _all_ Ella would say in response.

He turned back to Padme. "I'm assuming that we will see Obi-Wan and Satine soon."

She nodded solemnly. "Good." For a moment, she just stared at him, and for once, he couldn't quite read the expression in her eyes. "Things…won't be the same anymore, will they?"

Anakin didn't respond for a moment. He wanted so badly to tell her that things would go back to normal. He certainly _wanted_ it to be that way. But, he was a Jedi. Their children were Force-Sensitive. And Palpatine was still out there. Over the last five years, they had allowed themselves to _forget_ the enormity behind what that meant. "No," He replied honestly, "They won't."

* * *

 **One Week later…**

She just wanted it to be _over_. Even after hours of being interviewed by the police (who hadn't thought that she or Anakin had anything to do with the murder of her best friend, but had been suspicious simply due to the _strange_ 'autopsy' and torn up state of their living room), hiding from the media, and attending Mindy's funeral that morning and trying to comfort her grieving parents, it wasn't over. Padme doubted that it _would_ be over until Palpatine had been found and killed. But, even as Anakin and Obi-Wan had met with Neeja on the commlink and mustered what Jedi they had to track the villain down, Padme had a sinking feeling they wouldn't find Palpatine that way.

Grievous had escaped. Naturally.

He had _always_ been good at escaping when the odds were against him. It made her heart swell with pure **hate** to even _think_ about him, and though Anakin, Ahsoka, Will, Peter, and Obi-Wan had sat for hours at her parent's kitchen table this week exhausting _every_ possible area they thought he had escaped to, Padme knew he was gone. Who knew when he would crawl out of the hole he came from to rip someone _else_ precious to her out of her life.

Galen had suffered a few broken ribs, had to have multiple shards of glass extracted from his skin, had needed stitches, and had suffered a concussion. Other than that, he was fine. However, after doctoring him up with bacta patches for his wounds, Vokara had used the Force to ease his pain and speed healing of his ribs before ordering plenty of bedrest. But, getting Galen to _stay_ in bed was a challenge Padme had given up on and finally let Anakin deal with. In fact, two days ago, Anakin had dragged Galen back into the bedroom he had been given and had a 'talk' with his padawan.

Whatever he had told the boy, Galen didn't come out again, so it obviously had worked.

Now, she stood in her old bedroom, the one she had grown up in in this world. The window was open, letting in fresh sunlight and the sounds of the twins playing with Jedi and Artoo in her parents' backyard. "Mistress Padme, are you alright?" Threepio asked for about the millionth time that week. Threepio, surprisingly, seemed to be the _only_ source of collected control in the chaos following the attack on her family in their own home…

Unable to face going back there just yet herself, Anakin and Ashoka and Will had gone back to pack their clothes, toiletries, toys for the twins, and a few other essentials. Anakin had also dealt with their insurance company to get the glass door replaced and make sure all the locks were reinforced, and arranged for their mail to be put on hold temporarily.

Jolting out of her reverie, Padme pushed the thoughts away. "Yes, Threepio." He was holding a basket of folded, clean laundry. "Please set those on the chair. I'll put them away."

"Are you sure?" She wasn't sure if he meant the question for her decision to put away the folded clothes herself, or if he meant the lie she told him when she said she was alright. She wasn't alright. Her children had been attacked. Sure, the twins, being five, had bounced back relatively well, but it didn't change the fact that the danger they were constantly in—had _always_ been in—was now staring her right in the face.

And _Mindy_ …

"I'm sure." She cleared her throat, running a hand over the skirt of the black dress she wore. They had only returned from Mindy's funeral the hour before. "I would like to be alone now, if you don't mind."

If Threepio could frown, Padme imagined that he would be doing so now. "Yes, of course, but would you like me to send for Master Anakin?" She _almost_ said yes. With the insanity that had followed everything, she had barely had a chance to sit down with Anakin alone to talk about it. But, when she had left him downstairs, he had been about to get into yet _another_ argument with her petrified parents over whether or not the powers he had given their grandchildren were safe or not.

It _figured._

Just when his relationship with her parents had _started_ to really improve... "No. I'm sure he'll come on his own soon enough." She said softly. Besides, she thought, it wouldn't hurt to take a few moments to collect her thoughts. As a mother to twins, it was rare to have a moment alone anyway.

"Yes, Mistress Padme." Threepio turned and shuffled out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Leaving her alone.

For a moment, she considered changing into something less formal, less of a reminder that she'd just formally said goodbye to one of her oldest and dearest best friends. The Padme from the other galaxy was no stranger to death, but this… _this_ felt different, somehow. Wrong. Back then, she had spent years of her life at war. But, she wasn't at war in _this_ world—that's what she had told herself, at least.

She knew differently now. She had _always_ been at war. She had been at war the very _moment_ Palpatine discovered that she was alive in this universe. She just didn't realize it until now.

She didn't end up changing. Instead, she slowly sat down on the edge of the double bed, looking around her old room, the room she and Anakin were staying in right now. Now, more than ever, she didn't feel... _right_ there. She didn't _belong_. It wasn't the same nostalgic feeling she had previously experienced coming back to her old room, the same nostalgic feeling most adults got when they visited places from their childhood after having left it.

It was… _stronger_ than that.

After they had managed to leave their home to crash at her parent's place, Padme had wrestled with the feeling of knowing _something_ major needed to change, but was not sure what _exactly_. She had left Anakin and Obi-Wan and the other Jedi to make the decisions in regards to their hunt for Palpatine. She had always given Anakin space when it came to Jedi business, just as he gave her space when it came to her decisions with her law firm. She wasn't a Jedi. But now, she was the wife of a Jedi Grandmaster and mother of children who would one day be Jedi themselves, and this fight had been taken to _them_. She had to do _something_.

The question was, what?

She didn't know, but this place…being here, in California where she had grown up and felt safe for so long…it wasn't that place anymore.

She didn't know how long she sat there in silence, staring blankly at the bedroom she had once called hers and now saw it like it was someone else's entirely, but eventually the door quietly opened and shut. She didn't have to look to know who it was. She just knew, as if it was instinct. "Ani." She said quietly.

"Angel." He replied back, his voice full of weariness. She felt him sit down on the bed next to her, felt him take her hand gently in his own, rubbing soft circles into her skin with his thumb. For a moment, they sat there in a comfortable, but heavy silence. "Tell me what I need to do." He finally said softly, earnestly. She knew he could feel her emotions—she had probably broadcasted them at him throughout the whole week. He'd quietly held her close every night this week while she'd cried herself to sleep. She didn't bother to deny that she was fine. Not to him. He knew. Besides, she would _never_ conceal her feelings from him.

She thought about his request. Now was her chance. But, what would she ask for? She was sure that if she asked Anakin to bring her the moon, he would find a way to do it. Even as a redeemed Jedi Grandmaster, that part of Anakin would never change. She sat there, staring at the room that used to be hers, but no longer was, for a moment longer before she had her answer. "We need to move."

Anakin considered that for a moment. "Alright, we can try to find somewhere with a little more space and still be close to the office and…"

"No, Ani," Padme shook her head, turning to face him fully, her look somber. "I mean, we need to move somewhere else entirely. Somewhere _far_ from here."

As Anakin met her eyes, she watched as he processed this carefully in his mind. She suspected that he was also consulting with the Force, feeling for its guidance in this issue. She didn't know if this was the _exact_ answer she needed, but it was a step forward. Palpatine and his allies knew _exactly_ where they lived, obviously, but it was more than just that. It was also being so close to her parents, who strongly disapproved of her family's use of the Force, of living in a house that was growing too small to contain two very strong Force-sensitive twins...and now a house where her best friend had been murdered in cold blood…

Moving was a step in the right direction. Of _that_ much, she was sure of. Anakin finally sighed and ran a hand through his hair. She could see the resignation on his face. He knew there was no talking her out of it. "We would have to move both of our businesses."

"I know." It was a pain, and they both knew it, but it _was_ doable.

"Obi-Wan may not want to leave."

"Somehow, I suspect that even if he objected to moving, he would _still_ follow you into the depths of Hell itself if you asked it of him."

"I don't know about _that_." Anakin said dryly. He paused, thinking. "I could hit the NASA offer a little more aggressively to get the contract to the terms I wanted...or as close as possible to what I want. Would Texas be far enough away, Angel?"

Padme didn't know that much about Texas, other than the stereotypical stuff she'd seen on TV. She _did_ know that there was a ton of land there, land that you could buy and be secluded from the rest of the world without losing _too_ much contact with society. It certainly was far enough from California, and even if Palpatine knew to look in Texas, it was a huge state. It would take a while.

At the end of the day, Anakin had launched himself and his droid business so far into the media spotlight, though, that there was truly no _real_ safe place they could go, unless they completely dropped everything and moved into the Himalayas to be hermits. As much as she wanted to protect her family, she didn't want them to be _that_ secluded either. "It's as good a place as any," She finally conceded.

Anakin nodded, his eyes far away, as he considered the implications of this. "It won't hold off Palpatine for very long."

"I know."

He shook his head. "I just don't understand! Why _now?_ He's had so many opportunities—he had a whole six months to launch an attack on you and the children, but he didn't. Why?"

Padme had thought the same question herself. "You know him better than anyone, Ani. What do your instincts tell you?" She asked softly.

He was quiet for a long time, and this time she knew he was consulting with the Force. "I think he wanted to lure us into a false sense of security. He's a very patient man, Padme, and his plans are _never_ obvious. As his apprentice, anytime I would attempt to come up with a plan to overthrow him, he _always_ managed to put me in my place just before the time was right. I don't have any idea what he's planning, but I **do** know that _this_ ," he motioned with his hand around them, indicating the general situation they were in, "This is only _one_ round, a minor victory, in whatever game he's playing. When he deals the trump card I _know_ he's saving," He paused, looking her straight in the eye. "It's going to be devastating."

Padme felt a chill go up her spine. She wanted so badly to deny what he said, to chalk it up to over exaggeration, but she knew better. She _knew_ he was right. "Then we move. We move the companies. You take the job at NASA. We move somewhere quiet, a place where you and Obi-Wan can truly establish a safe haven for the Jedi, and we prepare as best we can for that trump card."

Anakin nodded slowly in agreement. "Alright. You're right. You always are."

"Well." She smiled a little, her first smile since Mindy's death. "Not all the time."

"Most of the time."

"Okay. Most of the time." Anakin laughed, leaning over to kiss her forehead, wrapping his arms around her. "Ani?" She asked, pressing her cheek against his chest.

"Yes, Angel?"

"Tell me the truth. Do we…do we stand a chance?"

Anakin pulled away, gently bringing her face up so that their eyes met. His blue eyes, as blue as the clear skies of Tatooine, were as serious as ever. "As long as we trust in the Force, we have _more_ than just a small chance. We'll pull through this time, Angel. Together."

It wasn't _quite_ a promise, but it was as close to one as she knew he could offer her. Nevertheless, she believed him. Leaning up, she kissed him softly. "Together," she agreed softly against his lips.

* * *

 **Here's the promised conclusion to last chapter's cliffhanger! Yeah, Mindy dies. Sorry. But it is war, and in war, people die. I wanted to give her a worthy death though.**

 **So I'm wanting to get more active on social media...which means replying to those I haven't responded to yet in my inbox on fanfic (sorry!), and I have also started a tumblr and twitter dedicated to Star Wars. If you're interested in following, I posted the links on my profile.**

 **The song for this chapter is "First of his name" from Game of Thrones.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	53. A Brush with the Dark Side

**2 and a half years later…**

Luke frowned in concentration as he worked to get the wings on the ship he was drawing _just_ right. Lately, his dreams had been full of flying the ship through space, with other ships just like it, with Artoo his only flying companion. They reminded him of the speeders that his dad and Uncle Ben had created, that were now just starting to be used in major cities across the country. He _loved_ watching his dad and his Uncle Ben work on them in their shop, and he _loved_ telling people he saw landing them in the parking lot of the stores his mom took him to that his _dad_ was the one who built those ships. Sometimes they said, "Oh, that's nice," and he got the feeling they didn't really believe him because he was a kid. But sometimes, they took a _good_ look at him and suddenly wanted to take selfies with him and talk to him about his dad.

His mom made him _promise_ to stop telling strangers about his dad after that.

 _Maybe_ , he thought, as he continued to work on the wings so that they looked just like what he saw in his head, _Dad_ _would_ _like_ _my_ _picture_ _and_ _would_ _make_ _the_ _ship_ _just_ _for_ _me._ The thought made him smile, and though he was starting to get frustrated with his limited drawing skills, he continued to try anyway. He wanted to make his dad proud of him, and if his dad built the ship, maybe he'd let Luke help, too. Luke was fascinated by all things mechanical and electrical, just like his father was. He was _proud_ to be Anakin Skywalker's son.

The idea of building his own ship design with his dad got him _really_ excited, and he had to pause before he messed up again, and looked back up at the playground.

If he wasn't at school, he probably could have finished. He didn't care for this boring school, with people he couldn't tell about his Jedi-powers, and teachers who told him stuff _he_ thought a Jedi didn't need to know. Dad, however, said Jedi _did_ need to know this stuff, and that's why he and his mother sent him and his sister to school, but Luke still didn't see how it was applicable.

He _did_ like science though, and he found math to be pretty easy.

Still, he would _much_ rather be at his dad's Jedi school, learning with the older padawans. He and Leia had started going there after regular school hours, but the wait for boring school to be done was horrible. And, then, on top of that, his mom _made_ him do his boring homework before she'd let his dad teach him _any_ super cool Jedi stuff…Luke made a face. Maybe he should start doing his homework during recess instead, so he didn't have to do it later at home.

He looked down at his drawing, about to continue, when he felt the familiar presence of his sister touch his mind. _Come play with me, Luke!_ He hesitated. He was _always_ with his twin, except during boring school. That was because they weren't in the same class. At first, Luke had hated it, but then he had grown to like having some time apart from her. He loved his little sister to death, but _sometimes_ she could be annoying. Yeah, sometimes he played with her at recess, but playing at recess only reminded him that he _couldn't_ use his Jedi powers around the other kids, and it frustrated him to no end.

 _I'm drawing, Leia._ He sent back through their bond, _I want to get this done before my soccer game tomorrow._ Tomorrow was Saturday, and though he preferred to spend his free time in his dad's Jedi school, he _did_ like playing soccer. His best friend Ezra was even on the team. He frowned. He wished Ezra came to _this_ school…

He could practically _feel_ his sister roll her eyes at him. _That's so dumb._

 _You're so dumb._ He shot back, though he didn't _really_ mean it, and she knew it.

 _Fine. I'll do something else._ He felt her pull away from him, and he continued on with his drawing. It wasn't long though before he felt his sister's presence again, this time full of stress. He stopped. _Leia?_ He called through their bond.

She didn't answer.

That was unusual. With a sigh, he realized that he needed to go check on her, and closed his drawing notebook, tucking it under his arm as he made his way over the sandy ground of the playground, following their bond to find her.

It didn't take him long. There his sister stood, her hands clenched into fists, standing over a destroyed sand castle in the sand pit, glaring up at none other than…

Jabba.

The kid was as big and mean as he was ugly. His dark hair was short and stubby on his overly large head. He had dark amber eyes widely spaced on his face, giving his features an _odd_ look, skin oily and pockmarked, and jowls as flabby and rotund as the rest of him. Even though he was in second grade like them, he looked more like a fifth grader. He towered over most of the kids on the playground, and he was so large, the boring school lunch ladies always made him take fruit with his lunch. He knew, because, unfortunately, Jabba was in _his_ class.

And Jabba _hated_ Luke.

That was another reason why Luke didn't like going to boring school. Jabba _always_ found ways to bully Luke. Sometimes he would trip him while he was going back to his desk. Sometimes at lunch he shot spit balls at Luke's head with a he would push Luke until he would give him the answers to their homework. Sometimes he would steal Luke's food off of his plate. Luke tried to use the methods taught to him at the Jedi school, but to no avail. They _never_ worked on Jabba. He once even tried to mind trick the kid, but all he'd gotten was pushed into the sand at the playground.

But, Jabba had always left Leia alone, probably because she was in a different class. Leia never liked how Jabba treated Luke, and had wanted to tell their parents, but Luke never let her. He wanted to solve the problem himself and _then_ tell his dad and make his dad proud of him. If he could resolve it like a Jedi, he reasoned, his dad would be happy…and _maybe_ take him out for ice cream, just the two of them.

"Leave us alone, Jabba." Leia snapped. Us? Luke frowned—Leia was by herself. Who was this 'us'?

"Does little _Lukie_ always have his _baby_ _sister_ fight his battles for him?" Luke winced at the name—he _hated_ being called Lukie. But what was _most_ important in that moment was that clearly, Leia had said something to Jabba about Luke. Judging by the ruined sandcastle, Luke had a pretty good idea what Jabba had done in response.

" _Don't_ call him that!" Leia yelled, as Luke began to make his way over to intervene. "His name is _Luke!"_ Luke normally would have pointed out to her that _she_ called him Lukie whenever _she_ wanted to make him mad, but he didn't think this was the best time to remind her. But then, being his twin, maybe Leia felt she had a right to do that - even if no one _else_ did.

Jabba disagreed.

"I'll call him whatever I want! And, _you_ can't stop me, Miss Prissy!" Jabba said in that strange almost slurred accent he always had as Luke approached. "Oh look, here comes _Lukie_ now." He sneered, pulling himself up to his full height and glowering at Luke.

"Leave her alone, Jabba," Luke said, doing his best to ignore the name.

Maybe _that_ was the wrong thing to say. Jabba just grinned. "What, you don't like people picking at your twin?"

"I _said_ ," Luke stated again through gritted teeth, his voice low and dangerous. "Leave Leia _alone."_

Jabba paused, as if sensing a change in Luke. Luke met the other boy's amber eyes straight on, his glare hard and unyielding like solid arctic ice. He couldn't help but absently think, as he'd thought many times before, that sometimes the bigger boy reminded him of the toads he and Leia caught by the stream running through their backyard.

Jabba seemed to have realized that Leia was an off-limits subject, for instead he grinned ferally and before Luke could stop him, grabbed his drawing notebook. He held it high above Luke's head. "What are you doing with _this_ , Lukie? Homework? What a nerd!"

"Give it back!" Luke said, though he was secretly relieved that Jabba had turned his attention away from Leia.

"Come and get it!" Jabba held it higher still over Luke's head. Luke internally debated on whether or not to play Jabba's game. He could always draw another picture, true.

But Leia beat him to it. "He said," Leia snapped, with annoyance dripping from every word, reaching up. She was even shorter than he was, and it might have been comical had she not been doing it to Jabba Hutt. " _Give it back!"_

It happened so quickly.

Jabba's eyes flashed in irritation, and he reached out and _shoved_ Leia as hard as he could away from him. Leia was generally pretty well balanced on on her feet, which fared her well in lightsaber practice, but _here,_ the unexpected shove caught her by surprise, and she stumbled backward and fell with an audible _thump_ to the sand. She scowled and opened her mouth to chew the bigger boy out again, but she never got the chance. Watching Jabba push his sister…something inside Luke _snapped_.

No one.

NO ONE!

Hurt _his_ sister!

Luke abruptly yelled with rage and launched himself at the bigger boy, grabbing him around the waist, leaning into him with his shoulder. Surprised, Jabba fell backward onto the ground, Luke on top of him. Luke managed to get two solid punches to Jabba's face before the other boy recovered and used his superior hulking size and flipped Luke onto his back, using his weight to pin Luke to the ground, while he landed his own punches to Luke's face.

Distantly, Luke could hear other kids stop whatever they were doing to gather around them, yelling 'Fight! Fight! Fight!' over and over again, but above them all, Luke distinctly heard Leia screaming at the top of her voice at them to stop.

It might have ended with Luke losing against his clearly physically stronger opponent, but Luke was _through_ messing around with Jabba's crap and was _not_ playing fair. The kid had hurt his sister, and he was _done_. Bully him? Fine. But bully his _sister?_ Nope. _Not_ happening. _That_ crossed the line.

Using the Force, Luke pushed the boy off of him and jumped onto him again, punching him as hard as he could repeatedly in his nose, over and over again. Anytime Jabba moved to get out from under Luke, he again used the Force to slam the bully back _hard_ into the sand.

Suddenly, hands were under his armpits, pulling him back and off of Jabba. He flailed wildly, trying to get back to beating Jabba to a pulp, but the hands were firm. "Luke Skywalker!" The voice of his teacher, Mrs. Benson, snapped, "Stop right this _instant_!"

"No!" Luke yelled, "He hurt my sister! He…!"

Leia's voice suddenly slammed into him through their bond. _Luke, stop right now! I'm okay! Please, stop!_ Luke stopped moving, gulping in air with his heaving lungs, his knuckles of his right hand now bruised and swollen from all the punches he'd thrown at Jabba. He glanced over at Leia, where she was being held back by her own teacher, Mrs. Reynolds. Tears were running down her face, and she was staring at him, mouth agape, pleading with her eyes for him to stop.

The fight left him, and he abruptly stopped, his shoulders slumping in defeat. He watched Leia sigh in relief and try to go to him, but her teacher held her back. Another teacher was helping Jabba off the ground—the boy was covered in his own blood. Luke glared at him, as if daring him to try something again, but when the bigger boy looked back at him…

There was real _fear_ in in his eyes.

* * *

"That's _not_ good enough!" Obi-Wan insisted, "I want a sure answer of _where_ he can be found!"

The Jedi that had contacted them via comm, Kanaan, frowned. "We've narrowed it down to three potential places, Master Kenobi. Moscow, Berlin, and Budapest. That's more answers to go on than we've had since the attack two years ago at Master Skywalker's old home. Grievous isn't exactly an _easy_ cyborg to find, y'know."

"Agreed. But, there aren't _too_ many cyborgs running around on this planet, either," Anakin pointed out wearily from his chair. They were sitting in the library of their Jedi Academy, Anakin's comm link lying in the middle of the long conference table they sat at. Currently, they were the only two in the library, the other older padawans were practicing in one of the sparring rings outside with Ahsoka instructing. Normally, Anakin was the one who taught lightsaber technique, but when he'd gotten the comm call from Jedi Knight Kanaan, he had Ahsoka take over while he and Obi-Wan stepped into the quiet of the library, named after Mindy in honor of all the hard work she'd done to compile the majority of the information in that room. They were there to discuss the updates on the hunt for Grievous and Palpatine, who were _both_ still at large.

He had to admit, though, this was more information than they'd had in a long while. Even Anakin and Obi-Wan had gone out on the hunt a few weeks out of the last two summers and found barely anything, _much_ to their frustration. They knew it was only a matter of time before Palatine would strike again.

Despite that, things were going _very_ well for them. Anakin had joined NASA, after getting the space agency to agree -in writing- to _all_ his stipulations and terms, and was rapidly making improvements on space travel every day. He and Padme had fixed up the damage to their home in California after Grievous' attack and sold it. Because their relationship with Padme's parents was strained further by Grievous' attack, Sola and Darred came over with the girls and Shmi had flown out to help them pack up their belongings for their relocation to Texas. Obi-Wan and Satine sold their home also, and the two families took a week to trek across the country via caravan, with Anakin and Obi-Wan driving their respective large U-Haul rental trucks, Padme driving herself, Galen, and all the kids in the SUV, Ashoka and Will driving Anakin's truck, and Satine and Peter driving Obi-Wan's truck, as she had sold her silver Lamborghini before the move.

Upon arrival in the Houston area, they had gone in together and first rented a huge eight bedroom, five bath house for six months while they waited for their respective homes to be built. Satine and Padme had relocated their law firm, and they bought a one story brick office about a thirty minute drive away to set up their office in, and they were rapidly coming in high demand as defense attorneys. As the _only_ JediHealer _,_ Vokara had also relocated to Houston and had taken on a padawan of her own, who was a third year medical student.

Meanwhile, the company Anakin and Obi-Wan owned was making leaps and bounds in progress for not just droids and bacta tanks and bandages, but also better transportation on the planet. Anakin himself wasn't quite as involved with the company as much as he used to be due to his job at NASA, though he remained co-owner and still attended every board meeting through a live camera feed, but Ahsoka had taken over whenever he wasn't available. The factory back in California was now being run quite successfully by Rex, who had retired from teaching at Stanford to come work full time for them as their general manager. They had remodeled the floor of the factory where Anakin's and Obi-Wan's offices were to accommodate a private four bedroom, three bath apartment that they stayed in whenever they flew back to check on things with the factory.

Padme _really_ wasn't kidding when she said Texas had lots of land. Anakin and Obi-Wan had flown out to Houston shortly after Mindy's funeral, searching out and then purchasing a _massive_ plot of land just outside of Houston, where they had built both of their sprawling, two-story homes, a private airstrip with a separate hanger for their private company jet, another workshop for their droid business at the very back of Anakin's own private property, plus a _massive_ Jedi Academy between their two homes.

Not that the government _knew_ that it was actually, in reality, a training facility and headquarters for the Jedi. Anakin and Obi-Wan had pitched it as a school for gifted children, available to _anyone_ all over the world. It was only tour-able by appointment; that way they could make everything _look_ the way they had pitched it, and all visitors were first submitted to a rigorous background check for security purposes well before their scheduled tour date.

Obi-Wan and Anakin used their private- now almost _unlimited_ \- financial resources to find Force-sensitives the world over, helping to relocate these children and their immediate families to the area. As long as their parents were willing to move to Houston - and agreed to a _strict_ , uncompromising rule to _never_ reveal the Jedi's existence or business to _anyone_ else outside the Jedi- they would be welcomed in with open arms.

As a result, their group of Jedi had grown quite a bit. It made it a _bit_ more of a struggle to hide from the prying eyes of the world, but between Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka, they made it work. Neeja and his younglings still protected the lightsaber crystal cave in Nepal, but most of the older padawans had come to the States to take their Jedi vows and begin teaching padawans at the school. In two more years, Anakin's own padawan, Galen, would be able to move and stay in the U.S. Their lives were busy, and still full of danger, but they were happy.

Well. Usually happy. Obi-Wan didn't _seem_ too happy at this particular moment.

"I'm sorry," he sighed, rubbing his temples. "Satine is heavily pregnant. I want to at least get rid of Grievous' threat before she has the baby."

"We're doing our best, Master," Kanaan assured him, "But it may not be possible."

"He's right." Anakin reluctantly agreed. He wanted Grievous taken care of _just_ as much as Obi-Wan did. He had promised Mindy that he would, after all. But, unlike Anakin who had experienced his family being threatened before (and had lost a child and nearly lost Padme in the process), Obi-Wan hadn't. Ella being put in danger like that had _really_ rattled him, and though he usually was in control over it, Satine being pregnant again made Obi-Wan even more jittery and nervous. "But we'll find him, Obi-Wan. You just need to be patient."

Obi-Wan couldn't help but laugh a little at that. "Look at you. Anakin Skywalker, of all people, telling _me_ to be patient. Oh, how the tables have turned." Anakin grinned, opening his mouth to respond…

But, he suddenly felt Padme's presence arrive back at their house. Frowning, he checked the time on his IPhone. It was _much_ too early for her to be home yet. This was her week to go to work (he was glad he'd gotten NASA to agree to the every-other-week-work-from-home thing). She shouldn't have been back until later that afternoon, as she usually left the office at about 5:30. "I'm sorry," He said, standing up. "Something has come up. Obi-Wan, go ahead and finish your conversation. I'll get my comm from you later."

Obi-Wan paused, looking at his best friend for a moment. Anakin could feel him use the Force to identify what could have made Anakin get up so suddenly, but he, too, quickly sensed Padme's presence and understanding lit in his eyes. "Alright. I'll see you later." Anakin nodded and headed back out of the library.

Although the Academy was enormous, Anakin knew it like the back of his hand. He had a hand in designing the layout, after all. It wasn't long before he was out of the main building and jogging across the winding trails of the cypress-tree-thicketed property and through the side gate in the brick fence around his own private backyard, back over towards his house.

As he approached, he again reached out through the Force to find his wife. He found her in their huge white kitchen, and therefore, instead of going in through the front door, he came in by way of the furnished patio and through the glass sliding back door. As he entered the house, Jedi looked up from where he was lounging in his plush dog bed by the back door and barked a greeting, which he ignored, and Anakin vaguely registered Artoo beeping, twittering, and whistling responses to an _aggrieved_ sounding Threepio somewhere remotely in the very large house. He paid them no mind. His wife was hi _s sole_ focus.

Padme was still in her dress skirt and pastel colored floral blouse, her hair pinned back into one of her elaborate updos (well, elaborate for this world) for work. She stood at the large island in the middle of the kitchen, her hands on the dark granite top, looking down at her purse, though she glanced up as he came in. "Hey, Sweetheart," he said, going over to her. "What's going on?"

Through the Force, he could feel her aura grow nervous and excited at the same time. "Everything is fine, Ani." She assured him, but as he approached, she turned and wrapped her arms around him and buried her face against his chest.

Confused, he wrapped his own arms around her. "If everything is fine," He asked, "Then _why_ are you home early?"

"Maybe I felt like it." She teased, though it was a half-hearted and distracted answer.

Anakin wasn't buying it. "Maybe," he conceded, "But I know you better than that. Something's up, Angel."

She sighed deeply, pulling away from him. "Like I said, everything is _fine_. Better than fine, actually."

No, that wasn't cryptic at all. Arching an eyebrow, he took her hands in his, urging her to look at him. "Then _why_ are you nervous?"

She gave him an amused look. "Reading my emotions again, are you?"

He shrugged, though he couldn't help a small smile playing out across his lips. "Well, to be fair, you're sort of broadcasting them. I'm pretty sure any of the Jedi who are at the Academy can feel them."

She blushed. " _Well_ ," she said slowly, "That's sort of awkward, but I guess not surprising." She sighed again and looked up into his blue eyes and smiled softly. "Ani, something wonderful…and _unexpected_ …has happened."

Her words stirred up long distant memories of when she had _first_ told him she was pregnant, back in their old galaxy. She had been nervous then too, and…

 _Wait a minute…_

"Ani," she said carefully, "I'm pregnant."

At first, he just stared at her. Certainly, it was unexpected! They had just sort of... _assumed_ that Luke and Leia were the only children the Force would ever give them. After all, they were the only children they'd had in their old galaxy. But this… _this_ would be new. Completely new. Neither of them would have met this child yet. They had no idea who it would look like, or if it was a boy or a girl, or if they would be Force-sensitive or…the possibilities were seemingly endless.

But they were having another baby!

He was going to be a father again!

A massive, probably dorky, smile spread across his face. "R-really?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

She smiled back, nodding. "I took a home pregnancy test on Monday, and it came back positive. So, I went to the doctor during lunch today, and she confirmed it. I'm about six weeks along. That's why I came home early. I go back in two weeks for my first ultrasound."

He was _so_ happy! He wanted to rush back to the Academy and tell _everyone_ he could find this wonderful news. He couldn't _wait_ to call his mother and tell her! Shmi will be thrilled, he was certain. After all, she _adored_ Luke and Leia, Owen's daughter, Kylee, and Ella also.

 _Oh, Force!_

They were going to be parents again! Luke and Leia would have a sibling! Laughing, he picked Padme up, twirling her around and around, while she laughed with him, throwing her arms around his neck.

His wife. His beautiful, beloved wife was pregnant again! With their _baby!_ He finally set her down gently, taking her face in his hands, rubbing his thumbs across her cheekbones, and tenderly kissed her before pulling back and running a hand through his hair. "We _have_ to tell Luke and Leia!" He grinned, "Do you think they'll be happy?"

"I don't know, Ani, but I hope so." Padme smiled, one hand going to her still flat belly. She wasn't showing yet, but Anakin couldn't _wait_ until she was and…

"Let's go get them. Right now! We'll go out for dinner to celebrate **!** " He announced, going for the hook where he kept the keys to his speeder.

"No, Ani, we can't just pull them out of school," Padme said, following him.

"Why not?" He asked, and as he picked the keys up, his phone in his back pocket started to buzz. He began to fish it out.

"Because they need to understand that regular school is _just_ as important as the Jedi Academy. Luke especially needs that reinforcement. If you pull him out of school all the time, what kind of message does that send?" She asked.

She had a point. "Okay. Fine," he sighed, looking down at the phone number. No name. It wasn't a number saved into his phone, but it had their area code. "Hold on, Angel, I have to get this." He thumbed the phone screen to answer the call. "Anakin Skywalker here. How can I help you?" He paused listening, turning to frown at his wife's questioning look. Apprehension began to replace the jubilation he had been feeling. "Yes, I'm their father." More listening, and apprehension turned into a sinking, gut wrenching feeling.

"He did _what?!"_

* * *

Anakin stormed into the office of the elementary school his children attended. The saying 'Everything's bigger in Texas' was not just a saying—it was the absolute _truth_. It applied to _everything_ , from grocery stores (Padme's favorite place to shop now was a mega grocery store called H-E-B), to women with big hair and men with big trucks, to big schools.

This school was no exception. It looked more like a large middle school rather than an elementary school. The office he entered was bigger than Obi-Wan's and his office put together. "Where is my son?" he snapped at the woman he assumed was the secretary.

The secretary was dealing with another woman who was wailing something about her ' _poor_ _baby_ _boy_ ' but she glanced at Anakin regardless, despite her focus on the blubbering mother. "I'm sorry sir, but who are you?"

"I'm Anakin Skywalker," Anakin impatiently said, as he leaned against the counter. In the back of his mind, he knew there was no way the woman could have known who he was. It was a big school, after all. "My children are Luke and Leia Skywalker. You have both of them. I received a call…"

The wailing woman whirled around suddenly, cutting Anakin off and startling him a little bit. " _You,"_ she snarled, pointing a fat finger toward him," _You're_ the father of that _monster_ who attacked my poor baby!"

Anakin practically had to bite his tongue to keep from lashing out at her for calling his son that. "I'm sorry, Mrs…uh, _what_ is your name?"

"Hutt!" She snapped at him. "My son is Jabba Hutt, and _your_ son attacked him and broke his nose!"

Anakin just blinked at her. He had dealt far too often with the Hutt's in his old galaxy (he even spoke fluent Huttese still), and for whatever reason, he'd assumed he _wouldn't_ have to deal with them here. Apparently, he was wrong.

So very, very wrong.

It was strange to see her in human form though…But, now that he knew who she was, she _did_ sort of have a toad-like look to her, with her multiple chins, large squishy-looking body habitus, and her movements were sluggish, as if she were moving in a drugged haze. " _Right_ ," He said, "Mrs. Hutt. I know my son. My son doesn't just _attack_ people randomly for no reason." Actually, he had _never_ attacked anyone before. _Ever._ Something was up. He _knew_ it, and Anakin was going to get to the bottom of this.

However, if Jabba the Hutt was involved…even as a human kid, Anakin had _no_ _doubt_ that **Jabba** had been the one to start all of this. "Obviously, he _does!,_ " She disagreed angrily, "Because now, I have to go collect my son from the nurse's office to take him to the hospital!" Her eyes narrowed. "You can _bet_ you'll be hearing from my lawyer."

Anakin was not in the mood for this. He was already on edge after finding out that his children were in the principal's office because his son had gotten into a fight. He was _dangerously_ on edge, and had he still been Darth Vader, he would have put the woman in her place for threatening him and calling his son a monster. But, he wasn't a Sith Lord any longer. He was Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Grandmaster, and acting like a Sith was _not_ how he handled things anymore.

No, not even with the Hutt's.

However, that _didn't_ mean he didn't swear curses in Huttese silently to himself at the situation. Instead, he plastered on a fake smile. "Oh, I look _forward_ to it," he told her with relish, struggling, and not really succeeding, to hold back the biting sarcasm in his words. "Just be aware, Mrs. Hutt, that my wife is one of the _best_ defense attorneys in the state, and I _won't_ hold her back from filing a counter lawsuit." He didn't know the situation yet enough to know if they _had_ a case to do that, but he saw the hesitation in the woman's eyes, which was enough. For now.

"Hmph." She grumbled, turning away, "You'll be hearing from me again."

 _Oh_ , _I'm_ _**sure**_ _I_ _will_ , Anakin thought dryly, as she almost _slithered_ off towards what Anakin assumed was the nurse's office. He turned back to the secretary. "I'll ask again," he said, trying to keep his voice cordial, " _Where_ are my children?"

"Right this way, Sir." She led him to the very back of the office and around a corner, where he immediately found Leia sitting in a blue plastic chair outside of a door that had a plaque with the words "Principal Chancy" on it. The moment she saw him, her eyes brightened a little, and he was suddenly hit with her presence. It was filled with worry and confusion. "Daddy," She said, her eyes tearing up. "I'm _sorry_ , I…"

He held up a hand, stopping her. "We'll talk about this soon enough. Just sit tight while I deal with your brother."

"But, Daddy, it _isn't_ his fault!" He paused, watching his daughter, as the secretary knocked on the principal's door and stuck her head inside, and listened to Leia's explanation. "Jabba has been being mean to Luke for _weeks,_ and I didn't like it, so I told Jabba to leave him alone and…"

Anakin bit his lip to keep himself from cursing out loud. He was half tempted to go to the nurse's office to confront the Hutt's himself, but he knew it wouldn't do any good. _Why_ hadn't Luke told him that he was getting bullied at school? That would certainly explain his reluctance to go to school.

The secretary interrupted Leia. "Mrs. Chancy will see you now, Sir."

"We'll talk more about this later Leia. Stay there and wait for me," Anakin said, and he sent comforting thoughts to her through the Force as he entered the office. He felt her relax a little, though he could still feel her worry for her brother.

Luke.

He sat in one of the plush chairs in front of the large mahogany desk, staring down at his hands so that Anakin couldn't see his face. A thin woman with short red hair looked at Anakin over the rim of her glasses. "Ah," she said, her voice full of disapproval, "Mr. Skywalker. Please, sit down. I was just about to discuss what happened with your son…."

"Without me here?" Anakin's voice was hard as he crossed over to his son, reaching out through the Force…Only to hit a brick wall around his son's mind. Odd. That wasn't like his son. _Leia_ , yes. _Luke_ , no.

He pushed a little, but the defense shield his son had set up held firm. If he _really_ wanted to, Anakin could have broken through it, but he didn't want to invade his son like that, even if he _was_ desperate for some answers. He settled for sitting down in the plush chair next to him, trying to get a good look at his son's face.

"That wasn't my intention, I assure you," Mrs. Chancy was saying, "I was just trying to understand the full story."

"And what did he say?" Anakin asked, glancing at the woman.

"Nothing yet," she admitted, "All I know, so far, is Jabba's story. He claims that he was simply talking to Leia when Luke attacked him for no reason."

Luke's head snapped up at _that_ , and for the first time, Anakin saw the purplish-blue bruises forming on his cheek and the split lower lip. Glancing lower, he saw the swollen and bruised knuckles of Luke's hand draped on the armrest. He clenched the arms of his chair in fury. "That's a lie!" Luke insisted through gritted teeth, "He kicked Leia's sandcastle, and he _pushed_ her to the ground!"

Now it all made sense.

Mrs. Chancy paused. "I _see_." She said, her voice carefully neutral. "Has Jabba bullied Leia before?"

"No." Luke said sourly. At least the boy was talking now.

"And has he been bullying you?" This time, Luke didn't answer. Mrs. Chancy took that as a sign of agreement. "Have you told your teacher that he's been bullying you?" Again, no answer. "Luke, you _need_ to tell an adult. Fighting is not the answer."

Luke looked down at his hands again, absently rubbing his swollen knuckles with his opposite hand, a sign that he was done talking to the principal. Anakin clenched his jaw, his mind whirling. Luke was most certainly _his_ son. Sometimes, he was _so_ much like him, it was scary.

And _this_ was not the type of something he wanted Luke to take after him in.

"So, what does this all mean, exactly?" Anakin asked, getting straight to the point.

"It means that _both_ boys will be suspended from school for three days," Mrs. Chancy replied matter-of-factly, and when Anakin opened his mouth to argue, she held a hand up. "We have a _strict_ policy not to take sides in situations like this, Mr. Skywalker. I will contact Luke's teacher and see if she can move him away from Jabba…"

"Hang on. They're in the _same_ class?" Anakin interrupted, angry once again at _this_ bit of unexpected news. Force, he wished he'd known about this sooner. " **No**. Absolutely _not_. You're going to move Luke to a different class. NOW. Today. I _insist_ on it."

The woman paused, as if considering her words carefully. "I'm not so sure…"

" **I** **am** , Mrs. Chancy." He didn't want _any_ of his children to have to deal with Jabba more than they had to. The very _idea_ that Jabba and the Hutts were even in _this_ world sickened Anakin, but he couldn't exactly _do_ anything to Jabba (other than have the Jedi monitor his family's movements from now on), when he was just a kid. _That_ was highly frowned upon in this world. "I don't want this to happen again."

She still hesitated, but she must have seen the steely resolution in Anakin's eyes. "Fine. I'll get the paperwork drawn up suspension stands, but the office will notify you first thing Monday morning with Luke's new class assignment." She finally relented.

"Good." Anakin stood. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm taking my children home."

Mrs. Chancy nodded, looking back at Luke. "If Jabba continues to bother you or Leia, come straight to us, alright?"

Luke nodded reluctantly, standing up, not meeting anyone's eyes. Again, Anakin was reminded of just how much like him Luke was, and now, with a new baby on the way, he wondered if this baby would be even _more_ like him.

Suddenly, he was much more nervous than he had been before.

"Let's go, Luke. Your mother is worried." He said, putting a hand on his son's shoulder and leading him out of the principal's office, telling him quietly, "We're going to have a talk, young man."

* * *

He drove the twins home first. He was silent the whole ride, just as Luke was. It was Leia who talked constantly, telling Anakin exactly what happened. She occasionally tried to ask Luke questions, but Luke ignored her, staring out the window of the speeder at the passing scenery below them. When he touched the speeder down on the long paved driveway of their home, Anakin turned the vehicle off, and sighed. "Leia, your mother is waiting inside in the kitchen. Why don't you go tell her what happened?"

"Okay, Daddy!" Leia said, throwing a concerned look at Luke before climbing out of the back seat and going in the house. Anakin thought she might have tried to talk to her brother through their connection, but Luke's mental shields were still firmly in place. Anakin wondered if, being his twin, she could get past the shields with ease. Perhaps one day he would ask about that.

As soon as she was out of the speeder, Anakin turned around to look at his son. "We're going for a walk." He said firmly, leaving no room for argument. Luke nodded, still not looking at him, and got out of the speeder. Anakin followed.

He took his son into the rolling grounds of their fenced in backyard. The land they owned was extensive but also relatively flat, with lots of cypress and other trees dotting the landscape, but there was a quiet little stream running through the backyard that Luke and Leia liked to play by.

Anakin led his son there, hoping that it would calm him enough to talk to him openly. "Luke," Anakin said as they approached the water, "I want to know what happened today. In your own words."

Luke nudged the rocks by the edge of the stream with his sneaker. For a moment, he said nothing, and Anakin opened his mouth to press him more firmly for answers, but Luke finally began. "I was drawing at recess. I felt Leia get stressed out, so I went to go check on her. Jabba was there. He never was mean to her before, but they were being mean to each other today. I tried to get Jabba to leave her alone, but he took my notebook instead. Leia tried to get it back, and then he pushed her, Dad. _Hard._ So hard, he knocked her to the ground." He paused, searching for the right words. "He hurt my sister. I couldn't let him get away with that. So, I jumped on him, and I hit him. A lot. Really hard." Luke seemed to unconsciously flex the fingers of of his injured hand as he spoke.

Anakin considered his son's words for a moment. "Did you use the Force to help you in this fight?" It was a fair question. If Jabba in their old galaxy was any indication, the kid was probably huge. Luke was small for his age, even smaller than Anakin had been at age seven. So, Anakin doubted Luke would have won in a fair fight.

Sure enough, Luke winced. "Yes, Dad." He said solemnly.

Oh, Force…Normally, he was _so_ very proud of how much like him his son was, but today, he did not feel that way. He felt _terrible_ for passing this trait to his son. But he remembered how Luke had attacked him as Darth Vader when he'd suggested turning his sister to the Dark Side during their final duel on the Death Star. Luke had cut his mechanical hand off for that. He remembered being shocked at the ferocity Luke suddenly fought with, how he'd barely kept up.

"Why didn't you tell me or your mother that you were being bullied, Luke?" He asked, partially because he really wanted to know, and partially because he was trying to come up with a way to address this problem. His son had come _perilously_ close to the Dark Side today. How did he express that fact without terrifying his son?

It took a long time for Luke to respond. Anakin sensed that this was the hardest for Luke to talk about. "I wanted to solve it with peace, like a Jedi. I wanted to do it myself." He looked up at his dad then, his eyes full of anguish. It tore Anakin's heart to shreds. "I wanted to be like you."

Oh, he had been like him today, alright. More than he knew. Anakin sighed and knelt down so that he was at Luke's level. "Son, listen to me. Sometimes, being a Jedi means looking to _others_ for help when you _can't_ solve the problem on your own. We're a team. Sometimes, I need Uncle Ben's help, and sometimes he needs my help. One day, when you're a Jedi, you'll have to rely on other Jedi's help to fix problems, too, and that's _okay_."

He paused, watching as Luke absorbed his words and nodded. "I'm sorry, Dad."

"I know." He hesitated. Now was the time. "Luke…You need to understand what _really_ happened today...Now, as much as I love and respect that you wanted to protect your sister, fighting isn't always the answer, Son." He hesitated again. "Do you remember the stories I once told you about Anakin Skywalker turning to the Dark Side?"

Luke's expression became guarded. His children still hated that part of the story. "Yes." He reluctantly said.

"And do you remember _why_ he turned to the Dark Side?"

"To save Padme."

"Right." He nodded. "He wanted to protect someone he loved, too, but he chose to protect her by resorting to violence. Now, I'm _not_ saying that what you did today will turn you to the Dark Side, but you attacked someone today and used the Force to help you do it. When you use the Force like _that_ , it _can_ lead to the Dark Side. Your powers can - and _should -_ be used to do a lot of good in this world, but they can _also_ get out of control very quickly, if you let it. _Trust me_ , Luke. The Dark Side will _only_ make things worse, cause you pain, and make you sad. I don't want you to go through that. Not _ever._ " He paused, reaching up to ruffle his son's blonde hair. Again, he noticed the split lip, swollen knuckles, and the bruise on his cheek. "Do you understand why I'm so worried right now?"

He felt Luke begin to open his defenses, and he could feel him reaching out to search for Anakin's presence. He allowed it, showing him how worried he was for him, and how very much he loved him. Finally, Luke nodded. "I'm sorry, Dad. I'm really, _really_ sorry."

Anakin could feel that he meant it, too. He relaxed somewhat. "I know you are. Next time, please come talk to me right away. You know you can _always_ tell me anything, right?"

Luke nodded. "Yes, Daddy."

"Good." Anakin smiled and stood up. "Now, I think your mother is probably worried sick." He paused. "And your mom and I have a surprise for you and Leia."

Luke perked up a bit at that. "A surprise?" He asked, his his eyes wide. "Like what?"

Anakin grinned. "You'll just have to see."

* * *

 **A LOOOONG chapter! I literally spent Memorial Day just writing this, and my poor Beta was like 'this is really long...' XD But I'm just so excited because like...a lot happened in this chapter. I know you guys know that, but you don't REALLY know just how much just went down. Next chapter...oh jeez I'm so excited for it. I'm SO FREAKIN EXCITED. I've been wanting to write it since before I ever wrote chapter one. That's how long. I just... you'll just have to see, okay? Okay.**

 **So I'm super curious to see what you all think! I chose Texas not only because NASA is there, but also because I'm from Texas originally, so it feels like I'm writing about home when I'm writing these scenes.**

 **Also, I posted a big chunk of this story's playlist on my profile. I'll add to it as the story progresses.**

 **This chapter's song was Anakin's Dark Deeds by John Williams. Which he's not doing the score for Rogue One. That's going to be different, but I totally understand why. He's 84 and currently scoring Ep. 8. I'd rather he focused on that. I also suspect he might be sacrificing immortal vampires to help him continue with his genius.**

 **Anyhow, review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	54. The Trap

**Eight Months** **later…**

Padme's shriek of alarm tore through the house, and though Anakin was busy at his desk in his study going over his mission strategy, he stopped, jumped up, and went running into the kitchen, pulling his lightsaber out and igniting it…

And found Luke and Ezra covered in mud, Luke holding a garden snake in his hands. Both of the boys looked at Padme in confusion, as she stood, pale and shaking, clinging to the granite counter top for support, and Luke clutched the snake closer to him. From the living room, he could hear their newborn son, Hayden, crying, and Leia, who was probably holding him (her favorite thing to do now), trying to comfort him. De-activating his lightsaber, Anakin approached the situation, trying to take deep breaths to calm his racing heart. "What is going on in here?"

Padme slumped against the counter, one hand over her heart, skin still pale, also taking deep breaths to to calm herself. "Luke, put that snake back outside or so help _me_ …!"

"Why?" Luke frowned, looking at Ezra who shrugged his shoulders, as if it was the most natural thing in the world for them to bring snakes into the house. "It's not poisonous, Mom."

"Yeah," Ezra agreed, "I learned about those in school. This one is nice."

"Can't we keep him, Dad?" Luke turned his pleading eyes on his father. "Pleeaase?"

Anakin sighed, re-attaching the lightsaber to his belt. "Luke, put the snake back outside. We don't play with snakes."

That was clearly _not_ the answer Luke wanted to hear. "But, _why?_ Ezra says he's nice."

"I don't care." Anakin replied firmly, "It upsets your mother, and next time, it may not be so nice. Go put him back."

Luke glanced at Ezra, who sighed. "Okay," Luke said glumly, turning back around.

"And, apologize to your mother for scaring her half to death." Anakin added, as they turned for the back door. Luke stopped, looking back at his mother while the snake coiled and slithered around in his little hands. "Sorry, Mom."

"It's fine, Luke." Padme's voice was still tense. "I just don't _do_ snakes, okay? So, go put it outside, and don't play with snakes again, young man!" The boys left, and Padme let out a sigh, turning her head to shoot her husband an appreciative smile. "Thanks, Ani."

"Of course, Angel…although, I thought Grievous was attacking or something," He smirked for a second but then frowned, thinking about the cyborg. Will and Peter had located him just a few hours to the south, near Corpus Christi. They tailed him for a few days, but he hadn't seemed to move. They suspected he was planning something big, and with Anakin and Obi-Wan's families relatively close, they had no doubt _who_ was the target.

Which was why tonight, after dinner, he and Obi-Wan and the rest of the Jedi Knights would be headed out for Corpus to attack _first_. If all went well, Grievous would be dead by morning. "No. Hopefully, tomorrow we won't have to worry about him again." Padme said, straightening herself out. "Sounds like my scream upset Hayden. Sorry. I'll go…"

"No, Sweetheart, I've got it," Anakin held up a hand, stopping her. He smiled to reassure her that he really _did_ , in fact, have their youngest child taken care of. "You've got your hands full anyway." He motioned toward the stove.

It was true. She had dinner cooking on the stove top, and the pot was starting to boil over. She bit out a curse in Huttese, making Anakin laugh. "I thought we weren't supposed to use words like _that_ just in case the children heard?" He teased her.

Padme declined to comment but spared a moment to turn around and pointedly roll her eyes at him, which only made him laugh harder as he turned and headed around the corner and down the hall into the formal living room where, as he'd predicted, Leia was holding a squirming three-week-old Hayden. "It's okay baby Hayden," Leia cooed, giving him a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Don't cry."

Anakin paused, smiling tenderly as he watched his daughter with her baby brother. He had been most worried about how she would react to having a little brother. When they had first told Luke and Leia that they were going to have a little sibling, Leia had been the _most_ excited, telling Anakin point-blank that " _Mommy_ _is_ _having_ _a_ _girl_." When the ultrasound results came back and they found out it was a boy, Leia had been devastated and refused to talk about the baby after that.

Until she actually _met_ her new baby brother in the hospital, that is. Little Hayden was _every_ inch his mother's son. He looked, and from what Anakin could tell, acted like her, having a head full of dark brown curls and a usually quiet demeanor. The only thing that Anakin could visibly see that he'd given his son was his strikingly clear blue eyes. Hayden was Force-sensitive, but not _quite_ as potent as Luke and Leia were. It didn't matter to Anakin—he loved his youngest son. He was theirs, created from their love, and both he and Padme loved their newest little one _just_ as much as they loved their twins.

Luke also seemed to be pleased with having a brother, but it was _Leia_ who took one look at Hayden in the hospital and practically attached herself to him. She _always_ wanted to help Padme and Anakin take care of him. She _always_ wanted to hold him. She was _always_ giving him kisses on his forehead whenever she could. Anakin worried it would make Luke jealous, but Luke seemed to be totally fine so far with Leia giving their brother attention. For the moment, at least.

Anakin reached out with the Force, touching his son's presence with his own. Instantly, Hayden began to calm, and sensing him, Leia looked up. "Hi, Daddy," She said with a smile.

"Hi, Princess," Anakin said, going over to sit with her and Hayden on the couch. "I see that you're taking good care of your brother."

She nodded eagerly. "Yeah. We're friends." She smiled down at Hayden, who looked up at her with his wide, innocent blue eyes and hiccupped.

"That's good," Anakin smiled. "You know, it's almost time for Mommy to feed Hayden again. Why don't you go find Threepio for me and tell him to take over for your mom in the kitchen? I can hold Hayden for a while."

He thought she would object. In fact, she frowned and looked like she was about to. At the last moment, though, she nodded, handing Hayden carefully over to him. "Okay, Daddy." She said after she was sure that Hayden was snuggly in Anakin's arms. "I'll go find him."

"That's my good girl," He said with a smile, watching as Leia scampered off down the back hallway to go find Threepio on the other side of the house before turning to look down at his baby son with a loving gaze. "Hey, Son." He said, smiling softly, reaching out through the Force to send feelings of love and calmness to him. Hayden met his eyes, squirming a little, but otherwise no longer crying. "Your mom is fine, Little One. Your big brother just scared her a little, that's all." He promised. He paused, still gently bouncing the baby against his chest, his thoughts going back to the mission that would take place that night.

It was the first mission he would be going out on since Padme had delivered Hayden only three short weeks before, and though Anakin was usually anxious to go on a mission, he felt… _apprehensive_ about this one. Perhaps it was because he now had another child to protect, and failing the mission would only cause them all more stress. Or, perhaps it was because Grievous was a force to be reckoned with, and if he made a mistake…

He could lose his life. That would leave Padme alone to raise three highly Force-sensitive children by herself. His wife would lose her husband. His children would lose their father. And Hayden would never know him…Stop it, he told himself. He was acting silly. Tonight _would_ go smoothly. They were bringing the _entire_ Jedi force…or at least the ones that were currently in town or otherwise lived in Houston. They were more prepared to face him than they had _ever_ been before. Even now, Galen was over with Obi-Wan making sure all of their supplies were in the speeders. Grievous would be dead by morning, and he'd be home with Galen in time to make the kids and Padme breakfast.

"Don't you worry," He said to Hayden, though he knew his infant son was too young to comprehend what he was saying or what tonight's mission meant for his future. "I'll be home before you wake up. You won't even know I was gone, Son." Still, even as Anakin said those words, he couldn't help but feel a _strong_ , foreboding sensation echoing through the Force.

He silently hoped the Force was wrong this time.

KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

* * *

The black cloaked figure waited in the shadows of the cypress trees surrounding the perimeter of the Jedi property, using binoculars to view and spot Anakin Skywalker joining the other Jedi at the cluster of speeders they had spent hours preparing with supplies. Making sure that their presence was completely hidden, the figure quietly pulled out their comm link, punching in the correct frequency. The comm wasn't as fancy as the ones the figure had seen Skywalker and the Jedi use, but it functioned. That's all that mattered.

A flickering image appeared of a hooded man. Darth Sidious. "My lord," The voice the figure used was feminine and raspy at the same time.

"What is the status?" The voice rumbled from beneath the hood.

"Skywalker has just joined the rest of the Jedi with his droid. They should be leaving here soon."

"Good, good." There was a hint of a malicious smile visible. "And you are _certain_ that they have not sensed your presence?"

The figure resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She wouldn't be calling him to give a _positive_ status report if she had _any_ indication that she'd been sensed. To do so would bring harsh and immediate _punishment_ , and she had no desire for _that._ Besides, she highly doubted Skywalker and Kenobi would allow her to be _this_ close for long if they did. "I am certain, Master," was all she said.

"Good. Remember, do _not_ attack until Grievous has contacted you. If you attack any sooner than that, the operation will fail." She gritted her teeth. She already knew _that_. She had every intention of carrying out her orders to the letter. She was not some cheap assassin that could be found lurking in any sleazy old bar. She was top of the line.

Still, she had a feeling that Anakin's family would be a lot harder to attack. "Are you _sure_ that you don't want me to try for Kenobi's daughters instead?" She asked.

Darth Sidious paused. "No. Not this time," He advised. "The Skywalker family is the bigger threat. Focus your efforts on _them_. I want that bitch _and_ her brats _eliminated._ When you have completed the mission, leave immediately and head to the rendezvous point," Sidious snarled.

"Yes, Master." She said as the connection cut off. Once more she brought the binoculars to her eyes, watching as Skywalker had gathered the other Jedi in a circle around him. He was probably giving some sort of stupid motivational speech. She rolled her eyes. Any moment now, and they would be gone.

Sure enough, they broke away, beginning to climb into their speeders. She watched Skywalker, Kenobi, Tano, and Skywalker's padawan, Galen, climb into the lead speeder. After a moment, it hummed to life and took off, the other speeders close behind. Smirking, she watched until they had disappeared into the horizon before settling herself comfortably against the tree trunk. She still had a few hours yet before she could launch her attack. She found it doubtful that attacking even a _little_ early would ruin the plan, but Sidious had been dealing with these Jedi far longer than _she_ had. Even Grievous had stressed the need to attack on time before they'd started spreading rumors of a cyborg running amok in Corpus.

No. She would play it by their rules. _For_ _now_ , she decided, turning her attention back to the home the Skywalker family occupied. Tonight, the tables would finally turn. Tonight, she would make Skywalker _pay_ for whatever misdeeds he had committed against her master.

Laughing softly, she settled down to wait. Yes, retribution would be sweet, and she was going to _enjoy_ this.

KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

* * *

 _Finally_ , Hayden had stopped crying. Luke reached out through the Force towards his brother's nursery just down the hall, sensing that the baby was asleep. Hopefully, he stayed that way. He could sense his mother tiptoe out of the baby's room and back into the hallway, going to Leia's door next to peek in and check on her. Leia too was asleep, and he could sense his mother quietly shut the door before heading to his room.

Luke debated on whether or not he should pretend to be asleep, but then decided against it. His mom should know that the baby was keeping him awake with his crying. Sure enough, the door creaked opened. "Mom?" Luke whispered, and he heard his mother softly sigh before entering into his room. The room was dark, but with the light from the door, Luke could see the planet models his dad had hung from his ceiling and the glow in the dark stars pressed against the dark blue of his walls.

His mother sat on his bed, a soft smile on her face. He could see how tired she was, and he couldn't help but worry. "Why aren't you asleep, Sweetie?" She asked.

Luke frowned. "Hayden's crying is loud." He said. He didn't know _how_ Leia could sleep through it. Then again, she loved Hayden dearly, so maybe she just chose to ignore it.

"Yes, he is." His mom agreed, reaching over to ruffle his blonde hair. "But babies do that. They can't speak, so that's how they let us know they need us."

Luke scowled. "Did Leia and I…?"

"Oh, _yes_. Most definitely," His mom chuckled, "Leia _especially_." Maybe _that_ was why Leia could sleep through his crying.

"If he's _always_ crying," Luke said, "Then why don't you just take him back to the store and exchange him or get a refund?" It was a serious question. Luke had grown used to his sister's loudness, especially when Ella was involved. But, Hayden was new, and Luke didn't know _what_ to make of him. Uncle Ben's baby, Rachel, didn't cry _nearly_ that much. So, why did Hayden? Luke was certain his brother was broken.

His mom didn't seem to think it was a serious question. She laughed a little, ruffling his hair again. "Oh, Sweetie. Trust me, it _doesn't_ work that way. You can't return a baby. We have to keep him." Padme smiled down at her first born, thinking that perhapsthey _shouldn't_ have told the twins the story of the baby store when Leia had asked how the baby got in her tummy. She decided Anakin should handle _that_ particular discussion with Luke.

"You mean the baby store doesn't take returns?" He frowned. What a dumb store to go to then.

The smile on his mom's face faded. "Luke, what's this _really_ about?" She asked. "Don't you like Hayden?"

He considered that for a moment. Did he not like the baby? It was true that he was different and new, and he took more of his mom and dad's attention, but did that mean that Luke actually _disliked_ him? After a moment, Luke shook his head truthfully. "No. He's just…new."

"I know," His mom said softly, "It'll take some getting used to. You weren't too happy when we first moved here, remember? But now you love it." He did remember. He liked his old house in California, being near his grandpa and grandma (who he almost _never_ seemed to see anymore), his aunt and uncle, his cousins, and Disneyland and the beach… but here, he had new friends. There was the Jedi school. There were more places for him and Leia to play. The house was _a lot_ bigger. He'd grown to like it. So, maybe he would grow to love Hayden, too.

"Okay, Mom." He said, and she smiled again, leaning down to kiss his forehead.

"Goodnight, my sweet Jedi. Love you," She said, and even though he knew that he wasn't a Jedi, wasn't even a Padawan yet, his heart swelled with pride. One day, he _would_ be a Jedi, just like his dad. His mom even said so.

"Night, Mom. Love you, too," He smiled, snuggling closer under the covers. "Mom?" He asked as she got up to leave.

She paused, looking back down at him. "Yes, Luke?"

"Is Dad going to be home in the morning?" He _hated_ it when his dad left on Jedi missions. He was _almost_ at the age when he could become his dad's Padawan, but he wasn't yet. As a result, he had to stay home while his dad went off with Galen and Uncle Ben and Aunt Soka to go do cool Jedi stuff. Even now, not sensing his dad's presence in the house made him feel... _unsure_.

"Of course, Luke." His mom assured him with a smile. "He said that he'll make you and Leia pancakes and bacon, too. Sound good?"

That made Luke smile. He liked it when his dad tried to cook for them. It wasn't as good as his mom's cooking, but he liked that his dad tried and made funny faces at them while he did it. He even used the Force to fix it! That was always fun. If he let Luke and Leia help, they got to play with the food too, which made Mom _not_ so happy. "Okay. Night, Mom."

"Goodnight." She smiled and left the room, closing the door and leaving him in the darkened room. He snuggled into the covers more, rolling over to hug his pillow. He didn't know how long he lay there, but even in the silence, he couldn't fall asleep. With a sigh, he decided to reach out and check to see if his mom was still awake. If she wasn't, maybe he could sneak downstairs and grab a cookie. If Threepio caught him though, he was sure to get in trouble.

Still, he reached out anyway…and froze. Something… _something_ was off. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but his skin tingled and his mind felt almost like a pressure to get up. He could sense his mom was sitting on the couch downstairs, Jedi at her feet, probably watching TV. She didn't seem to be worried about anything. Then again, she didn't have the Force, and right now, he understood the Force enough to _know_ that it was giving him a warning.

Carefully, he climbed out of bed, shivering from the cold air the air conditioner was blowing on him. He was wearing his space pj's, which was just a light t-shirt and shorts with rockets and stars on them, and the cooler air caused goosebumps to run up and down his arms and legs. He debated on getting back into bed and ignoring the feeling, but the feeling became stronger. He inched closer to the door of his room instead.

CRASH!

His mother suddenly screamed. Jedi started barking wildly. He could hear Threepio wailing something. _Every_ nerve in his body suddenly felt electrified, his breathing rapidly increased, as he opened his door and peered down the hallway. Memories of what happened at their old house resurfaced, memories he _still_ didn't fully understand, but knew that it was bad. He could _feel_ that whatever was happening downstairs now was like what happened _then_ , and he began to use his Jedi instincts.

After what happened last time, when he and Leia were five, his father had drilled it into both he and sister's heads what to do if it happened again without them home. Dad made both he and Leia practice it over and over again until he was satisfied that they'd perfected it. Instantly, Luke started to rely on what was now second nature to him. He immediately hid his presence in the Force, and he ran as quietly as he could to his sister's room.

He opened the door, trying to ignore the feeling of urgency slamming into his Force-senses. "Leia!" He hissed into the pink and white-themed room. _Leia, wake up!_ He communicated it through their Force bond, practically screaming it, for only she would hear his words.

 _I'm already awake_. She sat up, rubbing her eyes. She,too, had the sense to communicate back through the Force. _What's going….?_

 _We're in trouble! Hide your presence, now!_ He felt her do so, felt her waking up more and more.

 _Luke,_ She said in his mind, her voice sounding worried, _What's happening? Did Mom scream?_

 _I don't know what's going on, but yeah, she did. We have to get to…_ he broke off, remembering Hayden. Dad hadn't said _what_ to do about Hayden. _Hayden. We have to get to Hayden._

Leia was out of bed in a shot, wearing her blue Queen Elsa nightgown, and was at his side in an instant, her eyes wide. _You don't think they're here for us, do you?_

 _I don't know._ Already he was turning and headed out the door for the nursery. Downstairs, he could hear Jedi suddenly yelp and go silent. He had a _bad_ feeling about this…

They reached the room, and he could still feel his little brother sleeping. Thankfully, Luke and Leia weren't too short to open the crib anymore, and they quickly got it open. Leia carefully picked the baby up, frowning under his weight and being careful to support his head and not injure him. Their parents had been _very_ clear with both of them about how to hold him, and wouldn't let them hold him unless they were sitting down _. Careful,_ Luke reminded her as they headed back out of the nursery and towards the back of the hallway, towards their parents' room.

 _I am!_ Leia insisted, but he could feel her nervousness.

They got to the back of the hallway. To the right was their parents' door. Directly in front of them was a heavy oak stand with pictures and flowers on top of it. In between that and the wall was an empty space…An empty space that had cleverly been designed as a hidden crawl space. Luke slid the practically invisible door open. _You first,_ He said in Leia's mind. She nodded, and careful of Hayden (who was still asleep by some miracle), ducked down and scooted inside. Once she was there, she began to slide to make room for Luke…

But, Jedi had stopped growling. Threepio hadn't yelled, and his mom was sobbing hysterically. There was also another voice…a raspy voice.

He was the only one home. _He_ had to be the man of the house.

His dad wouldn't be home until the morning. Most of the other Jedi were with him on the mission. His mom and Threepio were in trouble. He couldn't just… _hide_. Jedi didn't _hide_. They were brave, and protected others. He wanted to be a Jedi, just like his father. "Luke?" Leia whispered, frowning in confusion. "Come on…"

He slammed the secret door closed, and before she could open it again, he stopped shielding his presence and directed the Force to instead move the heavy oak stand in front of the door, knocking pictures over as he did so. Softly, he heard Hayden begin to cry, and Leia kick the door. In his head, she was practically screaming at him. _GET BACK IN HERE! WHAT ARE YOU_ _ **DOING**_ _?! DON'T JUST LEAVE US…_

 _I'm sorry, Leia,_ He thought back, turning and running into his parents' bedroom. _Someone has to help mom. Just take care of Hayden._ He did his best to block her as he entered his parents' massive walk-in closet, going to the built in drawers on his dad's side of the room and opening them. He hoped there would be an extra lightsaber, but after rummaging through all of his dad's drawers, he found nothing of the sort. He crossed over to his mom's side, not as optimistic about finding something to use against the danger in their home, but he opened the drawers anyway, and he found...

A gun.

There, sitting at the back of the bottom largest drawer, was a handgun, just like the ones in the video games he played with Ezra. Gingerly, he picked it up. It was _heavy._ He'd held his dad's lightsaber before, but this was different. _Wrong_ , somehow. He almost put it away, but as he reached out through the Force, his mind touched the presence of whatever or whoever it was that was down there…

Darkness. Hate. Anger.

There was so much of it, that Luke flinched. To make it worse, he could feel the Force pulsing through the attacker. They stood above his mother, and though he could sense that his mom was alive, he could also feel that she was in an awful amount of pain. _That_ made his decision for him. He picked the gun up, not knowing if it was loaded, and raced back out of his parents' room, down the hallway, and down the wide staircase. His heart hammered in his chest, racing into the living room to find…

Blood.

It was everywhere. The smell hit him, making him gag. Threepio lay on his back, his eyes not glowing, wires sticking out of his neck. It was Jedi who lay in a pool of blood, not moving, his golden coat stained red. And, his mom….

He found her, kneeling on the floor, facing him. There was a circular wound in her left shoulder that smoldered, her hair yanked back painfully so that she was forced to face him. Tears were running down her face, but when her eyes met his, they were full of hard steel. "Luke," She croaked, " **Run!** "

"Oh, I wouldn't do that," that raspy voice said, and his mother's head was yanked back hard by the gloved hands holding her hair tightly. Luke followed the voice with his eyes, looking up to see a tall, thin woman with a face that might have been pretty, but she had two thick lines tattooed from the corners of her mouth down below her chin. Her hair, black as night, was cropped short like a boy's, even shorter than Luke's hair. "I assume you're Luke."

"LUKE, RUN!" His mother ordered, firmly. "DO AS I TELL YOU!"

"Oh, no. He's not going _anywhere_." The woman crooned, igniting a lightsaber with her free hand. The blade was red. He'd never seen a red blade before…Shakily, he raised the gun, pointing it at the strange woman. He didn't know if he could do it. Video games made it look so easy, and yet this _wasn't_ a video game. But, his mom…he looked at her again, her pleading with him with her eyes to run, and he could _feel_ her pain. Whatever this woman had done to his mom, it hadn't been nice. His mind recalled images of his Aunt Mindy—one day, she had been watching _Treasure_ _Planet_ with him. The next time he saw her, she was in a big wooden box, and her presence was…well, _gone_. Not like the way he and Leia hid their presence, but really, really gone. He didn't understand it at the time, but now he knew that Aunt Mindy had died.

He didn't want his mother to die.

"L-Leave my mom alone," He said in a shaky voice, not lowering the gun.

The woman chuckled humorlessly. "Such a brave boy." She held the blade of her lightsaber closer to his mom's neck. "Tell me where your sister is, _boy_. I know she's here." He could feel the other woman reaching out with the Force, trying to sense Leia…

"I said, leave my mom _alone_ ," His voice had gone quiet, almost menacing. He was reminded of that day on the playground when he'd told Jabba to leave his sister alone. But, Jabba was just a bully. This woman was something else entirely.

The woman quirked an eyebrow. "Go ahead." She said with a sneer, "Shoot." He hadn't been expecting that. He hesitated, unsure. This had to be a trap of some kind… "Your safety is on though. You won't be hurting anyone with that on."

"Luke, don't you da—AAH!" The woman yanked on his mother's hair again, hard.

"It's the switch to the left." The woman grinned, as if she hadn't been hurting his mother. She brought the lightsaber closer still to his mother's neck, as she yanked his mother to her feet. "Go on. Shoot. Protect your _mommy_...If you think you _can._ "

Warning bells were ringing in his head. This _had_ to be a trap, but his mother was in pain, and she had a lightsaber to her throat. If he didn't do _something_ , his mom would end up like Aunt Mindy...gone, in a box. He flipped the little switch on the side of the gun, pointing it at the woman, and with a _BANG_ , he pulled the trigger.

At the same time, the woman moved lightening fast, jerking his mom in front of her. " **LUKE!** " His mom screamed at the same time, and just a split second later…

Blood splattered. Excruciating pain, not from himself, but from his mother, ripped through the Force, making him drop the gun in shock as he looked on in horror as his mother, hit by the bullet that had been meant for the other woman, dropped to the ground, limp.

His whole world tilted. His vision swirled. He could hear Leia screaming in his head, but _all_ he could see was his mother, lying there, not moving as blood began to soak the carpet. He heard the other woman cackle, as if this were some horrible joke, but he didn't care.

Numbly, he made his way across the room to where his mother lay. He half expected the woman to stop him, to hurt him, but she let him approach. "Guess you're not very good with a gun, are you, boy?" She sneered, but he barely heard her. His mom….Mom…

Tears welled up in his eyes, and he dropped to his knees. Her eyes were closed, blood was flowing from her chest. He reached down, trying to stop the bleeding with his hands, but all it accomplished was him getting bloodied himself. "Mom?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "Mom?"

Distantly, he heard sirens blaring, heard the other woman curse. "Where's your sister?!" She yelled at him, but he couldn't take his eyes off of his motionless mother.

"Mama?" Tears were falling down his face rapidly now, his breathing raspy. "Wake up! Wake up, Mom! I'm sorry!" If he apologized, would she wake up? Ground him? Anything was better than this. Anything. "Oh, Mom... Mama, _please_ wake up, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

The woman cursed again, and suddenly he felt her steely arms around his waist, trying to pull him away and back towards the back door where she must have crashed in through. "NO!" He screamed, grabbing his mother, refusing to let go. He could feel her still warm skin under his hands. Perhaps there was still hope. He tried to use the Force to see if she was still alive, but he was so frantic, he couldn't concentrate enough. "MOM, WAKE UP!" He screamed.

"Let's go, brat!" The woman hissed, yanking on him again.

His bloody hands slipped, and he made one final grab for her…and only grabbed the necklace she _always_ wore, the one Dad had once told him he made for her when he was a little boy himself. The silver chain held for a brief moment, but it broke, and he was being carried away, holding the useless necklace in his fist as he cried for his mother. The strange woman cursed again, and suddenly, he was being gagged, unable to make the noise he wanted to alert someone that his mother needed help. He squirmed and kicked, but the other woman was too strong for him, and she easily carried him out of the house and out into the night.

Away from his sister and brother, still hiding in the hidden crawl space upstairs.

Away from Jedi and Threepio, lying motionless on the living room floor.

Away from the cops who were now storming into the front of his house to save them.

Away from his mother, who lay in a pool of her own blood, blood that was spilled…

Because of him.

* * *

 ***Closes the blast doors* PLEASE DON'T KILL ME. Like...I'm really happy how this chapter turned out, but I'm also terrified to post it. I am a strong believer of not giving away spoilers (I was the person who turned off all of her social media to avoid Ep. 7 spoilers for two weeks), so like... I'm sort of in an awkward position cuz I want to tell you so you don't all hate me, but at the same time, my ingrained instincts to stay away from spoilers is like a physical barrier from doing so. So...just...don't kill me.**

 **The songs for this chapter are You're not getting out of here from The Scorch Trials and Tsimtsum from Life of Pi.**

 **Review! Don't kill me, but reviews=faster update!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**

 **P.S. Don't kill me.**


	55. Falling Apart

Anakin paused, the other Jedi Knights moving past him in the narrow corridor of the run-down, beach-side office building that they had tracked Grievous to. That feeling of foreboding danger was growing stronger, to the point where it was practically hammering into his head and making it hard for him to concentrate. He'd mentioned it to Obi-Wan just before they'd launched the assault. Obi-Wan had frowned thoughtfully and suggested that it was possibly the fact that they were about to engage in combat with Grievous. It had been a perfectly reasonable answer, so he'd tried to ignore it.

But now, every step forward seemed to _scream_ danger through the Force, and somehow Anakin began to wonder if it really _did_ have to do with Grievous...or if it was something _else._ If it did, perhaps they should pull out…"Master?" Galen whispered in the dark, stopping next to him. "Are you alright?"

He was fine, but something, or _someone_ , wasn't, or they were about to not be. "I think we should call off the attack."

That caused a flicker of surprise from his apprentice. "Call it off? Why?"

"This isn't right. I _think_...I think this is a trap." He wasn't stating something that they didn't already suspect, but he didn't know how else to describe this feeling from the Force.

"Well, it's not likely that Grievous is hanging around this building for _no_ apparent reason other than it's a trap." Galen agreed dryly, "But what else are we supposed to _do_? We haven't gotten this good of a lead on him since California."

"I know, I know, but…" He trailed off as his comm pinged. He glanced at the display. Artoo. A sinking feeling began to settle in his gut. He answered it. "What is it, Artoo?" He asked, his mouth suddenly dry. Artoo wouldn't be contacting him from the speeder unless something was _very_ wrong.

Artoo beeped frantically through the comm, the translation appearing on his comm screen. He didn't need it, but Galen read the translation over his shoulder. Anakin stopped breathing as the message became clear.

There was an attack on _his_ home. _His family!_

 _NO!_

After Grievous' attack in California, he had installed both of his droids with emergency protocols. If the house were to be attacked, or his family was in danger in their presence in any way, their internal workings would immediately send an alert to the authorities. Furthermore, it would communicate the danger to the other droid, just in case they were separated and needed to know of the danger. Artoo had just received such a warning from Threepio, and based on the nearly _frantic_ message Artoo was giving him, Threepio was no longer responding to Artoo's attempts to contact him.

A sick feeling of dread coursed through him.

He had been right. The warning he had felt through the Force had not been for Grievous, but for his _family_.

"I have to get home **now**!" He said turning around to run back through the building towards the speeder where Artoo waited.

"I'll go with you, Master," Galen said, immediately turning with him. Anakin opened his mouth to argue about how he needed to stay and help Obi-Wan with the mission, but he knew Galen wouldn't take no for an answer. Besides, he thought darkly, his hands shaking as he ran, he wasn't sure _what_ he would do if he were by himself and he found his family….

He stopped that thought cold. He _couldn't_ think about that. It wouldn't happen. They were _safe_. They had to be.

Instead, he reached out with the Force, finding Obi-Wan's presence at the head of the Jedi. _Obi-Wan,_ he sent through their connection, _My family is under attack. I have to go back home._

 _Attack?_ He could feel Obi-Wan's surprise and worry for his own family start to grow. _But, Grievous is_ _ **here**_ _, and there's no way Palpatine could get in the country, he's wanted by the government. So who…?_

 _I don't know, and right now, I don't_ _ **care**_ _. I don't know if Satine and the girls are in danger, but_ _ **this**_ _was clearly a trap._ Anakin and Galen reached the speeder and jumped in, Artoo spinning his domed head in distress from his custom port at the back of the speeder.

 _Maybe I should call this off…_ Obi-Wan began, but Anakin interrupted.

 _No. Grievous_ _ **needs**_ _to be brought down, but even more importantly, this was clearly planned. If we all retreated at the same time, he might communicate that to whoever is attacking, and they might push to hurry up. Keep him distracted._ He could feel Obi-Wan's reluctance, but eventual acceptance.

 _May the Force be with you Anakin, and,_ he hesitated, _Check on my family. Please._

Frankly, Anakin was _so_ frantic, he wasn't sure if he could even handle checking on his _own_ family, but he had also just asked Obi-Wan to continue the operation. If his family was in danger too, Anakin was asking a lot of Obi-Wan to not run to them. _Alright, I will. May the Force be with you._ Anakin promised before turning the speeder on and racing back off into the night, speeding for home.

* * *

Speeders were usually able to go faster than cars. That _especially_ applied for his own personal speeder, which he had specifically designed not only for speed, but also with the ability to carry three other passengers with ease (four for a tight fit), plus Artoo. There were special air patrol authorities who now patrolled in their own speeders to prevent crazed, speeding maniacs in the sky, but tonight, Anakin didn't care. Most of the distance he would cover would be a whole lot of nothing, and since most people kept their speeder use to the city (for now), he mostly flew over empty, darkened grassland.

He pushed the speeder to its absolute limit, earning him a soft warning from Galen about pushing the engine _too_ hard.

He didn't care. He knew how hard he could push it and make it back home. He had designed and built it himself, after all. He knew how hard and how far he could push it. So, he ignored his Padawan, switching the Bluetooth speakers on and speed dialing Padme's number.

Straight to voicemail. _Not_ good.

His anxiety level heightened, and he tried again, hoping that it was just bad reception. Straight to voicemail. "Try calling Padme on my comm link," He ordered Galen, who took it and tried there. Her comm link never picked up. Anakin cursed, blistering the air with every curse word he knew in both Huttese _and_ English, but that didn't do anything except frustrate him further. He reached to autodial Satine's number, when an incoming call with her name scrolled across his screen. He eagerly answered it. "What's going on, Satine?"

"Oh, you…" She trailed off, and he immediately picked up on the stress in her voice. "Anakin, a-are you on your way back?"

"Yes," He bit out impatiently, " _What's_ going on? Is everyone alright?" There was a moment's pause, and he felt like he was going to start strangling someone if he didn't get answers. _Now._ He opened his mouth to demand them, but she finally began to speak, her voice sounding shaky.

"There was an a-attack…o-on your home. I don't know _who_ …but P-Padme…" She trailed off again, her voice somewhat garbled.

" _What_ about Padme? Satine, _what's_ happened to my wife?!" His voice came out hard. Distantly, he knew that it wasn't Satine's fault. Technically, it was his own. He _should_ have foreseen that Grievous was intentionally making his presence known to draw him out. He _knew_ better. After California, he _should_ have left some of the Jedi Knights there. He _should_ have…but he hadn't. He didn't know _why_ except that he had foolishly thought Grievous was the immediate threat _._ There was no fixing that now. He had to pick up whatever pieces were left and move forward.

"Oh, Anakin...S-She…she was _shot_. In the chest." The words slammed into Anakin like an enraged charging rancor. The words sounded foreign to him, and for a moment, he couldn't quite register it. "She's still alive, but she was unconscious. The Life Flight helicopter just took off with her and is headed to the hospital trauma center now. Vokara is already there waiting for her. I don't know much else. I'm sorry."

Shot. _His_ Padme, _his wife_. Shot. Alive, but for how long?

He felt sick to the depth of his soul, felt like the whole world was tilting, spinning…

"Master," Galen's voice knocked him back into reality, barely. "The speeder…"

He'd started to tilt it, his grip going lax. He quickly straightened it back up, hearing a worried warble come from Artoo. "I'll be there." He said tightly. "And…"

"That's not all, Anakin." There was a graveness in her voice now, and the tone of it…

 _Oh_ _Force_ …. **No** , **no** , **no!**...Not his _kids_.

His throat went dry, and he began to slow the speeder down, afraid that he would crash the vehicle from the mass of worried, angry, and distraught emotions that were slamming into him now. "The… _kids_ …?" He barely gasped out, his voice choked.

A silence.

Then, when he thought he was going to explode, "Leia and Hayden are with me. They're safe," She said softly, "But Anakin, Luke. Luke is gone." Her words were barely a whisper.

He was being torn in two. He _couldn't_ breathe, couldn't even _ask_ for clarification. Gone, as in….dead?

It was Galen who asked the question for him. "What do you mean by _gone_?"

"Kidnapped. Whoever attacked, they took him with them. The police are searching now…"

Anakin stopped listening. He stopped _seeing_. His heart was ripping to shreds while blinding anger overwhelmed him. _How_ could he have been _so_ stupid? _How_ could he have left his family _so_ unprotected? After Mindy, he should've _known_ better! He had worked _so_ _hard_ with this second chance: He had found Padme again, married her, and had worked to be a better man for her this time, and their marriage was happier than he could've imagined. He had built a company and lifestyle that would support his family through _anything_. He had done his best to raise his children with the love and care they deserved, to be the best possible dad he _could_ for them. _This_ was supposed to be better than their last life, and now…

Now…

"Master!" he finally heard Galen's voice and Artoo's frantic wails, " _Pull_ _up!_ " He wasn't sure how long Galen had been yelling at him, but when he forced himself to focus, he was dropping the speeder into a nosedive, headed straight for the ground. With a tremendous effort, he pulled it back up, and then launched it into the fastest speed it could handle. "Uhm...Maybe _**I**_ should drive, Master," Galen started, and dimly Anakin realized that Satine had hung up, or he had hung up on her. He didn't know which. Not that it really mattered.

"No!" Anakin's voice was harsh, making Galen jump a little. He forced himself to take deep breaths, trying to run through the calming techniques he's worked so hard to perfect over the years. He suddenly _wanted_ nothing more than to lose control and spend every moment of his life hunting down Palpatine and _all_ of his goons….

The thought of Palpatine made Anakin's grip on the wheel turn to durasteel. He could practically _feel_ his old master's satisfaction at the situation he had successfully put him in. He could practically _hear_ his wretched, cackling, bitter laugh reverberating through his bones.

"We _should_ have killed Palpatine," He found himself saying through numb clenched lips. "Back in our old galaxy. I _shouldn't_ have turned on you."

Galen was silent for a long moment. "I understand why you did, though. Clearly, Palpatine has backup plans for his backup plans. He's incredibly controlling and abusive."

"Yes _and_ _now_ _he_ _has_ _my_ _son_." The words were strangled. He didn't sound like himself. "And my wife…Force, _my_ _wife_ …"

Galen spoke slowly, clearly choosing his words with care. "Even if we _had_ killed him when we could have back in our old galaxy, I'm not sure _how_ it would have made this situation better, Master. It's likely the Force would have sent him to _this_ world anyway, just like all the rest of us. Right now, it isn't going to help either of them for _you_ to lose control. Let's just…focus on one thing at a time."

" _Two_ of the people I care the very _most_ about are in grave danger!" Anakin reminded him, trying to keep his voice from sounding hysterical. He didn't succeed.

"I know that, Master." Galen's voice was calm, and he could feel his padawan reaching out with the Force to provide what little comfort he could. "But we _can't_ help both of them at the same time. Focus on one, and we'll go from there."

He didn't want to admit it, but Galen had a point. He was one person. He _couldn't_ be in two places at once, and looking at the whole situation and trying to tackle it _all_ at once was doing nothing but make matters worse and driving _him_ crazy. _How_ could he choose between his _wife_ and his _son_? He loved them both so much, and they were both in grave danger. But was it _really_ choosing between them? He would be there for _both_ of them. He vowed that. But…

His wife needed him **now**. Luke...as much as it pained him, Luke was still alive. But Padme, _his_ wife _, his_ lover _, his_ bestfriend _,_ themotherof _his_ children _, his very soul mate across the stars,_ was on the brink of death from the sounds of it. She needed him most right now.

"We'll go to Padme first." The words were hollow, resigned, devastated. "We'll start there." He glanced over at Galen. "In the meantime, we contact _every_ Jedi, all over the globe. I want them _all_ hunting my son down. He _will_ be found, and he _will_ be brought home."

Galen was already pulling out his comm link. "I understand, Master. It will be done."

* * *

When they got to the hospital, his sole objective had been to find Vokara and demand to know the status of his wife's condition, but when he arrived, Vokara was still in the operating room with his wife. All of the nurses he stopped to demand answers from all told him the same infuriating answer: It was too early to tell.

He got the distinct feeling that they just didn't know, and were feeding him that line to keep him from tearing the hospital down to find her. By the fourth time he was given that answer, he was _extremely_ tempted to start Force choking the poor nurses, but Galen, who was somehow remaining steadfastly calm throughout this ordeal, dragged him back into the waiting room, trying to send calming vibes to him through the Force.

In the waiting room, he paced like a caged Gundark, and everyone there seemed to sense that he was _not_ a person to be messed with in _that_ moment and stayed clear of him. Galen tried to get him to sit down, but quickly gave up and instead softly apologized to those Anakin had made uncomfortable.

It wasn't long before the waiting room doors opened and familiar faces walked in. He was so wrapped up in his wife's condition and his son's disappearance, though, that at first he couldn't comprehend who he was looking at. Satine stood there, her infant daughter, Rachel, in her stroller, whimpering from having been woken up. In her hand, Satine carried newborn Hayden strapped into his car seat, his diaper bag on her shoulder. Mercifully, he was asleep. Ella and Leia trailed just behind her, hand-in-hand, Ella frowning while Leia was in hysterical sobs.

The moment Leia saw him though, she brightened a little. Not much, but just a little. "Daddy," She sobbed, and before he knew it, she had let go of Ella's hand and run to him, reaching her arms up for him. "Daddy!"

His heart tore into even smaller pieces as he leaned down and picked her up, grunting a little under her weight. She immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, sobbing as she held him. "Is M-Mommy o-o-okay?" She asked between hiccups and sobs.

For the first time, he began to realize the implications of what this was actually _doing_ to Leia. This wasn't just about _him_ anymore. The last time Padme had been critically injured, he could wallow in self-pity all he wanted. But _now_ , Padme's condition and Luke's kidnapping didn't just affect _him_. It affected his daughter, and his newborn son (though Hayden clearly didn't know that yet). He still had a responsibility to his two other children to be a pillar of strength, even if he wanted to be anything but that in that moment.

He held her close, forcing himself to calm enough to send what little comfort he could to his distraught daughter. "She's going to be fine, Princess." He hoped he was telling her the truth. "You'll see. Mommy _will_ be fine."

Leia didn't seem to believe him, but she nodded anyway, the sobs not dying down. "Daddy, L-L-L-Luke…." She cut off, crying harder. "I w-want Luke!"

He sat down in one of the blue padded waiting room chairs, holding her close on his lap as he tried to find the right words to say. It also hadn't occurred to him before now that Leia, being Luke's twin and closest friend, would be hurt _more_ than any of them. He could sense that pain, and it was _excruciating_. In many ways, Luke and Leia shared a bond that no one, including even he himself or his wife, could _ever_ understand. They had only had each other in their past life. They had been reborn together and spent _most_ of their waking moments with each other in _this_ life, and now that he had encouraged both of them to use the Force, their bond through the Force had only gotten stronger. To have Luke _ripped_ from her like this…

Anakin couldn't even imagine.

"I'll find him, Princess." He promised her, kissing the top of her head, rubbing comforting circles on her back. "I promise. I'll find Luke." Maybe it was a stupid thing to promise. What if he _couldn't_ find him? Or worse, what if Palpatine _killed_ Luke? That was certainly a possibility, he knew. He kept that doubt from her, though. Right now, she needed his assurance. She needed to know that he was there for her, that she wasn't alone.

Satine was talking with Galen, and as he rocked his daughter, he listened in. Threepio was damaged in the attack, but from what limited knowledge Satine had about droids, he seemed fixable. Anakin had to keep himself from snorting. _Of course,_ he was fixable. He knew Threepio better than anyone. He'd designed and built him after all! He could fix him in his sleep, probably. Satine also mentioned Jedi. The police apparently thought he had tried to protect Padme, but he'd been badly injured. He was still alive, and at the emergency vet, but they weren't sure if he'd make it through the night. The formal living room and the area of the kitchen by the glass door were a mess with lots of blood and broken glass everywhere.

Anakin didn't care about _any_ of that. "Who did this?" He asked, his voice cold and full of steel. Satine glanced at him and hesitated. "I don't know, Anakin. No one knows." Wrong. _Padme_ did, but she was still in surgery. He sighed, dropping the subject for now, and instead focused on trying to calm his hysterical daughter.

Hours passed. Satine called his mother and stepfather and called Ruwee and Jobal and Sola for him, as he was still busy with Leia. He was grateful for that, as he _wasn't_ in the mood to deal with his in-laws' hostility at that one point, Hayden woke up, whimpering, but Satine and Galen firmly told Anakin they had it covered, with diaper and a bottle at the ready. Normally, Anakin would have objected, insisting he could care for his son, but under the circumstances, he was most grateful for their help.

By morning, Leia had finally cried herself to sleep, and he was almost afraid to move and wake her up. Hayden was sleeping at his feet in his carseat. He was exhausted but terribly anxious to hear about his wife's condition, but Galen (who he had previously sent to find out) said the nurses told him the same stupid line again and again. So he waited, anxiously, impatiently, but quietly. The waiting room doors opened again, and in came another familiar, tired face.

Obi-Wan.

He saw Satine first, who was nursing baby Rachel while Ella slept awkwardly against her. His eyes brightened, and he approached his wife, leaning down to kiss her tenderly and murmur what Anakin assumed were questions about their safety. Satine must have confirmed that they were fine, because he nodded and then turned to Anakin gravely. "Anakin…"

Softly, Anakin held up a hand, indicating that Leia was asleep. Through their connection, he said, _She just fell asleep. Don't you dare wake her up._

Obi-Wan nodded gravely. _I understand._ He sat down next to his friend. _Do you…do you know how Padme's doing?_

Anakin scowled. _**No**_ _. I haven't moved yet to find out. Leia literally cried herself to sleep._

Obi-Wan sighed and rubbed a hand over his face wearily. _We caught Grievous. He's in holding in the basement at the Academy. I had his arms and legs detached so that he can't escape._

Anakin glowered, his blue eyes turning steely gray with his anger. Finally! Grievous was caught. At least there was _some_ good news in all this mess. _Why haven't you ended it?_

Obi-Wan had wanted Grievous dead for threatening his daughter, Ella, that night in California, not because of revenge, but because of safety reasons. Anakin had wanted him dead too, but he hadn't pushed it as much as Obi-Wan had.

Oh, how wrong he had been.

Obi-Wan sighed. _We will. I just thought you'd like to be there to see it through. I've placed our best guards on him, including Ahsoka._ He paused. _She sends her love, by the way. She told me to tell you, quote, 'Padme will be okay, and we'll get Luke back, Skyguy.' And she's right._

 _How do you know?_

Obi-Wan was quiet for a while. _Because the Force…it works mysteriously sometimes, but I don't believe for a moment that it wants your family to be apart. It brought you back to Padme at the very beginning, before it brought you to anyone else, and it gave you Luke and Leia back. It doesn't matter_ _ **how**_ _long it takes…We_ _ **will**_ _find him and bring him home._

Though Anakin was still miserable, he couldn't help but feel slightly comforted. _Thanks, Obi-Wan._ He said back, and just as he did, the doors to the rest of the hospital opened and in walked a clearly exhausted Vokara. Immediately, his full anxiety was back. Carefully, he shifted Leia until Obi-Wan was taking her into his lap, both men being very careful to not wake her. As soon as she was safely in Obi-Wan's lap, Anakin stood, his whole body creaking from having sat there in the same position for so long, and approached Vokara. "Well?" He demanded, making sure to keep his voice low so as not to wake Leia or Ella or Hayden.

"She's going to be just fine, Anakin." Vokara assured him, her voice full of weariness. "The bullet thankfully didn't hit anything that couldn't be fixed, and the air ambulance got her here quickly enough so that we could stop the bleeding before she lost too much. With bacta treatment and a little extra help from the Force, she'll recover quickly."

Anakin's shoulders slumped, and he rubbed both his hands down his face, letting out a relieved sigh, tears of relief in his eyes, though he still despised the situation they were in. "Can I see her?" He was anxious to see and touch his wife for himself, for his own peace of mind.

"Of course. Come with me." Vokara nodded, and led him back to see his wife.

KKKKKKKKKKKKK

Everything was numb and dark. Luke lay on his side, his cheek pressed against the cold, wet, rocking floor. The woman had taken him to a small, private plane where she'd tied him up. She had left the gag in his mouth, and every time he had tried to use the Force against her, she had sensed it and blocked it, and the ropes around his hands got tighter. It became clear to Luke that he was nowhere _near_ skilled enough in the Force to stop her, and he soon gave up on it.

When the plane landed, he expected them to set down on land. His parents both flew planes, and they always landed on a paved runway for planes. When she'd dragged him out of the plane though, he found himself on a big ship, with a long flat runway with other planes being secured by men in uniforms he didn't recognize. They sort of looked like they were some kind of soldiers, like the soldiers he'd seen back home or on TV, except that they weren't wearing camouflage. Instead, they wore a dark brown uniform, with Red stripes on their shoulders, and helmets with a little white circle and a red star in it on the front of them. They all looked Asian, too. He had a classmate who was born in China and had been adopted by an American couple. He'd been very nice, and these guys sort of looked like him in the face.

He soon understood where he was, or at least began to. He had played enough video war games with Ezra war to know that he was on a battleship of some kind. All hope of his dad coming to rescue him began to diminish. _How_ could his dad or his Uncle Ben know to look for him out in the ocean? For when he looked around, he found that, indeed, the ship _was_ in the middle of the ocean, sailing towards some unknown destination.

But, maybe these soldiers were friendly. His mom and dad had taught him that the police and soldiers were the good guys. Maybe if he called for help…but those soldiers didn't look like any he'd ever seen before. Frowning, he'd looked up at the very top of the battleship to see what flag was flying. In video games, the battleship always flew that country's flag.

It wasn't any flag he'd seen before. It wasn't American. It wasn't Texan. It wasn't Californian or Idahoan. It was mostly red in the middle, with blue on the top and bottom. Instead of fifty stars, there was only one red star in a white circle. Somehow, he realized, as the woman began to drag him across the deck, he didn't think these men would help him.

The woman had led him down into a dark room within the ship's belly, where she ungagged and untied him. It didn't look like the jail he'd seen in cartoons, but when she first locked him in there, he had a feeling that he was basically in prison. The thought _terrified_ him, and he'd banged on the door for a while, yelling for help until his voice was gone. When it became clear that there was no help coming, he'd given up and had sat down, waiting anxiously in the moist, dank darkness.

That's when the sickness came.

He'd been to the beach before. He'd _loved_ to play in the water, to build sand castles with his mom and sister. His dad hated it, but he'd usually gone anyway to make his kids happy. Once, he even let Luke and Leia bury him, though he made faces every second it happened, and later he heard his dad complain to his mom that the sand was _everywhere_ even after _two_ showers. His mom had just laughed at his dad and offered to help him with a _third_ shower, which made his _dad_ finally laugh, too. Luke didn't understand why _that_ was so funny.

But this wasn't like playing on the beach. The ship crashed through the rough waves, and soon the subtle rocking movements of the ship began to make Luke feel queasy, and in no time, Luke ended up throwing up the contents of his stomach in a corner of the room...over and over. When he had nothing left to throw up, it seemed to settle down, but his stomach still felt awful. He was almost grateful that no one ever came by to bring him food. Almost.

In between sickness, he was left alone to his thoughts. No one came to check on him. He wished to escape them, but it was impossible. Images filled his head, haunting him. Jedi lying motionless. Threepio with his wires ripped out. His mom…

His mom.

His hands were still covered in her blood. No one had let him wash it off. It had dried, caked onto his skin. The smell filled his nostrils, contributing to the sickness the rocking of the ship caused him. Was she…Was she dead? He wondered. The thought made it hard for him to breathe. If she died, it was because of _him_. She had told him to run. She _told_ him not to pull the trigger. But he had done it anyway, and the woman had moved his mom into the path of the bullet instead. Now, she was possibly dead, and it was all _his_ fault.

The tears had come then. He'd just wanted to protect her, to keep her safe. He didn't _mean_ for any of it to happen. But, it had happened, and though he fervently wished it was all just some terrible nightmare, he couldn't wake up. It was real.

What would his dad think?

He knew, beyond _any_ doubt, that his dad loved his mother so very much. Luke had reached into the pocket of his night shirt, pulling out the necklace his dad had made for his mom. The necklace was just _one_ small proof that his dad loved his mom more than anything in the world…no, the _universe_. Even if his mom wasn't dead, his dad would be so angry with him. He was sure of it. His dad told him that he would always love Luke no matter what he ever did, but that was before he shot his mom. Would…would his dad even _try_ to find him after this?

Luke didn't want to think about that possibility. It hurt too much.

He wasn't sure how long he was down there in that room before the door finally opened, and one of those soldiers had come in. Luke had barely enough time to put the necklace back in his pocket before the man jerked him to his feet and dragged him back through the ship.

He'd been taken to another small room somewhere in the ship, this time full of soldiers who sneered at him angrily. Luke, terrified, hadn't known why they looked at him that way, but in the corner he noticed the woman again, leaning against the wall, and smirk on on her face, watching with amusement as a soldier approached Luke and started saying something in an unfamiliar language to him. At first, Luke wondered if the man was speaking Chinese, but he'd heard his classmate speak it, and this language sounded somewhat different. The man sneered when Luke didn't understand what he was saying, and then said something to the other men, who all laughed.

That's when the physical abuse happened.

He was pushed.

He was hit, punched, and slapped.

He was spit on.

He was kicked.

At first, it had been painful, awfully so. He tried to lash out through the Force, but just as he was about to do it, the woman sensed it and used the Force to restrain him. Eventually, he went numb, and completely blacked out.

That's how he woke up, once again in the cell, lying on his side, staring into nothing. He didn't bother to move. He was too numb to move. Instead, he lay there, thinking of home, not how he left it, but as it had been. Safe. Full of love. Full of fun times with his sister, his parents. Full of friends and family, and parents who were alive and loved him.

He squeezed his eyes shut, willing darkness to overtake him again. _I'm sorry, Dad,_ He thought fervently, wishing with _all_ his might that his dad would understand that and still come for him.

As he began to drift back into unconsciousness, he thought he _might_ have felt something, a response of some sort. But, it was gone, fading like a whisper before he could identify it, and he drifted back into darkness.

* * *

KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

Anakin waited anxiously by his wife's side, refusing to leave her, as he had over the last few days. As Vokara promised, the bacta tank treatment and Vokara's own Force-healing abilities was giving Padme a strong recovery. His mother and Padme's parents had arrived the day before to help take care of Leia and Hayden, and though Padme's parents were not fond of the Force, they _were_ fond of Vokara's abilities to help their daughter heal faster. Thankfully, they could see how distraught Anakin _was_ , and they opted to focus on _helping_ their son-in-law and not fight with him.

Still, Padme had not woken up yet, not fully at least. There were times when her eyes flickered, and she moaned like she was going to wake up, but she hadn't. Anakin stayed strictly by her side, waiting with as much patience as he could force himself to muster, holding her hand, rubbing her forehead, dropping soft kisses on her hands and face, whispering just how _much_ he loved her. Leia and Hayden had visited once, accompanied by Obi-Wan, but Leia had gotten so upset at the sight of her injured mother, that Obi-Wan quickly took her out of the room again.

Now, Anakin was alone in the room, holding Padme's hand. He was exhausted. He had _barely_ slept, had barely eaten anything. But, he hardly felt any of that. He needed to _see_ for himself that Padme would wake up, that everything truly was going to be alright.

Finally, Padme began to stir, her grip tightening around his hand. "Padme?" He asked, anxiously, leaning over her, his eyes brimming with tears. "Angel?" Even to him, he could tell that his voice was pained.

It took a moment, but finally Padme's eyes opened, unfocused, but they soon met his eyes, and he saw recognition in them. "Ani," she croaked, her voice rough from not being in use over the last few days. "What…?"

"Shh, it's alright, Sweetheart," He assured her tightly, knowing that things were indeed _not_ alright. Now that she was awake, he realized with a sinking feeling, he was going to have to tell her about Luke. He hadn't thought that far ahead, and now that it was staring him in the face, he wasn't sure how to proceed.

She seemed to remember that fact a split second after he realized it, and she gasped, wincing in pain, and tried to sit up. He put a firm hand on her uninjured shoulder—whoever had attacked had also stabbed the tip of a lightsaber into her left shoulder, leaving a burn mark that now had a bacta patch over it. It hadn't been a deep wound, thankfully, but he assumed it was _still_ painful to the touch. "Padme," he began, but she wasn't listening.

"Luke!" She gasped, looking around wildly for their son, "Luke! Where is he?" She turned her searching, desperate gaze on Anakin, and the pain in her eyes that stemmed not from the physical pain she was in, but from the emotional pain of knowing her son had been in danger, tore at Anakin. "Anakin, _where_ is Luke?!" He hesitated, not sure how to respond, but apparently that hesitation was worse than anything he could have said. A pained noise escaped her throat, and tears began to fall down her cheeks. "Oh Ani, don't tell me….don't tell me he's _dead_ , please _no_ …"

"He's not dead, Sweetheart." He told her firmly, gently rubbing her hair. That much he could at least say for sure. If his son had died, he would have felt it.

That calmed her, but just barely so. "Then where is he?" She demanded, her voice breaking.

"Maybe now isn't the best time…" he began, worried about what the news would do to her. She should have been resting, and now here she was, barely awake, and she was panicking and putting herself through more pain.

She knew where he was going with it, though, and she was _not_ putting up with it. "I don't give a _damn_ about that, Ani! I want to know where our son is!" She was yelling at him now, and he knew in that moment that there was no hiding it from her. She wouldn't drop it, and it wasn't fair to her to keep it from her.

Padme had a right to know.

With a resigned sigh, he took her face gently in his hands. "He was taken, Padme. Kidnapped." He admitted softly, holding her gaze. "Leia and Hayden are safe, though. They're with your parents and my mom and Galen."

At first, she looked like she was about to succumb to denial, but as she looked at him and saw the grave seriousness in his eyes, she knew the truth. Her expression crumbled, and she began to sob, sobs that were probably incredibly painful for her. "No. _No_ , please no!" He pulled her gently into his arms, holding her as she sobbed, each one tearing him down further and further. "Bring him back! Ani," She began to say, over and over again, "Just bring him back!"

"I will, Angel," he promised, though he doubted that himself. He had literally _every_ Jedi he had available all over the _world_ looking for him everywhere, and there had yet to be any sign of him. He had waited for Padme for two days. Two precious days. A lot could happen in two days. "But, Sweetheart, I need to know... _ **Who**_ did this?"

Her cries abruptly cut off, and he could feel a wave of terrifying anger engulf his wife. " _Ventress_." She spat malevolently, pulling away from his embrace just enough to meet his eyes again. Her eyes were hard and full of _hate_. "Ventress did this, Ani."

He went cold. Grievous….Grievous was manageable. He had been a talented warrior, but one without the Force. Ventress was a different enemy all together. He _knew_ , without a doubt, that she would be just as slippery to catch as she had been in their old galaxy…perhaps even more so, if she was intentionally keeping a low profile.

Still, he had no choice. He had to find her, before she brought Luke to Palpatine. "I'll find Luke." He said softly, gently wiping away a tear from Padme's face with with his thumb. "I'll go find him, and I'll bring our son home." He hesitated. "If I have a chance, though, I need to leave _now_. Will…will you be alright, Angel?"

Padme closed her eyes. "I'm fine." She said, and he could tell that she meant it. "Just bring our son home." He nodded and kissed her softly, a part of him relieved that she was still alive for him to kiss again. His wife was going to live.

Luke was still alive, even if he was taken. He could work with this. One step at a time, just like Galen had said. "I'll stay in contact every day. You and the children will have two Jedi guards, 24/7, while I'm gone. I'm _never_ making that mistake again."

Padme nodded, and he brushed one last lingering kiss on her lips, then stood to leave. "Wait, Ani." He paused, looking back at her. There was a peculiar, pained look on her face. "You need to know…Ventress didn't shoot me." She motioned to her shoulder where the lightsaber had been pressed into her skin. "This was her work, though."

Anakin almost didn't want to ask. In fact, everything _screamed_ at him not to. But, he knew that he would find out eventually. "Who shot you?" His voice was quiet, guarded, and Padme flinched a little.

It was that bad?

"Luke…found my gun, the one I got after Mindy's death. He was trying to use it to threaten Ventress into letting me go. He…he shot it at her, and it would have hit her, but she jerked me in front of her, and and the bullet hit me instead." Her gaze went hard. "It's not his fault, Ani. It's Ventress' but _not_ his. Please, _don't_ blame Luke."

But Luke wouldn't see it that way. Once again, Anakin felt as if the rug had been ripped out from under him, leaving him tumbling in the darkness. His son…his poor Luke… Luke was protective at heart, but he was also very gentle and loving. If he thought it was _his_ fault, or worse, that he had caused his mom's death…

"You're right." Anakin said firmly, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. The anger was directed at Ventress and Palpatine. Now, it was even _more_ imperative that he find Luke before Ventress could deliver him to Palpatine. If Palpatine got a hold of him, Anakin _knew_ without a doubt that the Sith Lord would use Luke's shooting against him. "I'll bring him home, Padme. No matter how long it takes." He paused…"I love you. Stay safe, Angel."

There was relief in her eyes, and she settled back against the pillows. "Alright, Ani. I trust you, and I love you, too. May the Force be with you." He nodded, turned, and left, already beginning to make preparations to leave. He would find Luke. He would bring him home.

And, he vowed, he would destroy Palpatine.

* * *

 **For some reason the little line thing to separate scenes is having issues, hence the "kkkkk" stuff. Anyhow...**

 **Obviously I didn't kill Padme. I am not that cruel. Like I said before, I don't do spoilers, and I basically have this section of the story painfully planned out in detail, but I WILL say this: I believe in happy endings. I may put my characters through horrible things, but I strongly believe in happy endings, the power of love, etc. So though I may torture you guys with cliffhangers and Luke's future right now is in the balance, just know that I don't do sad endings...unless I'm writing a short story. My short stories always end in death because I don't know how to write a 'short' story.**

 **I also wanted to take the time to thank all of you readers. This story now has over 1,000 reviews, and that completely and totally blows me away. I couldn't get through this without your support. You guys are the BEST.**

 **The song for this chapter is J.C. from Mortal Instruments.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	56. Broken

"Ahsoka," Anakin said firmly, as he strode up to where she was guarding the underground detention cell at the Jedi Academy. Obi-Wan followed close behind him, a grim but determined expression on his face. "You're coming in with us."

He felt a flicker of surprise from Ahsoka, but she moved away from the door to let Anakin through anyway. "I thought you were still at the hospital," She said in surprise, as Anakin began the unlocking sequence only he and Obi-Wan knew.

"Padme's awake, and Vokara said she's going to be okay. My mother is there with her," He assured her shortly, "Now, I'm going after my son myself. Before Grievous dies, I'm going to get what answers I can to aid in that search."

Ahsoka hesitated. "He won't tell you. You know that, right? He's been trained…"

"I _don't_ care." He paused, looking at both of them. "We're going to mind-trick him into it."

They were silent, both of them shocked.

"But…his mind is _way_ too strong." Ahsoka stated the obvious.

"That's why I'm _not_ doing it alone." He looked at Obi-Wan. "We did this once before during the Clone Wars to Cad Bane, also to locate the mission children." He glanced back at Ahsoka. "You were the one to actually suggest it. Don't you remember, Snips?"

She hesitated, thinking back. Ahsoka remembered most of her past life, but there were still things she _didn't_ remember. "I remember the mission where we rescued the children," she murmured, "And, I _think_ …I vaguely remember it. And, it worked?"

"It did, though it was a struggle." Anakin confirmed, his jaw set determinedly. "So, we're going to do it again."

"Well, alright, Skyguy." Ahsoka squared her shoulders. "Let's do this." Anakin nodded and finished the code and pressed the switch that would open the ten-inch thick steel door. There was a sharp beep, and it swung open, revealing the villain within the room.

Grievous.

He snarled at the sight of them, his golden eyes narrowing. "Jedi-Scum," He spat, "Come to kill me at last?" If Anakin wasn't so focused on his mission to get answers to help find his son, he would have thought it strange to see Grievous without his metal arms and legs. He was bound with thick chains and suspended in the air, and there was _nothing_ in the room that would be available to him should he try to break out. He was totally trapped, and Anakin could see that knowledge reflected in the gold of his eyes.

"I want answers, Grievous." Anakin said darkly, getting straight to the point. He crossed his arms over his chest and faced his old foe. He didn't have time to drag this conversation out. He _would_ get his answers. "And you're going to give them to me."

That made Grievous laugh, the sound anything _but_ humorous. "You _won't_ get any answers from me, Skywalker!" He practically spat, "I know you Jedi don't torture, and…"

He was tired of waiting. He was tired of listening and not getting anywhere. His son was in danger, and it was up to _him_ to find Luke and bring him home. Anakin closed his eyes and extended a hand towards the still talking cyborg. "You _will_ tell me where my son is."

Grievous stopped, surprised. "A mind trick?" He asked incredulously, "I am not so weak minded that…"

Obi-Wan reached out. He was much better at mind tricks than Anakin was—he excelled at them, actually. They were his forte. Well, _one_ of them. "You _will_ tell us where Luke is."

Grievous was silent for a moment, stunned. "What?"

Ahsoka reached out, and as one, all three Jedi said, "You _will_ tell us where Luke is."

Under the pressure of three Jedi Masters using the Force to draw information out of him, Grievous began to squirm. "I will…no, I don't…"

They did it again, all three of them pressing through the Force towards the cyborg's dark and twisted mind. "You _will_ tell us where Luke is!"

The cyborg cried out, his head turning wildly as if he were trying to get away, but without arms or legs there was no way for him to get away from the Jedi's influence. "I will tell you where Luke is," He finally conceded, his voice tight with pain. Anakin waited, though he still kept his hand outstretched. "He's with Ventress. She had her own plane. She was going to take him back to Palpatine. That's all I know, I _swear!"_

Most of that was already information Anakin knew, and it didn't help him in the least. Still, Grievous' mind was now practically an open book, and Anakin could feel that the cyborg was telling them the truth. He could feel Obi-Wan's and Ahsoka's realization of that fact as well, and both of them turned to him questioningly. "Where is Palpatine?" He asked, his voice low. He didn't use the Force. Not yet. The mind trick's effects were still working on Grievous, though it wouldn't hold for much longer.

"He's on the move. Constantly. Only the highest officials know where he is at any given time. I was never given that information." Again, Anakin sensed that he was telling the truth, and it was nothing more than what they had already long suspected. The mind trick was going to wear off. He had time for just one more question.

"Who has been helping Palpatine with resources to do all of this?" This was a question that he _knew_ they didn't have any information on. Before, Palpatine had used his connections with the U.S. government to build the resources he had. Now that he was a wanted man and on the run, it had always seemed strange to the Jedi that he had resources to pay men like Grievous to do his dirty work.

"He…he has men _all_ over the world." The mind trick was beginning to wear off, and Grievous was struggling with the words. "He has allies with multiple governments. They provide him with safe houses, money, supplies and provisions, and even," He hesitated, really fighting on this one, "Soldiers. Enough to build an army, completely loyal to _him_."

This, Anakin and the Jedi did _not_ know. He glanced at Obi-Wan in alarm, saw the grave expression on his friend's face, and knew that Obi-Wan was also surprised. They had _assumed_ Palpatine just had hired goons to do his dirty work. But an _army?!_ Suddenly, Palpatine's plans didn't just seem to be centered on destroying Anakin and his family. No. They suddenly realized, with dawning horror, it was much, _much_ bigger than that... _far_ bigger than they had ever anticipated. He wasn't just satisfied with revenge. Oh, no. It was worse...far, far worse...

Palpatine wanted the whole _world_. He was seeking _global_ domination and subjugation!

"What countries are these men coming from?" Anakin demanded, suddenly desperate for answers. If Luke was being taken to Palpatine, and he turned Luke to the Dark Side, that world domination-plan might actually _work_. Suddenly, Anakin understood the true _gravity_ of this situation…It wasn't _just_ about saving Luke alone...No, this was also about saving the _billions of people_ on Earth from this tyrannical Dark Side despot who was hell-bent on seizing control of the entire planet!

"Tell me!" He roared.

But, the trick had worn off. Grievous glared. "You'll get _nothing_ more from me, Jedi-Scum!" He hissed. Anakin debated on trying the mind trick again, but this time Grievous was ready for it. He could _feel_ Grievous preparing himself for it. Anakin knew that he could break that defense by taking the mind trick a step further and completely invading his mind, pulling the answers out himself, but that was the way of the Dark Side. He had sworn _never_ to cross that line again. He doubted he would _ever_ join Palpatine again, even if he ever _did_ become a Sith once more…

But _two_ Sith Lords with very different agendas fighting one another… _Force_ , it could tear this world apart! He had seen firsthand what it had done to their old galaxy when Maul had returned and tried to take the galaxy for himself while Palpatine had _also_ been slowly taking the galaxy over. Ugly and wretched were understatements to describe the outcome of _that_ debacle.

So, Anakin dropped his hand, going to his lightsaber. He glanced at Obi-Wan, his fellow Grandmaster. _Do we end it?_ He asked through their Force connection, arching his eyebrows questioningly.

 _We can't risk Grievous escaping and returning to join Palpatine. With_ _ **both**_ _Grievous and Ventress, Palpatine would be that much harder to take down. Not to mention the damage Grievous has_ _ **already**_ _done to our families._ Obi-Wan replied, and for once, he didn't sound disapproving of the death. Instead, he was calmly in agreement of the decreed punishment. He had fully accepted the need for Grievous' death, and was more than willing to carry it out. _Shall I, or would you like to carry it out?_

 _I'll do it. I have a promise to keep._ Obi-Wan silently nodded. He would be lying if he thought he said that because he wanted a little bit of revenge, not only for Mindy's death, but for what Grievous had done to help his son get kidnapped. But like Obi-Wan, there was even more of him that wanted to do it solely to make sure the cyborg couldn't bring more harm to his family or the Jedi Order. "Grievous," Anakin said, turning back to the creature. "For your crimes against the Jedi Order and for the crimes you have committed against those they strive to protect on this planet: We hereby sentence you to death."

Grievous snarled, though Anakin saw a flicker of fear in those golden eyes. There was nowhere to run. Anakin wondered if this had been Palpatine's plan all along. It wouldn't surprise him. Palpatine had never trusted Grievous like he had his actual apprentices. If the Emperor had no more use for the cyborg, he would give him over to his enemies almost as a gift, a way to make his enemies feel like they'd achieved a victory when in fact, it was hollow and meaningless.

Perhaps this was exactly that. A ruse. A hollow victory. Still, Anakin felt no guilt whatsoever when igniting his lightsaber, looking the cyborg straight in the eye, and plunging it straight through Grievous' chest. Grievous howled for a split moment, but the light left those golden eyes, and he went limp. Without the life in his eyes, he looked almost like a deactivated droid: Useless, lonely, and pathetically sad.

For a moment, the three Jedi stood there in silence. Anakin retracted his saber and returned it to his belt. Turning to Ahsoka, he ordered, "Snips, you, Peter, and Will take _that_ ," he gestured with his hand toward Grievous, "and melt it down completely. Make sure _nothing_ is left of it. I'm going to go get the plane ready." He finished speaking, turning around to leave.

"But, SkyGuy, we still have _no_ idea where he was taken." Ahsoka reminded him, turning to follow. "And now he could be guarded by an army…"

"I don't care!" Anakin snapped, whirling back to face his fellow Jedi. "That is _my_ _son_ out there! I don't **care** if I have to fight the entire world. I _will_ find him, and I _will_ bring him back home!" He glanced at Obi-Wan, glaring, as if daring him to object. In the past, Obi-Wan _would_ have warned Anakin about attachments, and likely would have counseled Anakin to let go and leave Luke to the " _will_ _of_ _the_ _Force_."

But, Anakin had long since learned when to let go, and had done so when appropriate over recent years. _This_ was not the case. This was his _son_. Luke was _his_ responsibility to protect and love. This was his _family_. He couldn't just sit around and wait for a solid lead. Every second they delayed brought Luke closer to Palpatine, and after what Grievous had just told them about Palpatine's private army, bringing Luke home was even _more_ imperative than ever.

Obi-Wan knew this, and now that he was a father himself, the response he would have given Anakin a long time ago was no longer the same advice he would give now. "You won't be doing it alone. I'm coming with you."

"Then I will, too." Ahsoka said, stepping forward.

Anakin was already shaking his head. "Sorry, Snips, not this time."

Ahsoka frowned, taken aback. "But, why?" She demanded, "You could use my help!"

"I know we could." Anakin agreed, "But right _now,_ even though I have Jedi protecting both my family and Obi-Wan's, they're _not_ as experienced as **you** are. After…after everything that's happened over the last few days, I'd feel a lot more secure knowing _you_ were here to oversee the protection our families. We need a fully fledged, fully trained, combat ready Jedi Master here at Headquarters, Snips."

She looked like she was about to argue, but after considering his reasoning, she relented. "Fine. But don't hesitate to contact me if you need more help."

"We will." Obi-Wan assured her with a tight smile. "Thank you." Anakin nodded and turned back around, his mind already beginning to work on strategies that could be used in helping find Luke, but as he walked back into the hallway, he felt it.

 _I'm sorry, Dad._

Anakin froze, every muscle tightening. He _knew_ that voice. _**Luke**_ _._ It was clear, but distant, and Anakin could sense the pain, the anguish in just that brief touch. It almost knocked the breath out of him, and he had to put a steadying hand on the wall to keep himself from sinking to his knees.

Wherever he was, Luke was in severe pain. Not just emotional, but physical pain. It was enough to cause anger and worry to rush through him, and his hands curled into fists. He wanted to blindly run to his plane, hunt these monsters down, and kill them for hurting his son. _His_ _son!_ How **dare** they even think of hurting him!

But he forced himself to take deep breaths as the feeling of his son's mind began to slip away, his own presence reaching out and latching onto the trace just as the feeling disappeared…

Leaving behind a faint, but just _barely_ discernable sense of where the bond had originated from. It felt almost like an inner compass, shaky, but pointing in the general direction of where his son was. How could he have been so dumb? He realized with a shock—he'd had the ability to find his son all along. Their bond had _always_ been strong, stronger than most bonds with perhaps the exception of Luke's bond with Leia. As long as Luke didn't purposefully hide his presence, Anakin could track him down.

"…Skyguy?" Ahsoka's voice brought him out of his trance, though he still held a firm grip on that bond through the Force.

He blinked, focusing, to find Obi-Wan and Ahsoka there, concerned looks on their faces. "Are you alright, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked cautiously.

"I'm fine," Anakin's voice was raspy and breathless, "Better than fine." A slow but grim smile began to spread across his face. "I think I know how to find Luke."

* * *

Ventress waited on the deck of the ship, watching as Darth Sidious' private plane rolled to a stop at the end of the runway. Her black cloak whipped around her, the wind pushing it against her. She _hated_ being on this ship, especially on the deck. It was always infernally windy, and she hated the salty brine smell that came with it. She wished her Master would hurry up and get off the plane so that they could go back into the cramped quarters of the ship below and away from the outside elements.

He would not appreciate her impatience, however, so she remained still, watching as the steps lowered and her Master carefully descended from the plane to the deck of the ship. He, too, was cloaked in black, though the wind didn't seem to be bothering him as much as it did _her_.

Perhaps he was using the Force to block some of it.

He spotted her and leisurely made his way towards her, his posture almost one of taking a pleasant stroll. He _never_ did anything quickly. People waited on _him_ , not the other way around, and they most certainly _never_ rushed him. So, she silently waited, forcing herself to be patient, until finally he approached, and she knelt before him on one knee. "Master." She greeted, bowing her head, forcing her voice to be reverent. Maybe it would have been easier to be reverent if he would just take her on as his apprentice, not merely his assassin.

"Rise, Ventress." His voice was carefully neutral, not betraying his thoughts. She winced before she stood—that was never a good sign. But then again, him coming out of his hiding spot to personally come meet the Skywalker boy was _definitely_ not a good sign. "Bring me to the boy."

"Yes, Master." She turned and began to walk back to the ship, Sidious close on her heels. Once they had entered the ship, and she began the long trek through claustrophobic hallways and doors to the lower level detention cells, Sidious finally spoke. "I thought I had made myself clear when I said to _**kill**_ the Skywalker family, Ventress."

She hesitated. She had a feeling his personal visit had to do with her decision to take the boy instead of kill him. "He is strong in the Force, Master," She began, "I thought he might be a good addition to…"

"He is probably too old to turn now!"

Sidious interrupted, the annoyance finally shining through his voice. "I'll have to kill him myself."

Truth be told, she wasn't fully sure _why_ she'd taken the boy in the first place. Her orders to _eliminate_ the Skywalker family had been clear. But, _something_ about the boy had called to her. Perhaps it was because of his bravery in standing up for his mother. Perhaps it was because the thought of Sidious turning the boy to the Dark Side and against the rest of his family...specifically _his father..._ amused her. Or, perhaps she'd done it because she was tired of doing everything _exactly_ as her master told her to and getting little in return.

Now that she had taken him and had realized just how strong in the Force he really _was_ , she wanted to try to make her blunder into an advantage for her Master...and _herself._ It would certainly lessen any punishment _she_ would likely receive otherwise. "There may still be a chance, Master. It's risky, but I believe, given the circumstances, it might work."

That made Sidious pause, and though she couldn't feel his emotions through the Force (he was _much_ too careful...and powerful...for that), she imagined that he was, at least, curious. She had certainly gotten his attention. "What circumstances?" His voice was guarded, but grudgingly _intrigued_. She tried not to smile.

"He shot his mother." Sidious stopped, and she stopped to turn back to meet his golden eyes. "He was trying to protect her. He would have shot me, but he ended up shooting her instead. She may or may not be dead now," She shrugged, "But it wouldn't be too hard to convince _him_ that he killed her."

Sidious was silent, watching her while processing this. She secretly felt thrilled to know something _he_ didn't. It was, after all, a rarity. She made certain not to show that on her face, however. "I see," He finally murmured.

"Furthermore," she continued, "I've worked on softening him up. He hasn't had food or drink since he arrived, and I had the men beat him." It was simple interrogation tactics that they used all the time. Soften the prisoner up first, and then begin the _real_ interrogation when the prisoner was weak and unable to resist their interrogator. This wasn't _exactly_ the same situation, but she knew that if this was going to work, it was the best method to get it to work. "Perhaps…"

Sidious raised a hand, cutting her off. Though most of his face was shadowed under the hood and the dim light of the corridor, she could see that he was working out a plan in his head. "You might have actually done something right after all for once, Ventress," he finally conceded. "I have an idea that just might work."

"And, if it doesn't?" Ventress asked.

A cold, malevolent smile spread across her master's face, causing a chill to run up her own spine. "Then it will kill him, and I won't be inconvenienced either way." There was a sort of _anticipation_ surrounding him now...One that made _her_ skin crawl. "Show me to the boy."

* * *

The door to his cell opened, and two soldiers thudded into the room, their boots unbearably loud after having heard nothing but the ship's hum for who knew how long. He hadn't moved since they'd last thrown him in there, and he didn't move as they came towards him. He didn't care. They'd already taken everything from him. His mom. His dad. His family. His home. The Jedi. His dignity. What else _could_ they take from him?

They yanked him up from the floor by his armpits, not caring that he involuntarily jerked in pain, and dragged him out between them, his bare feet dragging across the hard cold floor. He winced at the sudden movement of muscles that he hadn't moved since he'd been beaten. For the first time, he realized how truly _sore_ they were, and as he was pulled into the dim light of the hallway, he squeezed his eyes against the sudden light.

Now that he was upright, he realized just how much he didn't feel good. He still had yet to eat, though he wasn't sure how long the food would have lasted with the way the ship was rocking. He knew he was bruised, dirty, and covered in dried blood. He wanted nothing more than to be put back in the room so that he could lie there and forget all of that. But the men dragged him through hallway after hallway, and he quickly lost track of where they'd gone, until they finally reached their destination.

They tied Luke to a chair in a smaller, darkened room with only one light above that swayed and creaked with the rolling ship. Once they were sure that he was secured, they left, slamming the thick metal door behind them and leaving Luke alone in the room.

Or, so he thought.

"Luke Skywalker," an unfamiliar, gravelly voice rasped from the shadows. Weakly, Luke reached out with the Force to try to find the source of the voice. First, to his displeasure, he sensed the woman, watching him from the corner. But then he felt the presence of someone or something else. Whoever it was didn't feel human to Luke—how could _anyone_ be filled with so much hate and anger?! It almost felt like a mass of total darkness rather than a person.

"We meet at last."

A cloaked figure stepped into the meager light, standing over him. All Luke could make out in the dim lighting were two golden eyes, staring unblinkingly down at him. For a moment, Luke was stunned into speechlessness. "W-Who are you?" Luke eventually stammered, squirming a little against his bonds. This…person didn't feel right to him.

For whatever reason, Luke's question seemed to please the man. "Your father never told you of me?" He asked, and Luke frowned, trying to remember if his dad had ever told him about creepy golden-eyed guys in hoods. He couldn't remember that…

"My name is Darth Sidious."

Oh. _That_ Luke knew. "He made you up." He frowned, "In a bedtime story. You were mean to our family in the story."

 _That_ got a brittle laugh that was more of a cackle than anything else. It sounded so _evil_ it made the hair on Luke's arms and legs stand on end. "Oh no, my dear boy, I am no bedtime story. I am, in fact, all too real." He paused, his golden eyes narrowing. "And now, I am your _**master**_."

Uneasiness settled into Luke's stomach while his mind swirled with confusion. "No," He began hesitantly, "My dad is going to be my master…he's going to teach me the ways of the Force."

Sidious scoffed. "And do you think your father would want to mentor you _now_? After you killed your own mother?"

Every muscle in Luke's body stiffened. "She's… _not_ dead." Even to his own ears, he didn't sound sure, because, truthfully, he _wasn't_ sure.

Sidious shook his head with a sigh. "Poor, naïve little _Jedi_. I have agents all over the world. I had them check on your mother, but by the time they arrived, she had already died. Tragic. To be killed by her own son…"

Luke began to breathe hard, not wanting to listen anymore to the man. He squirmed in earnest against the ropes. He didn't even want to be _near_ him. The darkness the man emitted seemed to reach out and swallow _everything_ around him...like those black holes in outer space he'd learned about in science class. "I didn't…I didn't mean to…"

"Oh, I believe you," Sidious said, "But, will your _father_ , I wonder? He was _ever_ so in love with her." Sidious' expression grew mocking.

Luke shook his head, willing with _all_ of his might for Sidious to just go away. He even tried to use the Force, but with Sidious' powerful dark presence surrounding him, choking him, it was hard to maintain control over any of it. "You're…you're a bad guy!" He hissed through clenched teeth. "Bad guys lie!"

Sidious snorted in contempt. "That may be true." He agreed, "But, you _will_ believe me. Of that, I assure you."

"No," Luke began again, shaking his head and glaring up at the hooded figure, opening his mouth to protest more. Instead, Sidious raised a pale, wrinkled hand, outstretching it towards Luke. "What…?" Luke began, but that's _all_ he managed to get out before his head exploded with pain.

It felt as if cold hands had somehow reached into his head, ripped opened his brain, and began to draw out each memory that he had to examine it. He saw himself and Leia playing in the backyard with Jedi and Artoo. He saw his parents, his dad looking at his mom like she ruled his world. He saw his dad showing him how to fix things, saw his dad giving him and Leia plastic lightsabers to play with. Every birthday. Every happy moment, sad moment, even the _boring_ moments.

All of it flashed before his eyes.

Then, the pain began intensifying, the memories began to morph and change. No longer were there happy memories. Some memories disappeared _entirely_ , while others changed into something completely different. Each change that was created felt like a dagger was being stabbed repeatedly into his head, and he couldn't even see reality anymore. Just those changing memories.

It seemed to take years. Distantly, Luke was aware that someone was screaming—that _he_ was screaming, squirming, trying to get away from the hand that was causing this pain to happen. But finally, as he reached the memories of him killing his mother, the pain began to crescendo, new memories forming in his head, until finally…

The world went black, and as he fell into the dark oblivion, the new memories swirling and throbbing in his brain, he felt something within him _snap_ , something important, something…

He couldn't remember _what_ , and darkness swallowed him, claiming him, before he could care enough to figure out what had just happened.

* * *

"Are you picking anything up, Artoo?" Anakin called back. Artoo was right behind them in the cockpit of the plane, scanning the area for any sign of anything unusual, such as an unscheduled plane, or stray radio signals. So far, there had been absolutely nothing, and Anakin and Obi-Wan had just begun flying over California.

Artoo mournfully beeped a negative, and Anakin sighed. "Okay. Keep trying, Buddy."

"Are you getting anything?" Obi-Wan asked, glancing at Anakin from his place in the co-pilot's seat.

Anakin reached into the Force and found his Force-bond with his son, giving it a soft tug. "If the bond is correct, we should still be on the right course." He frowned. "Though it still seems far away…"

"It will probably stay that way until we actually get near him." Obi-Wan warned. "But, don't worry. We'll find him." Anakin hoped so. He concentrated on the bond again, trying to get an idea for what Luke was going through. He knew that he shouldn't—he couldn't do _anything_ to stop the conditions. Not yet. But when he _did_ find Ventress…

His grip tightened on the plane's controls, and he had to take several steadying breaths. "It will be alright, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, noticing his friend's distress. "Luke is stronger than he seems."

"I know," Anakin managed to say tightly, "But, he's still just a kid, a kid who only barely started his Jedi training. He's no match for Ventress, and _especially_ not Palpatine."

Obi-Wan couldn't argue with that, and fell silent, leaving Anakin to once again try to feel what his son was feeling. So far, most of it had been a sort of numbness. Anakin wasn't sure if that was a blessing, or if it was terrifying. He wasn't sure what he would find when he found his son again, but…

Suddenly, he felt pain. Intensely _severe_ physical pain. Far more than an ache, it made Anakin clench his jaw. "Luke is in pain."

Obi-Wan glanced at his friend. "I think you shouldn't be dwelling so much…"

"But, I can feel it, Obi-Wan. Now that I'm focusing on the bond, I can _feel_ what he's feeling and…" he trailed off in shock as Luke was suddenly wrapped and enveloped in darkness, a darkness that was filled with so much malice and evil that Anakin swore. "Palpatine! Obi-Wan, Palpatine is there! With Luke!"

Now, it was Obi-Wan's turn to curse. "So much for finding him before Palpatine gets him," he muttered under his breath, but Anakin wasn't listening anymore. He continued to focus on his son, trying to figure out what exactly was going on based on the emotions that were going through the bond, when suddenly….

Anakin cried out, letting go of the controls to grasp his head in his hands, as almost _unbearable_ pain lashed out through his mind. "Anakin?" He could distantly hear Obi-Wan ask, and Artoo's worried chortle from behind him. "Artoo, put the plane in auto pilot…"

"N-No," Anakin struggled to get out as he forced himself to build a shield between Luke and himself, cutting off some of the pain so that he could at least see and think. He still felt his bond, felt the pain his son was in, but not enough that it was overwhelming to him. "Palaptine is doing something to him…something I don't recognize."

"Describe it." Obi-Wan said, watching Anakin like he expected Anakin to drop at any moment.

"It's….it's like he's _forcefully_ going through his memories," Anakin himself had _never_ had that happen to him, but he had done that to others on occasion as Darth Vader. "But…but _this_ is different, somehow. Like…"

He never finished his sentence, because suddenly, the Force bond, the bond that had been there essentially since Vader had dueled Luke on Bespin in their old galaxy, the bond that had rekindled at the re-birth of his son in _this_ world, severed.

And it was gone. Completely, utterly, totally.

Now, it was _Anakin_ who gasped, clutching at his chest, his vision going black as he slumped to the side. He could distantly hear Obi-Wan frantically ordering Artoo to put the plane on auto pilot, felt Obi-Wan's hands as he caught him and eased him out of the chair and onto the floor…

But, his vision was black. His son…he couldn't feel him. It wasn't like death—no, that bond would have stayed, even had his son died.

It was simply gone, _vanished._ As if it had _never_ existed.

He felt as if a part of _himself_ had been ripped away from him. He couldn't breathe. He felt as if he were having a heart attack. He could vaguely feel Obi-Wan frantically trying to bring him back to consciousness, but instead Anakin slipped further and further into unconsciousness.

Just before he succumbed to the numbness of the darkness, he managed to weakly gasp out, "Luke…bond….it's gone…."

And _everything_ faded away.

Including _any_ hope of finding his son.

* * *

 **Fast update, I know, but my Beta got the edit done faster than I expected, so why not?**

 **This situation is one that I don't think I'll be able to please everyone, and for that, I apologize. However, I have put Anakin in a very difficult, painful situation. His son is kidnapped, his wife shot, his daughter distraught... no one wants to be in that situation. It means that Anakin will have to make a lot of hard choices, choices that don't really have a right or wrong answer because either way whatever choice he makes is going to seriously suck. To add on to that, Anakin is a passionate person, with a deep bond to both his wife and Luke. Relationships, especially romantic and familial ones, are complex, with tons of different approaches to making them work. I think if this situation were to have happened in canon...I honestly can't say for sure who Anakin would go to first, because, like I said, he cares deeply about everyone in his family to the point of almost obsession. But the challenge when approaching a situation like this is this: either it can bring a family closer together, or it can tear them apart. If I don't approach this very carefully, the latter would logically happen, and no one wants that. Just know that my goal is to ultimately strengthen the characters and their relationships, and that there are many routes to do that, but I can't pick all of those routes.**

 **The song for this chapter is "I Can't See You Anymore" By James Horner from The Amazing Spiderman.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	57. A New Life

**A month** **later...**

"Anakin," Obi-Wan said wearily, entering the cheap hotel room they were renting with a bag full of Chinese food. Not the fake American Chinese food, but the _real_ stuff. They were currently in China, in Shezhen, not far from Hong Kong, and just like _everywhere_ else they'd randomly searched after Anakin had…lost his Force connection with his son, they'd found nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not even even a _trace_ of Luke. "We _need_ to go home. Our families _need_ us. The Order _needs_ us _._ "

Anakin stiffened, his hand pausing over Artoo, who had been projecting possible governments who would be working with Palpatine. It was all speculation, and Anakin didn't know _how_ to go about proving any of it, but it still made him feel like he was doing _something_ rather than just wandering aimlessly in the direction he had last felt his son's presence coming from. Over the last few days, he had felt Obi-Wan grow restless, and Anakin had begun to suspect that Obi-Wan would say this eventually. "No," He said, running a tired hand over his face, where a beard had begun to grow in from not having shaved since the whole ordeal started. "We haven't found him yet."

"I know." Obi-Wan said quietly as he set the food on the table and sat down on the other twin-sized bed in the room, facing Anakin with a look on his face that said he was mentally preparing to push the issue, regardless of _whatever_ backlash Anakin would give. "But we aren't getting _anywhere_ with this search like _this_. Wandering around aimlessly _isn't_ going to help Luke, and it's _not_ going to help the rest of your family either. Think about Padme and Leia and little Hayden. _They_ need you, too."

Sheer stubbornness made him shake his head, even as the Force whispered the truth of Obi-Wan's words to him. "You _don't_ know that, Obi-Wan!" His voice was harsher than he meant it to be, but he had barely slept, and when he _had_ slept, it had been full of useless, pointless dreams. Usually, Anakin preferred those dreams to Force-visions, but with Luke out there, he wanted, no, _needed_ some clue as to where to look for his little boy.

"But I _do_ , and I suspect you know that, too." Obi-Wan didn't take offense to his tone. "I'm _not_ saying that we're giving up searching for him. We can _still_ have our Jedi looking for him, and we can try to find and research clues from home, but the rest of your family needs you, Anakin."

 _That_ did give Anakin pause. He had spoken to his wife every day since he'd left, just as he'd promised. He didn't have to be physically with her to know that the stress of losing their son was _far_ worse than the stress her wounds were giving her. With Vokara supervising her injuries, Padme had recovered enough to return home, though she had been ordered to strict bed rest for another month. On top of that, she was still recovering from childbirth. Her mother and his mother were still there, taking care of the kids, but each time he spoke to Padme, she seemed to be more and more depressed, more and more withdrawn - even with _him,_ something neither his mother nor her mother could even _begin_ to remedy. Now, more than ever, his wife needed him at home, but both of their desire for their son's safe return home tore at that need, making Anakin reluctant to pay it any real attention to it.

And, then there was Leia. He tried to talk to her, but he hadn't been the _only_ one who had felt his Force-Bond with Luke snap. She had felt it, too—when he woke up on the plane two hours after he'd blacked out and realized the implications of what had just happened, he had pulled his phone out to call his mother, only to find his mother had frantically called him about ten times already. Leia had had a complete and total _meltdown_ when she'd felt it, and his daughter hadn't been the same since. When he talked to her, she was distant, quiet, refused to smile, and was _completely_ unlike herself.

He missed little Hayden as well. He was almost two months old now, and he _hated_ that he'd missed the last four weeks with him. He wanted to be there for his newborn son, watching him grow, helping taking care of him, and getting to know him, but Hayden was also still young enough that he likely wasn't _too_ affected by the absence of his father.

Or, so Anakin hoped.

Of course, this was also extremely hard on their parents. The Amidala's and the Lars' were devoted parents and grandparents, and the stress of Luke's kidnapping, Padme's brush with death, and Leia's continuing distress was aging them all...quickly. Ruwee had stayed for two weeks before having to go back to California, and Cliegg had flown down from Idaho for the last two weeks to help his own wife and Jobal with the kids, but he had to go back tomorrow to help Owen with the ranch.

Anakin sighed.

Then, there was his work. NASA had expressed their sympathies and understanding, and Anakin wasn't _really_ concerned with losing his job necessarily. After all, he still co-owned the droid company and had _plenty_ of income from just that. However, even if he wasn't with NASA, he _did_ have the responsibility to work to provide for his family still, and the Jedi Order, and…

But Luke was still missing, and worse, in the hands of Palpatine now. Just the _thought_ was enough to drive Anakin nearly mad. As Vader, he had hunted Luke relentlessly throughout the galaxy, but as Luke was a grown adult man then, there were times when he sent others to look for his son in his stead. He had _desperately_ wanted to bring Luke to his side, but he had also recognized that he'd had time to do so. _This_ Luke, however, was barely eight years old, and still so innocent.

Or, he had been. He might not be now.

"I can't…I _can't_ give up." Anakin said, though he wasn't so firm this time. He couldn't help but allow the conflict, the pain of losing his son echo in his voice. He put his face in his hands, the decision tearing him up inside. Artoo beeped softly, sadly, swiveling his dome to look back in Obi-Wan's direction. He could _feel_ Obi-Wan's worry, not only for Anakin, but for Luke through his connection with him in the Force.

"I won't pretend to understand what you're feeling," Obi-Wan said quietly, "But, without _any_ clues…this could take _years_ , Anakin. I know this is only one planet, and not even the biggest planet that we've been on, but there are literally _billions_ of hiding places on Earth, and you heard Grievous yourself. Palatine is _always_ on the move. Look, I _know_...I _believe..._ we **will** find him, but are you _really_ prepared to separate yourself so completely like _this_ from the rest of your family for years on end? Anakin... _think_ what that would _do_ …to your _wife,_ to your _marriage_ , not to mention Leia and Hayden. You missed out on raising your kids once before. Do you _really_ want to miss that opportunity again?"

Anakin's first reaction was to reject that idea. He couldn't fathom not finding Luke for that long, of knowing that he was in Palpatine's clutches that whole time. "You don't know that it will take that long." Anakin said softly, but there was no fire to it. He knew Obi-Wan had made his point and that his best friend was right, and he _hated_ it.

"It might not, no." Obi-Wan agreed gently, "But, what if it _does_?"

Anakin was silent for a long time, warring with himself. Finally, Anakin sighed. "Artoo." The droid beeped an affirmative, "Send a mass message to _every_ Jedi on Earth." Artoo began to set the message up without question.

"What are you going to do?" Obi-Wan warily asked.

"I'm going to have the Order look for Luke and Palpatine." Anakin replied honestly, his voice bitter. "I want _daily_ updates. I don't care _how_ insignificant they are. I want them. If there is even a slight chance that they may have found a clue, I will _not_ debate what to do about it, I will go after that clue myself." He glanced at Obi-Wan sternly, as if challenging him to argue.

Obi-Wan didn't seem to desire that though. "You have my support, my friend," He said firmly, and Anakin could feel him reinforce that through their bond. "And, if you go after a clue, I will come with you to help." He paused. "I'm sure Ahsoka wouldn't mind giving her help as well, or Galen for that matter."

Artoo beeped that he was ready to record the message, but before he began, Anakin looked up at his friend. "Thank you." He said, his voice raw. He knew that this was a sacrifice on Obi-Wan's part as well. He had a family now himself to provide for and protect, but he _still_ was out here by Anakin's side, keeping him as grounded as he could.

Obi-Wan nodded, a sad smile on his face. "You're my brother, Anakin. You don't even need to ask."

* * *

He stopped just outside of his home, staring at it. It was sunset, and he and Obi-Wan had just landed the plane on their private runway. He had his carry on bag slung over his shoulder, and Artoo stopped next to him, beeping a question. "I'll…" he hesitated, staring at the home. He could feel his wife in there, Hayden, Leia, his mom, Jobal… As soon as he walked in that door, he _needed_ to be their pillar of strength. He would _need_ to answer questions that he didn't want to answer, and though his home was full of people he loved dearly, without Luke there, it felt… _empty_.

He didn't want to face any of that. Not just yet.

"I'll be in, in a moment, Artoo," He promised softly, and though Artoo hesitated, he twittered and beeped and wheeled himself up the driveway and toward the front door of the house. Meanwhile, Anakin turned, heading towards the back of the house, where his personal workshop was, his strides long and determined. He needed…he needed to do _something_. He was half tempted to go back to the plane and go back out and search, but he'd already told Padme he would be coming home. The pain in her eyes, but the _acceptance_ of the fact that Luke wasn't going to be with him tore him apart. Now that he was actually _home_ , and for the moment by himself…

He slammed the doors open to the darkened workshop. He turned the light on, using the Force to shut the doors behind him. The shop was littered with tools, half-done projects, and various schematics. Padme had been _ecstatic_ that he'd built himself an actual space where he could tinker, instead of taking up the garage to do so. Sometimes, he'd work on projects while Luke watched and asked questions. Anakin had lived for those afternoons. His son, expressing interest in something that he himself loved…

Now, with Threepio carefully placed by someone on his worktable, he felt the weight of loneliness settle over the workspace. Maybe he shouldn't have come out here just yet. Then again, _everything_ he would see would remind him of his son. He'd taken his son literally everywhere. His son had merely been happy to tag along with his dad, even if there wasn't much for him to do. Leia would complain and throw a fit, but _never_ Luke. Luke was his _buddy_ , as much as his son. Until he found Luke, he'd just have to get used to everything reminding him of his son.

He approached the workbench, setting his carry on bag down beside the table, staring at the lifeless protocol droid. Carefully, he picked up Threepio's head and examined it. He immediately saw where he would need to make adjustments and replacements to fix the droid. It wasn't a hard fix at all. Perhaps, if he focused on _that_ for a while, he might be distracted enough to calm down and head inside the house.

That had been his exact same reasoning behind going to fix the Lars' bike after his mother's death in their old galaxy, too. He usually felt calmer after tinkering on machines.

It hadn't worked then though, and it didn't work now.

Though he _tried_ to focus on fixing Threepio, he found his thoughts wandering back to Luke. He remembered holding Luke as a baby. He'd been so small, so innocent, and yet so _vibrant_ within the Force. He remembered when Luke lost his first tooth after Leia had accidentally knocked him face-first onto the train set Anakin had built for him. Anakin had expected him to be upset with Leia, but he thought it was so cool that he'd lost his tooth, he practically forgot that it was Leia who had pushed him in the first place.

He remembered taking Luke to Disneyland. He'd ridden on his shoulders, his tiny fists clenched in Anakin's hair, staring in wonder at everything they saw. While Leia had been begging them to _do_ everything, Anakin was sure Luke would have been content to just _watch_ everything, memorizing it. He remembered Luke and Leia playing with the plastic lightsabers he'd given them. Luke was the only one who had later actually asked Anakin to show him how to properly use it. Leia liked to hit things with hers, but she didn't have the same fascination with it as Luke did.

Luke was different than his sister, and his upbringing so far had been vastly different than before. However, Luke was still the same Luke he had known in his previous life, the same Luke who had saved _him_ from the Dark Side.

The Dark Side now had his son.

Would he now have to save _Luke_ from it? A role reversal? Or would Luke resist it? If he resisted it, Palpatine would grow impatient, and would likely kill him. Anakin didn't want Luke to succumb to the Dark Side either, though. He remembered, as Vader, after so many years of serving the Emperor, looking back at the moment he had burned, left alone by Obi-Wan. He had fervently wished that Obi-Wan had just finished it and killed him: He remembered thinking that death was better than the suffering that the Dark Side had brought him. But, as a father, he didn't want to lose his son to death either.

Breathing hard, Anakin set Threepio's head back down on the table, leaning against the frame, his entire body shaking. He felt…. _rage_. Rage the likes of which he had not felt in _years_ , not since before he'd given up the Dark Side. How _dare_ Palpatine hurt his son? How dare he even look at him? Luke was too good, too precious, but also _too_ powerful for a man like Palpatine to ignore.

The _guilt_ he felt was eating him alive. Anakin _should_ have paid more attention. He _should_ have posted guards at the house. He _should_ have put more emphasis on his son's Jedi training, he _should_ have insisted that it was just as, if not more so, important than his regular school work. He should have…

But, he hadn't. He'd failed. He'd failed as a father, as a husband, as a Jedi…He'd failed. Again.

His hands clenched into fists, the rage consuming him, and as he did so, the Force seemed to…not lash out, but more like seep out of his control. The windows of the shop cracked. The tools on the wall shook and tumbled to the floor with a clatter. Unimportant, half-finished projects crumpled like paper. The lights in the room broke, raining down shards of glass, and he was left in the darkness. He wanted to _scream_. To throw something. He wanted to fully let go and see where his rage got him.

But, he already knew the answer to that. His rage, though powerful, would only make things worse. With his family in the house, not that far away….

All of a sudden, the rage drained from him, leaving a numbing despair in its wake that left him a mere shell of a man. He sank to the floor, tears finally spilling over onto his cheeks. He brought his knees up to his chest, burying his face against them. _How_ could he have accomplished so much, and yet achieved so little? Now, his family would suffer for his arrogance, just as they always had.

He didn't know how long he sat there, acting anything but how the normal Anakin Skywalker would act, but eventually he was aware of the door to his workshop creaking open, and he was washed with the presence of his daughter.

Leia.

She stayed at the door, uncertain, as he quickly tried to wipe the tears from his face. "Daddy?" She whispered, her voice hesitant.

"Hey, Leia." He tried to sound normal, but his voice cracked when he said her name. "There's broken glass in here. Don't come in."

"It's okay, Daddy," she said softly. "I put on my shoes." He opened his mouth to protest further, but he could feel (and hear) her coming towards him slowly in the darkness.

She reached him, a shadow in the darkness of the room. "Daddy?" She whispered.

"Yes, Princess?" he asked.

"Can I sit on your lap?"

He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to compose himself, and shifted position. "Of course, Sweetie." Immediately, she found his lap and sat down, her weight pressing against him, and as soon as she was settled, he could feel her reaching through the Force to examine him. He tried to throw up a shield to protect her from the worst of his turmoil, but she wasn't fooled.

"I'm really sad too, Daddy," She whispered, her voice raw with emotion, and she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his neck. "I want Luke to come home, too."

His heart lurched, and for a moment, he was unable to speak. "I'm sorry, Leia," He managed to choke out, knowing that it didn't help at all. Sorry didn't change things. "I haven't given up."

"I know, Daddy," She said, and she pulled away suddenly. In the dim moonlight that filtered through the window, he could see her staring at him intently. "He's alive. I feel it."

Anakin frowned, puzzled. She had also lost her bond to Luke. She _shouldn't_ have been able to feel him at all. "How is that possible, Princess?" He asked, curious.

She shrugged her shoulders. "We always used the Force to talk to each other. He'd always use the Force to find me." She paused, taking a shuddering breath. "I don't know why, but there's _something_ else between us. I can't feel him like I do with the Force, but I _do_ know enough to know he's alive. If he was gone…I'd feel it."

It struck him then, what she was saying. They were twins. Their bond went beyond the Force, beyond mere blood. They were each other's other half. He'd heard stories of twins raised apart that led eerily similar lives, or twins who got sick at the same time. Even without the Force, twins were special. It wasn't the type of bond that could _ever_ be broken, but it was also not the type of bond that could be used to track him down. If he died, it was very likely that Leia would know it. That gave Anakin hope.

At least Luke was alive. For now.

There was a silence, and then, "I want to be a Jedi."

Anakin frowned. Leia had always liked to use the Force, but anytime he had tried to formally train her, she hadn't shown much interest. Unlike Luke, she had taken a keen interest in regular school, and Anakin had wondered if she would _ever_ want to train with him, or would follow her mother's path like she had in their old galaxy and do something with the law or politics. He had thought about trying to convince her to do both, but… "Why?" He asked, surprised.

Leia looked down, and he thought he saw a hint of a frown. "I want to help you and Mommy find Luke." She said honestly. "But, you won't let me if I'm not a Jedi."

That wasn't strictly the reason. She was a child, and with Luke gone, he wasn't anxious to put her in danger. Furthermore, he wanted Luke back _well_ before she was old enough to help them search, though he knew there was a possibility that might not happen. However, _if_ he trained her, the likelihood of her getting hurt or taken was significantly diminished. At the end of the day, he would have gladly trained her anyway. She was his daughter, and just as strong as Luke in the Force. Though Anakin hated that Luke was taken, he was grateful that Leia hadn't been taken as well. He didn't think he could have survived his twins being taken, or Force forbid, all _three_ of his kids being kidnapped.

"I'll train you, Princess," He promised quietly. "And Luke _will_ come home someday. You'll see."

Leia nodded and hugged him again. "I know, Daddy."

* * *

Anakin entered his bedroom quietly, trying not to wake his wife. He could sense good old Jedi, who was resting in his dog bed next to the fireplace in the seating area of their master suite. He felt the dog look up from his spot, but other than a thumping tail wag, he didn't move. His injuries, combined with the dog's older age, discouraged him from jumping all over Anakin like he used to. With a pang in his chest, Anakin realized that he sort of missed that, even if it _had_ driven him crazy at first.

He softly set his bag down on the floor, resolving to put it away in the morning, and made his way over to the bed. "Ani?" A soft voice asked, and Anakin sighed, knowing that his efforts to keep her from waking were in vain.

"Hi, Angel," He said, sitting down on the bed. "How are you feeling?"

She sat up a little, her movements slow and careful, her expression unreadable in the darkness. "I've been better," She remarked dryly. "Vokara says I should be up and walking around soon though."

That did please him. He had been incredibly lucky that he hadn't lost _both_ Luke and Padme that terrible night. To see that at least _she_ was getting better took some of the stress off of his shoulders. Silence elapsed between them. Padme was well aware that Anakin had not found Luke, so she didn't bother to ask.

Still. He could feel her pain radiating through the Force. "Padme," He said softly, but firmly.

Her gaze never left him. "Yes, Ani?"

"I meant what I said. I _will_ bring him home." He waited, watching as she closed her eyes, and a fresh wave of sadness washed over her. There was no blame however, even if he thought she should have blamed him. "I know." She said, opening her eyes to meet his once more.

He hesitated. "It's _not_ just me saying it because that's what I…what _we_ want. He **will** come home." Again, a hesitation. What he was about to say…it was never said lightly. _Anyone_ who knew about the Force knew this. "I swear on the Force, I **will** find him and bring him home, whether that be tomorrow, or even years from now."

Padme drew in a sharp breath, her eyes widening. Force promises were **not** to be taken lightly. Sure enough, as he said those words, the Force responded to him, swelling within him, as if the Force itself were holding him to that promise. He winced—he'd never done this before. Most Jedi didn't, or even Sith, for that matter. The consequences of not following through on that promise were not well-documented, so Force-users avoided it whenever they could. "Ani…are you _sure_ you want to swear on that?" There was grave seriousness in his wife's voice.

"If there was ever a time for it, it would be now." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I've got Jedi looking for him all over the world, Angel. If they stumble on _anything_ , even the smallest clue, they will send that to me in their daily report, and I'll go to investigate."

Padme considered that for a moment before nodding. "Alright. I'll go with you."

Now _that_ made Anakin hesitate. "You're in no condition to be traveling, much less going on missions, Sweetheart."

She rolled her eyes. "I didn't say right _now_. Obviously when I'm well enough."

"Okay, point taken." Still, he didn't like the idea of putting his wife in potential danger, but he also didn't have a right to stop her from helping to look for their son. He'd rather her do that _with_ him than without him.

"What about the kids?"

"Leia is old enough to seriously begin Jedi training. She's told me she wants to, and she's very determined about it."

"I know." He smiled softly, sadly.

"And, Hayden…one of the Jedi could watch him, or we could take him with us, and if it gets too dangerous, I'll bring him home with me." She paused. "I just don't want to sit _here_ waiting and wondering and worrying about what you're going to say when you call. This month has been absolute _torture_ for me, and I just _can't_ do potentially years more of it."

Anakin still wasn't sure he liked the idea, but they had time to work it out. He lay down next to her, his hand resting gently on her hip. He sighed. "We'll work it out, Angel." He said, the exhaustion of the last month suddenly hitting him hard.

"I know." She placed her hand on his cheek, and he leaned into her touch, turning to place a gentle kiss on her palm, then closing his eyes. "We'll find him."

He didn't know how, or when, but he knew _that much_. Somehow, someway, they would get through this, and emerge from it a stronger family. "I know."

* * *

His dreams were full of flying through the stars. Artoo was in the copilot's port, whistling and chittering happily as he gently guided the ship past unknown planets and nebulae, suns and moons. The craft he was in was sort of like a one-man airplane, though sometimes he would press a button and the wings would shift into an 'X' shape.

He felt free. He was in control. As long as he could fly, he could do _anything_.

Soon, though, the dreams began to fade, and he was floating in darkness. _Wake up,_ someone was saying. It was a familiar voice, but he couldn't put a finger on whose it was. _Wake up, Luke._ Slowly, the darkness began to fade, replaced by a blinding white light. He squinted painfully, trying to adjust his eyesight. It took a while, but he eventually managed to clear his vision and finally see around him.

He was in a clean, white room. He lay on a large, comfortable bed, alone. He wore a plain blue shirt, and black sweats. Next to him, on the side table, were his old pajamas, folded neatly, though they were still coated in dirt. He was hooked up to some machines of some sort, machines he didn't recognize. Slowly, he sat up, frowning as he looked around the room. He didn't remember how he'd gotten there, or where he was, or why he was even there. As he tried to think back, a sudden wave of pain hit his head, and he gasped, reaching up to gingerly touch his forehead.

With the pain beginning to fade, he decided to try to remember once the throbbing in his head stopped, and he reached over to his pajamas to try to figure out if he could come up with answers just by examining them. They were filthy, covered in blood, and they smelled…His hands found his shirt pocket, feeling the lump inside of it. Frowning, he reached in and pulled out…

His mother's necklace.

A memory flashed. His mother, in danger. A man stood there, wearing a black mask, holding her, a lightsaber to her neck. Luke had a gun, a gun that he'd found in his mother's drawer. He tried to shoot the man threatening his mom, but he hit his mom instead…

The man had left. He had knelt by his mom's side, her blood all over him, all over the clothes he now held in his hands, and watched helplessly as she'd died. She'd stared at him, and the _look_ in her eyes as she'd faded away held fear, and _blame_. This had happened because of _him_ , and they'd both known it.

The memory sent a fresh wave of agony, both through his head, but mostly through his heart. As if the clothes were on fire, he threw them across the room, breathing hard, shaking, and he moved to throw the necklace…But, something stopped him. He lowered his arm, looking down at the small pendant in his hand. This was his _last_ connection to his mother. His mother had always been kind to him, had always loved him. And, his father…

Another wave of fresh pain as he struggled to remember his father. He groaned, leaning back in the bed, clutching the necklace in his fist. Whatever had happened, he'd seriously gotten a knock to the head. Suddenly, the door opened and in stepped a nurse. She didn't smile as she approached him, going straight to the machines. Luke debated on asking her to see if she knew what was going on, but another figure entered the room that froze the question on his tongue.

An older man.

Luke frowned, studying him, even as the man smiled at him warmly and came to stop at the foot of his bed. He was… _familiar_ somehow, though Luke couldn't place him. He had thick white hair that had a tendency to stick up in random places, making his head look almost angular. He had pale skin, and while the nurse next to him was Asian, this man looked like he was American. "Good afternoon, Luke." He said, his voice warm, and he smiled…but the smile didn't touch his icy blue eyes.

For a moment, Luke just stared uncertainly. "Wh—Who are you?" He managed to stammer, his voice croaking so that it didn't sound like himself.

The man sighed. "It figures you wouldn't remember your rescuer. You went through quite an ordeal." He shook his head, and before Luke could ask what he meant, he continued. "I am Palpatine. I used to serve in the United States Senate, before your father framed me for his own corruption."

Now, Luke was _really_ confused. He tried to think back, to remember if his father had _ever_ mentioned this man before, but once again he was hit with pain. He hissed, reaching up with his free hand to gingerly touch his head. "Why…What's happened to me?" Figure that out first, then figure out what exactly this man was to him.

A sad expression passed over the man's face, and he glanced at the nurse. He said something in a strange language, and the woman abruptly stopped what she was doing and left the room without another word. Once she was gone, the man sat down on the edge of Luke's bed, his body tight, as if he were expecting Luke to turn on him in an instant. "What do you remember, Luke?" Palpatine asked, and something strange passed through his expression.

Luke hesitated. "Every time I try to remember, it hurts."

Palpatine nodded as if he expected this. "The doctors said it would be a side effect of what happened to you, but you should be able to remember if you concentrate." Luke didn't know why the man didn't just tell him. He debated arguing, but _something_ about the man told Luke that he wouldn't appreciate that. So, hesitantly, Luke forced himself to focus on the painful memories. At the first wave of pain, he wanted to retreat like he had the last few times he'd tried to remember, but as he focused, the memories became less hazy, sharpening into focus.

"My…mom died." He began, his mouth going dry at the memories. He quickly shoved those away. If he thought too much about it, he would start crying again, and he had a feeling that this man wouldn't like his tears. He didn't know _why_ , since the man seemed to be nice, but something told him that if he so much as looked at the man wrong, he could get in trouble. "It was an accident, but it was my…my fault." His throat tightened, forcing himself to remember what happened after that. "My dad came home and…found out."

Something was wrong, though. He could _feel_ it as he replayed the memory. But, how could he deny them? They were his memories, after all. "He got mad and blamed me. He…" Now, Luke stopped, replaying the memory, not sure if it really _was_ real or not.

"Go on." The man implored gently, though there seemed to be an almost _eager_ gleam in his eyes.

"He hurt me." The words felt wrong leaving his mouth. "Really badly. I thought he was going to kill me, so I ran away. I got lost in the woods, and I tripped and…I woke up here." His voice had gone soft, and he turned his gaze away from the man, staring off into the distance. Unconsciously, he gripped the pendant in his hand tighter underneath the blanket.

"Why would your father do such a thing to his own son?" The man sounded surprised, but Luke suspected that he'd known the answer already.

Luke frowned, forcing himself to remember further back. Other memories, lonely memories, began to form. "He…never paid much attention to me." It was a struggle to get the words out. He knew the memories were real, but they just _felt_ so wrong. Perhaps they felt that way because he didn't want them to be real.

 _All_ he'd ever wanted was for his father, not just his mother, to love him. "He liked my sister more. She's a lot like him. And, now that baby Hayden is here, he seems to like him more, too." The memory of his new brother, the attention his brother got from his father… _jealousy_ swelled within him. What had he ever done to deserve to be ignored? _Why_ hadn't his father ever liked him? Was he such a disappointment to his father that he _deserved_ to be treated like a stranger in his own family?

Conflict roared within him. His mind kept bouncing between trying to find a way that this was all just a terrible nightmare, and accepting what was happening. "What about your sister?" The man prompted.

Another painful lurch in his chest. His twin. Leia. "We were friends at first," he admitted, "But then she met Ella. She liked playing with her more than me, and now she just wants to play with Hayden." Again, that swell of jealousy. It should have been a familiar feeling by now, given everything he'd gone through but…it didn't feel familiar.

Why?

"Poor child," The older man said, and Luke turned his full attention back on him. His expression reflected pity, but there was still that strange glint in his eyes. "But, you are safe from all of that now."

Something _still_ didn't seem right about the whole situation—other than the fact that he'd essentially murdered his own mother and his father had tried to kill him. "How did you know where to find me?" He tried to keep the suspicion from his voice. He didn't want to make his savior upset.

He didn't seem to take offense, though. "My dear boy, I've _always_ taken an interest in you. You see, before you were born, your father made it seem like I was corrupted, that I had killed and bribed my way into the Senate. In fact, it was actually your mother's parents, your grandparents, who had done all of that. As a result, I was driven into hiding. Now, I am trying to rid the world of the wrongs your father and his Jedi are doing to the world. When I heard of your birth, I thought maybe I could save you, and I had my agents watch you. When Ventress, my assistant, saw your father try to kill you, she saved you and brought you to me. You've been in a coma for the last month."

"A month?" He echoed, his voice disbelieving. He didn't know what a coma was, but he couldn't remember a month going by. Apparently, coma's made you sleep for a really long time.

Palpatine nodded gravely. "But, now you are safe. Your father will _never_ find you, I assure you."

Unease settled in Luke's stomach. It was almost as if a part of him _wanted_ his father to find him. How could he want that, though? He shuddered as he remembered the way his father had looked at him when he'd found out what had happened to his mother. The way he'd advanced on him…

It was suddenly hard to breathe. His chest felt heavy, and it took _all_ of his control not to cry. He wouldn't do that, not yet, not while the man was still staring at him. "What….what happens now?"

The man seemed pleased with this answer. "Can you stand, Luke? I'd like to show you something."

Luke hesitated. "I haven't tried to yet, but…" He carefully threw back the covers, careful to keep the necklace concealed in his fist, and gingerly swung his legs over the side of the bed to try to stand. It took a moment, and when he was standing, he wobbled, but managed to stand.

"Very good." The man stood, turning, though he paused at the sight of his old pajamas littered on the floor. "I thought I had those destroyed." His voice had suddenly changed. There was an _edge_ to it, an edge that made Luke's chest tighten in _fear_ , though he tried not to show it.

"It was there when I woke up." He replied, trying to sound normal.

Palpatine stared at it for a moment longer before sighing. "Good help is so hard to find these days," he said as he began to leave the room. Luke followed, his grip tightening on the necklace. For some reason, he had a feeling that Palpatine would take the necklace away if he saw it. He quickly checked to see if his sweats had pockets. They did, and he quickly tucked the necklace into them. He wanted to keep his mother's necklace. Best to keep it hidden.

Palpatine led him through various corridors. Men and women in dark brown uniforms walked past, all of them looking like they were from some Asian country. " _Where_ are we?" He asked in confusion after they passed a particularly large group patrolling the hallway, their movements completely in sync.

"North Korea." Palpatine answered. "It's one of my strongest allies, but I have plenty of allies across the world. There are other places like this there. Someday, you may visit those places as well." Suddenly, they were entering into a dark room with a window facing an even larger, brighter room, though the floor of that room was a level below them so that Luke had to look down when Palpatine led him to the window. There were plenty of kids down there, perhaps twenty or thirty at most. They all wore baggy, light brown pants, with a darker brown t-shirt. They were all about his age, and they looked to be in a class about learning to fight. They kept their attention on a familiar woman with strange tattoos tugging the corners of her mouth, who was instructing them on how to do a cool-looking kick. The kids tried it, to varying degrees of success.

"These are other children I have saved from the Jedi." Palpatine began to explain, "They're all like you. They have the Force. All of their parents rejected them because of their different abilities. I brought them all here as toddlers. My people, such as Ventress over there," Ventress. Luke took a closer look at her. She was supposedly the woman who saved him. Still, as he looked at her, he couldn't help but feel an _intense_ dislike for the woman. Palpatine was still talking. "They give these kids the ability to someday defeat the Jedi and bring peace back to the world."

Luke pulled his gaze away from the woman. Though some of the kids were clearly less skilled, there were some who picked Ventress' moves up rather quickly. One of them, a girl with dark brown hair and olive colored skin, caught Luke's attention. "That's cool I guess." Luke said, turning back to Palpatine. "Why are you showing me this?"

Palpatine faced Luke. "Because I want _you_ to train with them. See, when all of you turn sixteen, you will engage in a competition. Whoever wins, will not only lead this team, but will also be my personal apprentice. There are a lot of kids down there and in my other hideouts across the world who, because they've been here longer, will have an advantage over you." His stare intensified. "I have a feeling that won't last long, however. You are strong in the Force. If you apply yourself, you could easily defeat everyone and become my apprentice."

Luke was stunned. He glanced down at the kids below. He didn't know any of that stuff. "What if I don't win?" He asked softly, feeling like it was an important question.

Palpatine didn't answer immediately. "You will be part of our army, but you won't be leading." Luke was unsure at first. He tried to imagine himself down there, but it seemed…strange. Different. He'd never thought…

"Think of it like this," Palpatine interrupted his train of thought, "If you work hard enough and become my apprentice, someday you can get revenge on your father and destroy him."

That caught Luke's interest. Did Luke _want_ to destroy his father? The memories flashed through his head again, bringing a fresh wave of anger and betrayal. His father had certainly wanted to destroy _him_. Why shouldn't he want to kill him, too? His father would surely kill him later if they ever met again. Why not at least prepare himself so that he could face him?

Luke turned back to Palpatine, a wave of determination hitting him. "Alright. I'll do it." He said, his voice full of conviction.

A slow smile crept across Palpatine's lips, and something about that smile caused Luke to feel...almost sick for a moment. "Good, good." He said, satisfied. "Now, you'll need to get rid of your name for a new one."

Luke frowned, uncertain again. "What's wrong with Luke Skywalker?"

"It's the name your father gave you, the one he will be looking for you with. Surely, you don't _want_ him to find you, hmm?"

He had a point. If he was going to make a new life for himself, he would need another name. "What name are you thinking of?"

Palpatine considered this for a moment. "Starkiller." He finally said, and the name settled over Luke like a warm blanket. "From now on, you will be known as Starkiller."

"Starkiller," Luke said, tasting the name on his tongue. It was different but somehow, it oddly seemed to fit. "I like it."

"Good." Palpatine said, putting a firm hand on Luke's shoulder, his smile widening. "Welcome to your new life."

* * *

 **This chapter was a hard chapter to write. And I want to make this clear: Anakin is NOT giving up on looking for Luke. It just doesn't logically make sense for him to look by himself. And basically, by looking for Luke, the Jedi are also, to their knowledge, looking for Palpatine. Other than that, what I said last chapter's AN was a big reason why this chapter was so difficult to write.**

 **The song for this chapter, and really the theme song going forward, is "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Lorde.**

 **Someone asked about Satine remembering. Basically, she has had dreams, but she doesn't have her memories like Padme, Anakin, Obi-Wan, etc do. She trusts her husband though, and adores their little girls, and is a cool lawyer lady.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	58. The Bounty Hunter

**About** **8** **years** **later,** **somewhere** **in** **Namibia,** **Africa...**

He would _kill_ Palpatine. He would kill him, if it was the last thing he _ever_ did!

Luke chanted this over and over again in his head as he made his way over the tops of the dunes, headed in the direction where he knew the closest town was. The sun scorched down upon him, his black suit soaking in the rays of heat. Numbly, he wished for about the thousandth time since the truck he'd stolen from the destroyed, lonely base had run out of gas, that he'd own something that wasn't _so_ darkly colored. He didn't remove any of the clothing however. Exposing even _more_ of his skin to the sun would only put him in a far worse situation. He could make the best of dehydration (although not very much). It would be impossible, however, to fight dehydration _and_ sun sickness.

He couldn't die. Not now. Not after he'd _finally_ realized just how much of a monster Palpatine truly was.

The thought of the man, the man he had grown to idolize over the years, made him clench his teeth in pure _hatred_. The Force flowed through him, wanting to be released, but…he was in the middle of nowhere. There was nothing he could do with it except maybe cause a sandstorm. There was literally _nothing_ but sand everywhere he looked...as far as his eyes could see. He only knew that he was heading in the right direction because he'd extensively studied the area before he showed up a few days before. And now…

Everything was gone. _Everything_ , all that he had, all that he had _believed_ in, it was all gone. He was alone in the world, with a vow to hunt Palpatine down and kill him with his own lightsaber, the same lightsaber that hung from his belt, thumping against his leg. He paused for a moment, pulling out his canteen, uncapping the lid and going to take a drink.

Empty.

Luke cursed, tempted to throw the now useless item down the sand dune, but he wasn't an idiot. If he did manage to find water (unlikely) before he hit the town, it would be wise to have something to collect it in and ration it out with. He had enough control over himself _not_ to make rash decisions like that.

Well. _Usually_.

He hadn't been rational a few days ago, when his whole world had fallen apart and his master, the man who had saved him from certain death, had _betrayed_ him. He snarled and continued forward.

Hours went by. Despite having had rigorous survival training, there wasn't much he could do without water and being in one of the hottest deserts in the world. And the dunes, the tallest in the world, weren't exactly _easy_ to stay on top of either. One wrong step and he would trip and roll down one of these immense piles of sand, or his leg would sink into the side, filling his boot with sand, essentially trapping him. The sun beat down on him, drenching him in sweat. He was losing water too fast—how long before he got to town? He wasn't sure anymore.

Force. He was really starting to _hate_ sand.

Soon, as he stared determinedly off into the distance, images began to form. He had enough sanity to know that they were just mirages. Most of the time they were of great, cool lakes, beckoning him to hurry and come swim in it. He ignored the temptation to break out into a run to get to it. It wasn't there. There weren't lakes _here_ , so it would be a waste of precious energy.

But soon, the mirages began to take other forms. Palpatine, and that stupid, deceptively kind smile of his. Luke had always known that Palpatine wasn't as kind as he portrayed himself to be, but he hadn't realized just how much so. "I _will_ kill you,you _bastard,_ " Luke snarled at the image, "Just you wait, old man. I _know_ how to find you!"

The image faded, as if Palpatine could sense that Luke was coming for him and was going into hiding. The real Palpatine most certainly was already on the move, after what Luke had done to the Namibian base…

Another image replaced it. His mother, smiling, beckoning to him with arms outstretched and open wide. An old, familiar pain suddenly swelled in his chest. "Come home, my son," she seemed to say, "Come home." Except that home for her was now within the Force, where her spirit had gone when she'd died. After everything, that offer _might_ have been tempting, and if he didn't find the town soon, he could end up _unwillingly_ "going home," but he couldn't. Not while Palpatine was still out there, gloating…

"Sorry, Mom," he said, not for the first time since he'd accidentally killed her. He could feel her necklace, the one he _always_ wore hidden beneath his shirt, brushing uncomfortably against his sweaty neck. "I can't. Not yet." The image of his mother disappeared, replaced by…

 _Her._

He stopped, breath hitching in his throat. Dark hair falling elegantly down her back like a midnight waterfall. Tantalizing gray eyes that drew him in. Olive skin that seemed to glow in the sunlight. Lips that were full, that he knew were soft, gentle…

She smiled, revealing laugh lines around her eyes and mouth. She was perfection. She was…

"Fireheart," He breathed, and paused. That had been her name under Palpatine's Inquisitors, the name they'd called their… _unique_ organization. He hadn't known her real name until recently, and now that he knew it, it came to his lips, spoken with reverence. " _Talia_."

She reached out…and then she too began to disappear.

That's when he did something idiotic. Then again, she had _always_ had a knack for causing him to do the stupidest things. If he hadn't let her into his carefully constructed defenses, perhaps he'd still be serving under Palpatine as his apprentice.

He burst into a run, chasing the mirage as it faded. "No," He gasped between dry, ragged breaths, " _No!_ " It didn't take long before he'd tripped over his own feet, and he went falling, rolling, down, down the steep side of the dune, sand coating his sweat-drenched skin, the inside of his mouth, getting in his eyes...

Oh, yeah. He _hated_ sand alright.

When he finally stopped tumbling about halfway down, half of his body submerged in the sand, he groaned, lifting his head, looking back in the direction he'd last seen her. There was nothing there. Just more blasted sand. He cursed at his own stupidity and lay there, trying to get the energy up to get back on his feet and continue his way across the unforgiving desert.

* * *

KKKKKKKK

 _Finally._ Civilization...well, _sort of._

The town he reached was small, not even small enough to get regular speeder traffic, or _any_ traffic for that matter. The only aircraft that flew in the town's skies above him were freighters and sky buses, although sky buses were rare, as he found out when he managed to find a bus station. Ground buses were even rarer. Just his cursed luck. He knew that Palpatine would immediately have branded him a traitor, and would have sent other Inquisitors to look for him. The first logical place _to_ look would be the closest town. So, Luke knew he needed to get out of town - _quickly_ \- before he had a fight on his hands.

Without any money, he mind-tricked the ticket agent for a ticket and went looking for a place to wait. A large, junky-looking freighter flew overhead, practically drowning everything out. Luke looked up at it longingly—he could remember a time when the skies only had planes. Even though planes were still common, there was just about an equal use of personal flyers and regular cars these days.

Although Luke hadn't _exactly_ had as much time to think about the mechanics behind the craft's technology over the last eight years, he still couldn't help but admire them. There were some things his father _had_ passed down to him that he just couldn't ignore - or change. His love of mechanics and technology being one of them. He scowled at the thought of _him,_ and entered a run-down bar.

At this time of day, there weren't many patrons, thankfully. Even though Luke was only sixteen, the drinking age for most countries on the planet was much lower than the United States, so no one tried to ID him or kick him out as he approached the bar. However, those who _were_ in the room, looked him over anyway. He had to admit...he _did_ stand out. He was a pasty white, blonde-haired teenager with bright blue eyes, dressed all in black. There _were_ , of course, white people in Africa, despite what most of the world thought, so when the bartender approached and, in heavily accented English, asked Luke what he wanted to drink, Luke made sure to slip into a local accent when he asked for a simple glass of water.

The accent seemed to cause people to lose interest in him, and they went back to their mugs. Luke made himself comfortable as the bartender set the glass of water before him. Luke tried not to look _too_ eager as he gulped the water down, but failed miserably. "Too much fun in the sun, eh, boy?" The bartender asked with a smirk.

Luke cracked an easy smile. "Something like that." The bartender laughed, shook his head, and poured him another glass of water.

In the far corner of the bar hung an old, outdated television. The picture wasn't clear, but it was tuned in to the local news station. Having a few hours to spare, Luke kept an eye on it as he drank, the water soothing his parched throat. Most of the news settled around the country's internal affairs or the affairs of other surrounding African countries. Luke only had a general knowledge of such things, so he tuned most of it out.

That is, until the world news segment came on. _That_ caught his attention immediately.

The newscaster's heavily accented English filled the space, talking about NASA and their recent goal to send mining droids to Jupiter. NASA was no longer just an American organization. It had become an international organization for the entire world, with funding and staffing personnel from a myriad of nations. It was still based in Houston, Texas, though.

There were colonies of humans on Mars now, with only a few hours of travel now necessary between the two planets. Though the organization brought back painful memories for him, Luke couldn't help but still take an intense interest in it. His dreams were full of space flight…

"…Yesterday's inauguration of the new head of NASA, Anakin Skywalker…"

Every muscle in Luke's body tensed as the image of his father addressing a rapt crowd of people filled the screen. Luke barely had time to notice that his father, though beginning to gray ever so _slightly_ at the temples, had aged very well for being, what, in his late thirties now? Luke didn't remember exactly, and he really didn't _care_. The Force, having been barely kept in check since the destruction of the base a few days before, lashed out, coated in darkness in anger, and…

Glasses behind the bar shattered. The TV cracked and caved in on itself in a shower of sparks. Cries of alarm erupted around him, and the bartender ducked for cover. Luke forced himself to take deep breaths, controlling his anger until things stopped breaking, and stood up. It wouldn't do to stay around after he'd destroyed a bar, and if anyone was out looking for him in the town, they _certainly_ would have felt his surge of power through the Force.

Yeah, they would show up here soon enough.

He turned and left, casually striding out into the street where he began to wander. Perhaps he could find a grocery store or somewhere he could buy water…but he didn't have money. He had resorted to trickery to get his skybus ticket. That trick wouldn't always work, though. He could always steal what he needed: His expertise hadn't been in stealing, but he knew how to do it effectively if it came down to it.

No, _his_ expertise had been in taking people down, killing them, a veritable assassin…people he had thought were the enemy, but now…He stopped.

He had sworn to hunt Palpatine down. He knew that he could do it….it would take time, yes, but he could do it. No. He _would_ do it. But, how? He had nothing left. Everything, everyone, was gone. Perhaps…

 _Leia._

Unlike _some_ people in his family, he didn't hate Leia. She hadn't paid very much attention to him, hadn't really cared about him, but she wasn't ever _cruel_ to him. Or, at least, she _hadn't_ been, the last time he'd seen her. Palpatine would likely expect him to go to her for help, but if he _could_ make contact, very carefully…

That still left the problem of running into _him_. Another wave of hatred, and his hands clenched into fists. No, he couldn't try contacting her. If his father found out, he'd come after Luke and try to kill him again. Palpatine hadn't needed to lie about that. Besides, after he'd killed their mother, Leia probably wouldn't want to help him anyway.

No. He was on his own. He'd have to find a way to make money while not deviating from his hunt for Palpatine…

Suddenly, the hair on the back of his neck stood up as a tingle of warning flashed through the Force. Concentrating, Luke reached out with the Force, searching for the source. Sure enough, there were two Force-sensitives in the area. They must have not cared if he sensed them, because neither one was covering their presence. One of them was creeping towards him, while the other was headed quickly after the other one. Luke frowned. Partners weren't supposed to leave each other behind, not alive at least. They clearly weren't very well trained. Why would Palpatine send un-trained Inquisitors after him?

That made _no_ sense...and wasn't his style.

Nevertheless, he didn't feel like waiting around to find out. He began to move, quickly, but not so quickly that he drew attention to himself. As he did so, he cloaked his presence. He would work around and come up on them from behind. He would take care of them quickly and quietly. They would _not_ stop him from his revenge. No one would.

He felt one of them halt, hesitating, probably searching for him. He made sure to hide himself even deeper in the Force. As he moved, ducking down alleys and empty streets to double back, he made sure those who passed by him didn't notice him by diverting their attention away from him. As far as anyone knew, he was a shadow, a ghost. It wouldn't work on strong-minded people, but most of the people who wandered aimlessly around these streets would fall prey to his tricks.

He reached an empty, slightly overgrown courtyard. He could feel the presences on just the other side. One of them paused, while the other seemed to be sneaking up on the other. Luke frowned. That couldn't be right, but he intended to find out what was going on, on _his_ terms. He moved himself into position, making sure that neither of them could loop around and try to ambush him from behind, and released his presence back into the Force.

The lead presence perked up, and began to run down the alley that would lead them straight into the courtyard. Luke pulled out his lightsaber, waiting, tense and ready to fight, like a panther ready to spring. He didn't have to wait long. Soon, an older man came running into the courtyard, breathing hard, acting as if he didn't care that Luke had chosen an obvious ambush point.

Luke didn't bother to question it though. He'd learned to attack first and ask questions later if he wanted to live. Stepping out of the shadows, Luke reached out with his hand, using the Force to physically grab the man and lift him into the air. The man panicked, flailing, and though that was _not_ the reaction of an Inquisitor, Luke didn't let him down. "S-Stop!" the man begged, "I n-need…"

"You need to keep your mouth shut." Luke calmly said, though his voice was laced with menace. He could feel the _other_ Force presence approaching, feel it pause just at the mouth of the alleyway. He ignited his lightsaber with his other hand, the crimson blade glowing brightly. "I know you're there. Show yourself!" He called impatiently. There was still that slight hesitation before the figure stepped out of the shadows.

A woman. Or really, a girl, no older than he was. She was just slightly shorter than his own 5 feet 8 inches, with pale skin and fire-red hair. She frowned, taking a really good look at him, and he thought he saw recognition in her intense emerald green eyes. She certainly didn't dress like an Inquisitor: She wore tight black pants with a belt holding a lightsaber hilt, with an elbow-length cream shirt with a black leather, zipped up vest over it. She had an over-the-shoulder gun holster with two guns resting within easy reach to the sides of her chest. Though she was armed to the teeth, she didn't attempt to pull her weapons on him. She didn't even go for it. She just…stared at him, like she _knew_ him, somehow.

Well. He certainly didn't know _her_. He would have remembered someone who looked like her. His mouth went dry and he felt a wave of goosebumps sweep over him.

"P-please, _don't_ t-turn me over to her!" The man in the air wailed, and Luke was tempted to crush his windpipe. It wouldn't take much adjustment in the Force. It was easy to do. After all, he'd done it before. Often. Luke ignored him instead, shifting his lightsaber so that it was between her and him. If she attacked, he would kill the man then move to engage her in battle.

But, she didn't move. She just continued to stare at him.

"You don't look like Inquisitors." He glanced back at the man—in fact, the man was too old to be one. He was a full grown adult.

The man seized on this, begging. "No, I sensed you through the Force! She's trying to _kill_ me! Please protect me!"

Luke scrunched his face up in disgust. "Are you a Jedi?" He didn't dare turn the blade from the woman. He had a feeling she was the bigger threat to him. But, the man… Luke reached out through the Force, putting pressure on the man's esophagus.

The man panicked more. "No! I _swear_!" He managed to gasp out, his face turning red.

So, a renegade Force user. There were plenty of them around, some of them more aware of their abilities than others. If they weren't picked up to join the Jedi, Palpatine had ordered his own forces to bring them in for questioning. Had Luke still served Palpatine, he would have done so with this man.

That still left this mysterious girl though.

"Stop choking him." Her voice, though clear and melodic in quality, was hard, commanding. He looked back at her. She had stepped forward, but she still hadn't gone for her weapon. Her jaw was clenched in determination, and she kept looking from him to the red saber he held in his hands, her eyes flickering between recognition and confusion. "I need him alive."

Luke scoffed. "Clearly, you're _not_ an Inquisitor either."

"I don't know what _that_ is." She growled, though it was half-hearted.

"And what about the _Jedi_?" Luke countered with a disbelieving arch of his eyebrow, raising his lightsaber a little higher. A warning for her to stay where she was.

"I'm not a Jedi." So, she knew _of_ the Jedi, or at least she'd _implied_ that she had. Slowly, Luke released his grip on the man's throat, listening to the man sputter as he still dangled in the air.

"If you're not a Jedi and you're not an Inquisitor, _who_ are you and what the _hell_ are you doing out here?" Luke demanded coolly.

She indicated the frightened man with with a flick of her wrist. "He's got a huge bounty on his head. I'm here to collect."

That spiked Luke's interest. A bounty, huh? He looked at the man, wondering vaguely what he did to achieve a bounty. It didn't really matter, but it _was_ intriguing. A bounty meant money…sometimes, really _good_ money, he knew. He'd run into bounty hunters enough to know the sort of money they collected. It would certainly be enough of a sum to get the resources he needed to go after Palpatine. Furthermore, _many_ of the people he would need to interrogate to get Palpatine's exact location had bounties on their heads…dead or alive bounties. Perhaps…

"I don't think so." He grinned. "I'm pretty sure _I'm_ the one who is going to collect."

She opened her mouth, obviously about to protest…and then stopped, a peculiar expression passing over her face. " _I'm_ the one who chased him out of hiding. _You_ wouldn't have caught him if it weren't for me."

Luke shrugged, smirking. "So? I'm _still_ the one who has him in my grip."

"O-Or, neither of you turn me in, and I pay you back!" The man interrupted.

Luke glanced at him again, and then turned back to the young woman. "How much _**is**_ his bounty, anyway?"

He didn't actually expect the woman to answer, but she surprised him. "Twenty thousand."

Luke stared back up at the man. "Well? Do you have more than _that_?" By the man's sudden silence, Luke knew the answer. "Looks like you're getting turned in, pal."

"I told you, I was the one who flushed him out, I…" The woman started, but Luke interrupted her.

"Sorry. But, I'm pretty sure it's whoever _catches_ him and brings him _in_ is the one who gets the money." He shot a sarcastic grin at her. "So, unless you plan on fighting me for him, I'll be on my way. I have a bounty to collect." He had no idea who to turn him into, but he was pretty sure he could get that information out of the man's head rather easily. He _clearly_ wasn't trained to do _anything_ with his Force abilities.

" _Or_ ," the red-headed woman, folding her arms across her chest and cocking her hip almost nonchalantly, said as Luke reached into the Force and sent a silent command to the man to go to sleep. He did, going limp in the air. " _We_ could bring him in together and _split_ the money."

Luke had begun to set the man down on the ground, but that suggestion gave him pause. He looked at her again, sizing her up, wondering once more _why_ she hadn't attacked him. He had a sneaking suspicion that she normally _wouldn't_ put up with this behavior. So, _why_ was she not only _not_ attacking him, but also offering to split a bounty with him? He found himself fascinated and intrigued by her, despite himself. "Now, _why_ would I want to do _that_?" He asked suspiciously.

She shrugged, almost too casually. "With our combined efforts, we captured him. It's only fair." Since when were bounty hunters fair? "Besides," it was _her_ turn to cast _him_ a mocking smirk, "you don't know where to turn him in at. But, I'll give you a hint: It's _not_ in Namibia."

That did present a problem. Luke didn't even have his own transportation, and, judging by the position of the sun in in the sky, he had likely missed his skybus pick up. Even if he hadn't though, it wasn't exactly inconspicuous to be dragging around an unconscious criminal by levitating him with the Force. "So, What?... are you offering to give me a ride?" He asked sarcastically.

"Actually," She said calmly, "That's _exactly_ what I'm offering, in exchange for half the bounty. Deal?" She looked pained at the suggestion, which once more made him wonder _why_ she was offering. "I've got a couple of friends who help me with my…business. They're smugglers, so they've got a place to stash him until we arrive." She paused, staring hard at him. "They fly a YT-1300f Light Freighter."

She said it as if that should spark some recognition in him. He blinked at her. "I know the model," he said warily. In fact, he was pretty sure he'd seen one fly overhead earlier that day. It hadn't been a _very_ popular model of ship. "As long as it can get us to where we need to go, it doesn't really matter _what_ model they're using, does it?"

Something like disappointment flashed over her expression. "Right." She said softly, "Well, the offer still stands." He stared at her, holding the lightsaber out defensively between them, deciding if this was some sort of trick. When he reached out and probed her presence, however, she seemed like she was telling the truth.

"Do you… _know_ me from somewhere?" He asked, his look pensive and cautious. He was certain he'd _never_ seen her before, but she _seemed_ to know him for some reason.

An unreadable expression flashed across her face, gone before he could identify it. "No. I'm just suggesting the logical." What she was suggesting wasn't logical for most bounty hunters, but… _something_ in the Force seemed to whisper for him to take her up on her offer, against his better judgment. Something…

"Alright," He said, deactivating his lightsaber and returning it back to his belt. "I accept. Let's get this guy back to meet your ' _friends_.'"

She didn't object, but she did continue to look at him strangely, as if he were a ghost. "My name is Mara Jade."

Again, another expectant look.

Well. He'd definitely have to keep an eye on her for as long as they were sharing the same personal space. "Luke." It had been so long since he'd given that name out to anyone but...He dropped that thought.

"Luke Skywalker."

* * *

 **I'm going to say this again: I've had this part of the story intricately planned since before I ever planned the first part of this story. I also mentioned a long time ago that I was combining the first part with the second part, mainly because I didn't want this story spread into separate, multiple parts. I like having my fanfic in one place. So, since this is the second part, obviously there's going to be a shift of focus and tone. I have big plans for this, but I will of course listen to suggestions and implement ones that I think could work in what I have planned. I have incorporated multiple reviewer's ideas throughout the story. However, I can't make every single idea work, and I'm not going to include things that I don't think make sense.**

 **Luke is NOT fully Dark Side. I will revisit what happened in those years he was in Palpatine's control, but I don't think Luke could ever be fully brought over to the Dark Side. We shall see what happens. Why does Luke hate Palpatine so much? Why did he ditch him? Who are the 'friends' Mara Jade mentioned? (Although if you know the model, which you should, you already have that answer). Stay tuned!**

 **The song for this chapter was A Thief's End from Uncharted 4.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	59. Strange Visions

**AN: LAST time skip for the REST of the story. Promise!**

 **One year later…**

 _Anakin stood in a large room full of kids. None of them looked much older than thirteen. They all wore the same outfit, like a uniform of some sort, all plain and neutral. Even in the dream, Anakin could feel that despite their average appearance, they were strong in the Force. Confused, he tried to see if he could recognize any of them. His own Jedi Academy had flourished and grown, with JA branches being built in several hidden locations all over the world. He didn't have a personal relationship with_ _ **all**_ _of the up and coming Jedi, of course, but as the Order's Grand Masters, he and Obi-Wan did go to meet with them in organized assemblies frequently._

 _He didn't know any of these kids, though. What's more, the longer he tried to read them through the Force, he realized they had a Dark sense to them. They all stood, staring at something up front. Anakin turned around, trying to make sense of the vision—for this_ _ **had**_ _to be a Force vision. It was too realistic to be just a normal dream. When was the last time he'd had a vision? It had to be years ago. He didn't know exactly, but he watched tentatively as it played out before him._

 _There was an opening at the front of the room. A man held two wooden sparring sabers. "Get up here, boy," he snarled at one of the kids up front. Anakin frowned, trying to get a good look at the kid. All he could see was a mop of unruly blonde hair…The boy, though somewhat small in build, calmly and confidently headed up to the front, finally giving Anakin a full view, making him catch his breath as his heart suddenly kicked into overdrive._

 _ **Luke.**_

 _Anakin opened his mouth, tried to call for his son, the child he had been looking for relentlessly for so many years. No sound came out of his mouth, though. He tried to move, but he was stuck in place, as if rooted to the floor, forced to watch as his son took one of the sparring sabers in his hand. Anakin memorized every detail of his son, even though logic told him that after so long, Luke definitely wouldn't look thirteen anymore. He seemed well-fed, but his skin was pale, as if he rarely went outside anymore. He was in sore need of a haircut, but most thirteen-year-old boys needed one. To anyone else, Luke looked like any normal teenage boy. Except his Skywalker eyes. His blue eyes...they were guarded, but through that defense, Anakin saw a familiar sight glittering in their depths: Anger. Hatred. Guilt. They were familiar because_ _ **he**_ _had once been that way, and it had been something that Anakin_ _ **never**_ _wanted for his son. Anakin was amazed at how very much like himself at that age Luke looked. Yes, even down to his_ _ **soul**_ _, it would seem._

" _Fireheart!" The man barked, and Anakin realized he was staring right at_ _ **him.**_ _"Get up here."_

 _There were some quiet cheers from the other kids, and as Anakin began walking up there (not of his own accord), some people clapped him on the back. A few things became clearer then: First, he was clearly witnessing someone's memories. Second, whoever this person was, they were well-liked by the other kids while Luke was, at least, ignored by them. Third, when he looked back at Luke as he took his own sparring stick, he saw a sort of wildfire burning deep in his son's eyes that made him, or the person he was seeing through, hesitate._

 _But only for a moment. The bigger man stepped away. "Begin." He ordered, and Anakin was suddenly lunging forward, attacking Luke with all the ferocity of a Sith Apprentice. Luke immediately moved into a defensive position, keeping up with the blows, albeit barely. That seemed to give this person Anakin seemed to embody confidence, and they moved faster, trying to land a blow to Luke. Luke wouldn't let them, however, and kept blocking, his eyes still full of that smoldering fire._

 _Anakin, an experienced master saber fighter, knew_ _ **exactly**_ _what Luke was doing, even if the person whose memories this vision belonged to didn't. Although this person was fierce, they were also leaving themselves open to plenty of opportunities to be attacked. Luke was merely biding his time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to exploit that, and if this was a real battle, it could mean life or death. Sure enough, Luke soon spotted an opening, and with a twisting smirk and a flash of triumph in his gaze, suddenly Luke was the one on the attack, driving 'Anakin' back amidst murmurs of surprise from the others present. His blows were hard, swift, and sure, and Anakin couldn't help but think back to that moment on the second Death Star when Luke had attacked him after he'd suggested turning Leia to the Dark Side. Obviously, his son_ _ **was**_ _a natural saber fighter. It must be in the Skywalker genes, Anakin figured._

 _In a split second, Luke smoothly and masterfully maneuvered the stick, successfully disarming his opponent, the weapon clattering to the floor. Anakin saw the person Luke was fighting against dive for the weapon, but Luke had already reached out, using the Force to call it into his own hand. Anakin ended up on his knees as Luke brought both weapons to his neck, crossing the wooden blades. He stared up into his son's blue eyes, watching the closed off expression on his Luke's face that did nothing to hide the gleam of triumph in his eyes. Another memory, this time one of Anakin's own, flashed through his head: Count Dooku, kneeling before Anakin in the same position aboard Grievous' ship with Palpatine looking on, encouraging Anakin to do the unthinkable. Anakin had not been merciful then, and with a sinking feeling in his gut, Anakin didn't think Luke would have been merciful now either had this been a real fight. "Yield." Luke said, his now deeper voice speaking with a tone that was firm, uncompromising, and commanding. It wasn't a tone that_ _ **any**_ _thirteen-year-old should have, and it sent shivers of pure dread up Anakin's spine._

 _There was a moment's pause, before the person whose memory this was finally let out a frustrated huff. "I yield." The voice was feminine…and full of anger. For a moment, Luke stayed still: the other kids watched the exchange in stunned silence. Clearly, they hadn't expected_ _ **this**_ _outcome. Anakin himself wondered if Luke would let her leave the duel unscathed. Vader wouldn't have._

 _But, Luke was not Vader. He smirked, finally dropped the sparring sticks to the floor with a loud clatter, turned, and disappeared into the stunned crowd of children, who parted to make way for him._

Anakin jerked upright in bed, gasping and drenched in sweat, as if he really had just dueled his own son. He looked around wildly in the darkened room, trying to ground himself back in reality and having trouble doing so. He glanced over at the sleeping form of his wife, curled up under their comforter with her arm wrapped around a pillow. Other than a brief shifting of position, she didn't seem to have been disturbed by Anakin's sudden jolting movement. He forced himself to take deep, even breaths to calm his racing heart, though that did nothing for his whirling mind. He hadn't had a Force vision in so very long…he couldn't even remember the last time he'd had one. The last nine years, he'd practically _begged_ and _pleaded_ with the Force to show him something, _anything_ of his son, but it never had. Until now. But, _why?_ He wondered, running a hand through his hair. Why now? He needed answers, and sitting upright in bed next to his sleeping wife was _not_ a good place to get those answers.

Carefully, so as not to disturb Padme, he eased out of bed, before tip-toeing quietly out of their bedroom and into the hallway, then making his way downstairs. He paused about halfway down, realizing that the light in the kitchen was on. He reached out with the Force, hoping that it wasn't 9-year-old Hayden trying to sneak all of Padme's homemade chocolate chip and pecan cookies out of the cupboard again, but to his surprise, he found Leia's presence. She sensed him at the same time he sensed her, and he could feel her curiosity as well. He continued down the stairs to join her in their sprawling white kitchen.

"Hey, Dad," she said softly, as he came into the kitchen, dressed in a white V-neck t-shirt and his blue, white and gray thin-striped pajama pants. She was wearing a gray tank top and sleep shorts, a mug of chamomile herbal tea in front of her while she looked over whatever was on her iPad. Her long, dark hair, so like her mother's, was, as usual when she was home, braided loosely. "Why are you awake?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Anakin pointed out with a small smile. "The first day of your senior year starts in the morning. You _should_ be getting some sleep."

She nodded, taking a sip of her tea. "I know, I know," She sighed, "I just…couldn't sleep." She threw him a wry smile. "Maybe because _someone's_ been letting me stay up super late all summer."

She did have a point, but it wasn't entirely _his_ idea. Leia used the summer to hit her Jedi-training hard—when she wasn't helping him look for Luke, that is. Over the last nine years, anytime they'd had _any_ sort of clue, no matter if it was miniscule or small, they went after it. It was a hunt that had taken them all over the world. Once, they'd even found one of Palpatine's bases, though most of the personnel had evacuated by the time they'd gotten there. They had captured all the remaining base personnel and taken them to the JA in Houston and had interrogated them there. Since Galen, now 25, had become a Jedi Knight three years ago, Leia had become Anakin's padawan, and she had accompanied him on many of the missions. Ahsoka, now 38 and married to Lux Bonteri with two pre-teen kids of her own, had joined in as often asshe could, as had Obi-Wan. Padme had also joined them occasionally, leaving Hayden with Satine and her and Obi-Wan's two girls, 14-year-old Ella and 10-½-year-old Rachel, and guarded by other Jedi Knights.

"So," Leia prompted, raising an eyebrow. "Why are you awake?"

Anakin sighed and sat down across from her at the kitchen table, running his hand again through his hair. Should he tell her? He didn't want to get her hopes up if it didn't lead to anything. Every time they went after a clue, he could always see the bright hope in her eyes, which deflated when they turned up empty handed. It _killed_ him inside to see his only daughter like that. He wished he had better answers for her, but he didn't. Not yet, anyway. "I-I had a dream." He caught her eye. "A Force vision."

Leia was never one to make a big show with her reactions. Still, her eyes lit up with interest. "Oh?" She said carefully, waiting for him to elaborate.

He hesitated, still not sure if he wanted to get her hopes up. He didn't think he could lie to her though, and she wouldn't leave it alone until he told her, so he gave in. "I saw Luke in it."

Leia's face paled, and she straightened in her seat immediately, setting the iPad down on the table. "Seriously?" She echoed in wonder, "W-what happened? Did it give you _any_ clues as to where he is? Did he look…hurt? Was it something in the future or…"

"Leia," He held up a hand, cutting her off. "It was from the past. I saw him through the memories of one of the girls he was with…."

Now, it was Leia's turn to interrupt. "Wait. You saw the memory….through a girl's eyes?" He could see the humor in her eyes, though she was trying hard to hold back laughter. Good thing, too. He may have been close with his daughter, but there was still a line she knew _not_ to cross.

He shot her a warning glare. "I don't control it, okay?" He grumbled. "Anyhow, it's more than we've had in years." He went on to describe the dream in detail to her, hoping that she would perhaps see something in it that he hadn't.

When he finished, her brief moment of humor was gone, replaced by a contemplative frown. "Well, I think that definitely confirms our theory that Palpatine has been gathering Force Sensitive children." She said darkly. They had long suspected it after they'd found that base a few years back and found evidence of multiple Force-Sensitives having lived and trained there. "That's certainly _not_ a good sign."

Anakin had to agree with her there. "But, it still doesn't tell us _where_ he is."

"You're right," Leia agreed solemnly, "It doesn't. But, that doesn't mean it _won't_ soon though. Perhaps you'll have more of these visions about Luke."

Anakin wasn't sure about that. His visions had always tended to go on repeat until the tragedy was over. He didn't mention that to Leia though. He didn't want her to think that the vision somehow meant that Luke was going to face a tragic situation anytime soon…even if that _was_ exactly what it meant. They were already worried enough for him as it was. Even if, as a family, they _had_ managed to…not deal with it, no, but learn to _live_ with it over the years, they were still terrified for whatever it was Luke had gone through during this time away from them.

"I have news, too." Leia suddenly said, pushing her iPad to him. "Look what was _just_ reported an hour ago on the wires."

Anakin eagerly took the iPad in his hands, hoping that it was something that could lead him to Luke…and stopped, the hope going cold. Just more news about the mysterious "Starkiller" that had sprung into the spotlight over the last year. He'd been active for longer: He had, just four years before, been the cause for Neeja's murder. Anakin scowled, remembering the day he and Obi-Wan had been comm'd by the Jedi in Nepal with the news. Some masked Force sensitives had snuck in and stolen lightsaber crystals. Neeja had tried to stop them, but one of them killed him. The Jedi who had seen the incident said they called the one who'd done it "Starkiller." At the time, it had been so random, so sudden, but after they'd found that compound of Palpatine's and he'd just seen this vision, it started to make sense.

Neeja's killer had disappeared for years, without a trace, and after the Jedi Master's death, Anakin and Obi-Wan had then installed Jedi Master Quinlan Vos, whom they had fought with in their old galaxy in the Clone Wars as the new leader of the Jedi in Nepal and Guardian of the Crystal Temple. Then, suddenly, a year ago, Starkiller started popping up everywhere, killing government officials from various countries across the world, leaving his name _purposefully_ behind at the scene. Investigators hypothesized that the killer was _proud_ of the kills, like a typical serial killer. They may have been right, but Anakin didn't think so, if only for the reason that _each_ of the kills had been officials the Jedi had suspected (but with no proof) to be working with Palpatine. It was almost like this Starkiller was on an orchestrated step-by-step hunt, and he was making his ultimate prey aware that _he_ was coming for _them_. It was an interesting theory, but Starkiller wasn't exactly high on Anakin's priority list. They were certainly up there, but finding his son came first….

Wait a minute.

Anakin frowned, reading the name of the victim. Lt. Joakin Strife. A war lord that the Jedi _knew_ without a shadow of a doubt was working for Palpatine. Anakin had actually found the info while on a search for Luke, and he'd come with his Jedi looking for him with the hopes that the man would know something of Palpatine's whereabouts, or even better, Luke's, but he'd never found his exact location. Now, Starkiller had taken him out, left his 'calling card' and disappeared without a trace. Again.

So, he _was_ right. Starkiller, who, after Neeja's murder, he'd assumed was working _for_ Palpatine, was now, apparently, turned _against_ the Sith Lord, and was tracking him down as well. Unlike Anakin, though, Starkiller seemed to know **who** to target, and he didn't seem to care if Palpatine knew he was coming to kill him or not. Anakin had to hand it to him. It was gutsy. Foolish, yes, but gutsy. As Anakin read the information over and over again, he began to feel the Force nudge within him, as if…"We need to find Starkiller." The words were out of his mouth before he realized what he was saying, and he could feel Leia's startled gaze on him.

" _Find_ him?" She echoed, her eyebrows furrowing, "To…bring him to justice? To stop his killing spree?"

Maybe. Eventually he would have liked to do that, but somehow, he didn't feel like that was the goal this time. He shook his head. "No, I just….have a _feeling_." He frowned, closing his eyes and concentrating on the growing prompting from the Force. "I _think_ Starkiller is our key to finding Palpatine." He met Leia's eyes. "Maybe even Luke."

Leia opened her mouth to object, but stopped, seemingly re-thinking it over. He knew what she was really doing though: She was searching for answers from the Force as well. Though he'd taught her quite a bit of the Force, she had always had a way of consulting the Force for answers herself. His chest swelled with pride, as the argument left her eyes and she nodded. "I think so, too." She sighed. "If Starkiller was working for Palpatine at some point, perhaps they knew Luke and could help us find him."

"I don't see why not." Anakin agreed, turning back to the iPad and pulling up their encrypted database specifically reserved for the Jedi. "Doesn't Joakin have a brother in Rio De Janeiro?"

Leia nodded. "But, I thought we had determined he wasn't allied with Palpatine?" After they'd confirmed Joakin's ties to Palpatine, they had, of course, also investigated his brother but had found no evidence of anything shady. The man visited orphanages, gave to charity, pushed for equality within his country…Now, however, Anakin wondered if the man was actually hiding something much more sinister from the world. After all, Palpatine had been seen, on the surface, to be a saint as well, and Anakin well knew that oftentimes looks could be deceiving.

Cliché, yes, but sadly true, nonetheless.

He almost mentioned this fact, but they still had yet to tell Leia the truth. He and Padme had discussed it, and with the stress of trying to find Luke, they hadn't felt that it was the right time to spring on Leia the fact that her parents, her entire family really, was from another galaxy and that her father had once been an evil murderer who had tortured her and her friends and stood by while her planet was destroyed. They would tell her, yes…but only once they found Luke. Then they'd tell her.

"I think he might be hiding something." He said instead, "But, even if he isn't, this Starkiller might go after him next anyway."

Leia considered it for a moment. "Well," she said, finishing her cup of tea, "It's a start."

Anakin nodded, passing the iPad back over. "It is…albeit a small start." He sighed. "I'll start looking into him again. I'll try to get his schedule, his exact location, all of that. We'll come up with a game plan with Obi-Wan and Snips from there."

Leia nodded and stood. "Well. Like you said, school starts tomorrow. I could spend all night talking about this, but I should at least have _some_ sleep before I start senior year." She approached him, leaning down to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight, Daddy."

Anakin smiled, his chest warming. He may have lost Luke, but he still had _so_ much. His beloved wife. His daughter. Hayden. His mother and the Lars' clan. His wife's family. His friends. The Jedi. And, now he headed NASA, making important decisions on behalf of Earth's space exploration on his own. It would have been perfect…

Except Luke wasn't there. Luke was the piece of the puzzle that was missing and needed to be put back in place. _Everything_ was incomplete without Luke. And Anakin wouldn't give up until he was back home where he belonged.

"Goodnight, Princess," He said affectionately, forcing himself to keep the longing for her twin brother out of his voice. She could likely sense that longing anyway through their Force connection.

She paused, looking down at him with a frown. "Dad, I'll be eighteen in a few months. I'm not a little girl anymore, y'know."

He smiled wryly. If only she knew. "You'll _always_ be my little princess, Leia."

She considered that for a moment before nodding in acceptance. "Alright. See you in the morning, Daddy." She bent down to give him a kiss on his forehead and turned to head back upstairs.

He nodded, watching her turn and leave to finally go to bed. "Sweet dreams, Princess." He whispered, knowing sleep would be elusive for him the rest of this night.

* * *

"You're cheating," Luke scowled at the TV, as his side of the screen turned bright red. He, Han, and Chewie lounged on the couch, crowded around an old N64 playing GoldenEye. So far, Luke was majorly failing while Han took the lead, Chewie coming up a close second.

" _Me?"_ Han gave him his classic "I'm innocent" look, which most of the time didn't actually _mean_ that he was innocent at all, just that he was trying to _appear_ so to get out of whatever trouble he was presumably in...or was about to _be_ in. Logically, Luke knew that he really _was_ in this case, but it felt better to blame his loss on 'cheating.' "Cheat? Me? _Never_." He turned back to the screen, his signature cocky grin on his face. "Just get good, Skywalker."

Luke scowled. "I _am_ good." He shot Han a pointed look, his blue eyes flashing, which made Han chuckle all the more.

Chewie, who was muscular, hairy, and hailed from Siberia in Russia, was a 6 ft 9 inch tall, bear of a man, and he said something that was _supposed_ to be English, but it was garbled with his thick Russian accent. Luke had long ago given up trying to understand Chewie based on language—at one point, he'd actually attempted to talk to Chewie in his native Russian language, but even _that_ was heavily accented, and he hadn't gotten more than a few words out of him. "Yeah, you said it, Chewie. Your skills in real life have nothing to do with video game skills. Face it, you _majorly_ suck at this." Han said to Luke, which indicated that Chewie had made a jab about Luke's dismal video game skills.

They were true observations. He really _was_ pathetic at video games, but Luke pretended to be offended anyway. He kicked his feet up on the coffee table in front of the couch. "It's gotta be the controller." He insisted, "This thing is so old, it's malfunctioning."

Han snorted. "Yeah, right, Kid." He rolled his dark eyes, but the grin never left the corner of his lips, nor the mischief from his eyes. Despite Luke's complaints and the fact that he was getting _totally_ obliterated, Luke did enjoy these types of evenings with his friends. He'd _never_ had real friends before. Before Palpatine, he'd _always_ been lonely and ignored by his family in favor of his sister or his younger brother. During his training with Palpatine…

No. He couldn't think about it.

He refused to think about _her_. Not now. The evening was going well. He didn't need to sour it.

Anyhow, he hadn't planned on becoming friends and partners with Han Solo and Chewbacca (Seriously, what kind of name was _that?_ Even in _Russia_ , he'd never heard a name like that), and certainly he'd _never_ expected Mara to be…well, whatever she was to him. Sometimes, she seemed like a really good friend, but sometimes, he caught her giving him this strange _look_ whenever she thought he wouldn't notice, and he couldn't help but wonder if she wanted something else, something _more_ from their relationship. That _sometimes_ made it a little _awkward_ since they lived in the same building together in England's quiet countryside in a secluded, two-story building that was more of an old warehouse than an actual living space, at least on the outside. Though, to their credit, Han and Chewie had made the inside into a comfortable home long before Mara and Luke moved in. So, there was plenty of space to move to if things became _too_ awkward, but they still saw each other every day.

If Luke was honest, whatever it was _she_ felt, he wasn't entirely sure _she_ was the only one feeling it. He couldn't deny she was breathtakingly beautiful, and sometimes, when they were sparring with their lightsabers alone together in the upstairs gym, Luke couldn't help but feel stirrings of… _something…_ within himself, as if there was something there, something long forgotten…Talia's face would _always_ pop up in his head though, and he'd stop himself from exploring those thoughts about Mara any further.

The door opened, heard clearly from where they were hanging out. Most of the building was empty, and sound tended to carry through the hallways, echoing through the structure like a cave. "I'm back with pizza," Mara called. It was her turn to go get food. She appeared in the doorway shortly thereafter, holding five boxes of various kinds of pizza. "I got pepperoni, Hawa…" she broke off, noticing Luke's feet up on the coffee table. Her intense emerald green eyes narrowed on Luke, the warning clear without her having to say it: Feet _off_ , or he'd be sorry.

Luke momentarily considered arguing with her just for the hell of it, but he _knew_ how it would end. They'd end up fighting, and Mara was _anything_ but soft. _Force_ , she was as stubborn as his sister had always been! Mara rivaled him in such a way, not only with her physical abilities, but also with the Force, that he'd wondered at times if she'd somehow been trained by Palpatine. He knew that was impossible though, because he'd known _all_ of the Inquisitors, even if he'd never met them. He'd read _all_ of their files and memorized each of their faces, and Mara was _nowhere_ to be found in those files or anywhere else in Palpatine's database either.

So, he quietly removed his feet from the table, and the deadly look on her face disappeared, replaced with mere annoyance as she set the pizza boxes with some paper plates and napkins down on the table. Han pressed the pause button on the game, and they all dug in. Chewie, being as big as he was, ate most of the pizza, but Han ate quite a bit of it as well, while Luke and Mara took it slow with just a few slices each. "So," Han said between bites, "What's the next mission?"

Luke glanced at Mara, but she was pointedly not looking at him. "I'm going on a private mission this time." He said, making a point to look at Han. Han was too smart to not notice that something was up. Most of the jobs Luke took were normal bounty hunter jobs: It was the reason why he'd stuck with the group after he'd met them in Africa. Combined with his tracking and survival skills and Han's ship, it had made sense to join Solo's team. He couldn't have his own ship until he was able to get his pilot's license, which he didn't yet have because he refused to give his real name to any legal agencies, and he was still in the process of getting a fake ID. Even if he _did_ get a ship, he wanted something smaller and private. Han's ship made things easy.

But Han, despite being a smuggler and a pilot for bounty hunters, was a good man. Ten years older than Luke, Han set himself apart from the other sleazy characters in their line of work with a tendency to go out of his way to help others, even if it _was_ at a cost to him. Luke Skywalker was a normal bounty hunter, but Starkiller…

Starkiller was an assassin.

Palpatine's operation was simple. Convoluted, yes, but simple. Luke's first priority upon leaving Africa had been to find the only known government official that Palpatine worked with, the one every Inquisitor knew. They only knew his identity because Palpatine had allowed them to know it. The man had worked with Palpatine, but he was low on Palpatine's food chain. He'd never actually met Palpatine in person. It hadn't been hard for Luke to find the man, trap him, and using the Force, forcefully extract with a mind probe _everything_ the man knew about Palpatine, including the identity of the next official higher up who had more information.

So, Luke went out, hunting down Palpatine's officials on his own, extracting the necessary information by _any_ means necessary, before killing them, and then moving on to the next higher up official. After Lt. Joakin, Luke knew he was getting close. He knew who his next target was.

But, Han and Chewie didn't know _any_ of that. They knew _some_ of Luke's past. They knew that Luke wanted to bring Palpatine to justice (and he'd promised them they could go with him to help collect THAT bounty), but they didn't know exactly _where_ he was or what he was doing in his investigation. They wouldn't understand. So, he let them believe he went off on his own to find answers.

Mara, however, was a different story.

"I've got a lead on my case." Luke casually added when Han gave him a skeptical look. "I'll be taking a trip to go after it."

"I _see_ ," Han frowned, glancing at Chewie. Chewie had paused eating as well, and though most of his face was obscured by his long brown hair, bushy eyebrows, and thick beard, Luke had the feeling he was giving him a suspicious look. "Are you _sure_ you don't want our help?"

"I'm sure." Oh yes, he was sure alright. Joakin's mind had showed him his next target: His brother. Unlike the other scum bags Luke had taken care of, Joakin's brother was, for all appearances, on the outside a ' _good_ man.' He didn't have bounties on his head. He was well liked and respected. If he was caught, he couldn't use the excuse that he was just collecting on a bounty. It would be viewed as murder, even though, in reality, the man was up to his eyeballs in helping Palpatine's quest for world domination. No. Luke couldn't let Han get involved in this one, now more than ever.

Han glanced at Chewie, both of them clearly hesitant about letting a kid ten years their junior go off alone. Again. But, in the end, Han sighed. "If you do end up needing us, we're just a call away, y'know."

Luke took another bite of pizza, feeling Mara's gaze boring into the side of his head. He avoided her eyes as he replied, "I know."

* * *

"He's going to find out eventually." Mara said, as they squared off in the gym after dinner, each of them holding their lightsabers at the ready, his bright red and hers a vibrant violet. "He's too smart."

Luke lunged forward, and she easily brought hers up to block his blow. They continued moving through various techniques, working at a challenging pace without crossing the line to actual fighting where their lives would be in danger. Still, practicing with actual lightsabers _was_ dangerous, so it took Luke a moment to respond. "Hopefully, I'll have found Palpatine before that happens. Then it doesn't matter, and we can focus on normal jobs." He didn't mention that he hadn't decided what he was going to actually _do_ with his own life once Palpatine had been killed. He didn't care to think about it too often.

"I'm pretty sure it doesn't work like that." Mara ducked and rolled away as Luke did a well-practiced lunge. In one fluid motion, she was back on her feet, the lightsaber in front of her protectively. He moved to engage again, but she stepped back suddenly, deactivating her lightsaber. Luke stopped himself, lowering the lightsaber down to his side as he observed her. She was frowning now, looking at him as if…pained. "Maybe…maybe you shouldn't kill them."

Now Luke was frowning, too. Mara had been no stranger to death. She'd grown up on the wrong side of town. Her parents were murdered when she was twelve, and she'd been on the streets since then. It was only over the last few years when she'd met Han and had joined up with him and Chewie to survive.

When she'd caught Luke trying to get a fake ID to use to buy public transport tickets (for he wouldn't risk his father or Palpatine or the Inquisitors finding him through legal records) and had forced him to explain _why_ he was so determined to go off on his own missions, she'd agreed to help him rather than turn her back on him. So, why was she now suddenly expressing doubts? "They're evil people, Mara. And, I've…I've got to do _something_ to stop them. If I just get the information I need and then leave them alive, they'll come back to take revenge." Talia, Fireheart, flashed through his mind, the image painful enough to make it hard for him to breathe. "I…I can't let that happen."

He thought Mara would drop it like she usually did whenever they discussed telling Han and Chewie, but she pressed on, determined. "It's just not you, Skywalker. Maybe…Maybe you should go _home_."

Luke de-activated his lightsaber, a flash of anger and hatred running through him. Mara clearly sensed that, because her green eyes narrowed a bit. " _No_ ," He hissed. She couldn't help it. She didn't know the full story. If she did, she wouldn't have suggested that. He opened his mouth to tell her, but like the first time he'd attempted to tell her and Han the story, nothing left his mouth. He couldn't admit it out loud. He couldn't admit that he'd murdered his own mother. "My father _hates_ me." Was what he said, just as he did the first time they'd asked about his parents. "If I went back, I'd be a dead man before I even walked in the front door."

"But, _why?_ " Mara insisted, the fire of determination in her eyes. "Why, Luke? I don't understand. _Why_ would your own father hate you? You're a good person…"

Her words were like a slap in the face. No. He _wasn't_ a good person. He'd murdered his own beautiful sweet mother. He'd killed _so many_ innocent people in the name of furthering Palpatine's cause. Because of him, his Fireheart….No. Luke wasn't good at all. He was a _monster._ He whirled away from Mara, trying to control his anger. "You…you don't _know_ that." His words were strangled, and he began to stumble towards the door. "I'm…I'm going to bed…"

"No." Mara's voice was firm. He could sense her move to follow him. "I've seen how you interact with Han and Chewie. They trust you. And they _don't_ give trust easily. And, then we…I…." she sighed. "You treat me with kindness, Luke…with _respect_. You're a good person, even if _you_ don't see it right now. _ **I**_ do."

He whirled on her again, unable to keep it back any longer. He opened his mouth, the Force surging within him and…

Suddenly, he wasn't standing in the makeshift upstairs gym. He had fallen back, staring at a projection of a girl with dark hair twisted into two matching _Cinnabon_ shaped twists on the sides of her head, wearing a white hooded dress. " _Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi_ ," She said into the recording, her voice sounding familiar and desperate. " _You're my only hope_."

The scene changed before Luke could process what was happening, or figure out _why_ the girl seemed _so_ familiar to him. He had entered what looked like one of Palpatine's holding cells. He was staring out of a helmet that was extremely hard to see out of, staring back at the same girl from the recording. They stared at each other for a moment, her lying on her side, her white dress a bit dirty. Finally, she broke the awkward silence with a smirk. " _Aren't you a little short for a Stormtrooper?_ "

"Luke?" Mara's voice echoed in his mind, stopping the vision in his mind. "Luke! Wake up, Luke!" He closed his eyes, and when he opened them, the girl with the weird hairdo and white dress was gone, replaced by Mara's worried face. He was lying on his back, Mara beside him, her hands on either side of his face as if she weren't sure whether to cradle his head or start slapping him awake. She did neither, just stared at him in worry, as he forced his mind to catch back up with reality. A headache was suddenly throbbing in his temples.

"W-what h-happened?" He groaned, slowly sitting up and rubbing his head.

Mara scooted back, giving him some space, not taking her eyes off of him for a second. "You just suddenly blacked out." She said, her voice sounding…it sounded more worried than usual. Almost _intimate_.

Luke slowly shook his head, trying to clear his brain of _whatever_ it was he'd just…seen. He didn't know _where_ it had come from. Honestly, the girl looked a little like an older version of Leia. Perhaps the stress of his argument with Mara, combined with his occasional wondering about what Leia looked like now… "I don't think I'm feeling that well," He finally managed to croak. That didn't seem to calm Mara at all, but thankfully, she didn't get all emotional about it. Not that he'd expected her to. That wasn't Mara's style.

"I think…maybe you should go lay down." She said slowly.

Again, that girl flashed in his mind. " _Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi_." She'd said. No. It **had** to be Leia. He knew it. Who _else_ would look like _that_ , so much like his mother, and _know_ their Uncle Ben's real full name? What did this strange vision _mean?_ Was it from the Force? Or, was Luke so stressed out that he was going crazy? He wasn't sure, and he didn't think he _wanted_ to know the answer.

"Yeah," He slowly said, "I think you're right."

* * *

 **Sorry for a late update, but I was pretty stressed and on the verge of anxiety. So I took a break, updated the other story instead, live tweeted the new Star Wars Rebels episode, and played some Battlefront. This is certainly more of a set up chapter, but next chapter is super action packed. I'm glad for the positive responses to Mara. I have no idea what Disney is doing in regards to canon and Luke's relationship, but she is a fantastic character. I've had to blend new canon with old canon due to a lack of new canon in comparison, so bear with me here.**

 **The songs for this chapter are: Heathens by Twenty One Pilots and The Hologram/Binary Sunset by John Williams.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	60. The Chase

The sounds of Rio de Janeiro and its Carnival festival were distant and muffled in the dilapidated basement room Luke was standing in. He stood casually, apparently unconcerned, with his hand outstretched towards the bloodied middle-aged man tied up and bound to the wooden chair before him. "This is going to hurt." Luke warned, not because he cared. He didn't. But more because he _liked_ to see the look of preparation on his victims' faces – the mental bracing they engaged in - right before they experienced the severe pain that they were truly not prepared for in the slightest. This time was no exception.

Rifling through someone's memories with the Force was apparently an _excruciating_ experience. Well, for the _victim_ it was, at any rate. Luke smirked. Not that _he_ would know how it felt, of course. He didn't feel bad about _doing_ this, either: These were evil men. Every last one of them and they had knowledge that would eventually bring him directly to Palpatine's doorstep…and the final confrontation that would determine the fate of them all. Without compunction, he'd do what he needed to do to get that information.

He was _determined_ to succeed in this quest.

So, he extended his considerable power into the Force, feeling the darkness that welled up around him as he drilled his power into the man's unprotected mind. The man's memories filled Luke's own consciousness, and he practically drank them in, looking for _anything_ that could be of use to him. Most of it was information he'd already seen in Lt. Joakin Strife"s mind, and therefore, utterly useless. As the man screamed in agony, Luke quickened his search, delving meticulously through the man's memories before he hit jackpot: The man's contact. He found a name: _Asajj Ventress_. His contact within Palpatine's organization was Asajj Ventress.

Luke immediately felt an unshakeable coldness seep into his bones. _Damn._ Ventress of all people. It figured. He knew exactly three things about Ventress: First, she occasionally visited Palpatine's various compounds to inspect and train the Inquisitors. Second, she was _very_ good at what she did, which involved a lot of hiding and a lot of death. Third, she _hated_ Luke almost as much as he _despised_ her, and he _did_ despise the woman. As far as _he_ was concerned, she was evil incarnate…only Palpatine himself was worse.

He'd never had a particularly good reason to hate her. She hadn't done anything except pick on him during her training sessions and push him to his absolute limits. Other than that, she basically ignored him, which was fine by him. But, whenever she was around, he got this... _feeling_. He had never fully identified it, but it was almost as if he _knew_ that she'd done something... unforgivable. If _anyone_ worked for Palpatine, they'd likely done plenty of unforgivable things, though why _Ventress_ was any different than most of the kids Luke had grown up with or even Luke himself, he didn't know. Nor did he care.

He just _hated_ her. Period.

None of that, however, erased the fact that she was apparently his next target. He'd never tried to defeat her, and though the almost cocky-part of him believed that he _could_ , there was an even _bigger_ part that was unsure if he could do it. He'd seen her in action. She was no Padawan. He would deal with that though when the time came: Right now, the bigger problem was that he had literally no idea where she was at the moment.

He probed harder, deeper, looking for _any_ sign of a location within the man's mind, but there was nothing else. With a frustrated growl of disgust, Luke retreated from his head, the man slumping over, unconscious and useless. Luke activated the two-way communicator that he and Mara had purchased for missions such as this. "Jade." He said, his voice dark with frustration even to his _own_ ears.

" _Well?_ " Her voice, smooth, calm and collected, replied back. _"What did you find out?"_

"I found out my next target." He scowled at the unconscious man. "It's not good."

A pause. " _What's that supposed to mean?"_

"It means," Luke said, "That I _know_ the target. Asajj Ventress. She's very close with Palpatine."

" _Oh, okay, so you found exactly what you've wanted to find in his head. That's_ _ **so**_ _not good."_ The sarcasm in her voice made Luke roll his eyes.

"I'm serious, Jade. She isn't like the others. She's _very_ Force-sensitive, and _very_ good at wielding that power."

" _So,"_ She interrupted smoothly, _"We take her out together. We can do it."_ Luke paused. Actually, she had a point. Mara was no Padawan either. If they _combined_ their own considerable skills, perhaps they _could_ defeat Ventress.

"We can discuss that later," Luke finally put in, "But the bigger problem is that I have no idea where to find her, dammit!"

Another pause. _"He didn't have her location?"_

"No. He's given everything useful." Luke ignited his lightsaber, pulling out his calling card with a gloved hand from within a pocket of his black jeans.

" _Are you sure you want to do this?"_ Mara suddenly cut in, probably having heard the lightsaber being ignited. _"After all, he doesn't have a bounty…"_

"Oh, he would have. By now. Before I kidnapped him, I hacked into his computer and leaked out _all_ his dirty deeds on the internet. The authorities are probably on their way to his office building to arrest him as we speak." Luke's tone of smug delight was evident. He approached the unconscious man, steadying himself for the killing blow.

" _This isn't_ _ **you**_ _."_ Luke paused: She'd said that to him before, only a week ago. Again, he wondered _why_ she thought that of him. He needed to correct that. Pronto.

"Then you don't really know me." He said before plunging his lightsaber into the chest of the man before him. The man's body shuddered, his eyes flying open, as he mouthed a silent scream of pain, before the life died from those eyes, and he slumped again limply in his seat, dead, his head lolling to the side. There was a notable silence on the other line as he de-activated his lightsaber. "I'll meet you at the rendezvous point." He said at last.

She didn't answer immediately, and when she did, her voice was tight with concern. " _Yeah,"_ She said softly, _"I'll bring the ship."_

* * *

Anakin stared down at the dead man tied to a rickety wooden chair in the basement of the unpretentious office building in Rio de Janeiro. He'd seen many a dead body before, certainly, but it had been quite a while since he'd found a body that literally _reeked_ of the Dark Side. In his hand, he held the literal calling card of the killer: a black, laminated card with the word " _Starkiller_ " scrawled across it in white _MV Boli_ style script.

Obi-Wan knelt by his side, examining the body more closely, stroking his beard as usual when contemplating a serious matter. "Obviously, the cause of death was a lightsaber." Obi-Wan pointed out the obvious. His best friend had decided to come with him to Rio for support, which had _not_ made Leia happy. She had wanted to come on this mission, but Anakin and Padme had insisted that she stay and focus on her schoolwork. Galen had wanted to come too in order to help bring to justice the man who was running around killing people using _his_ old Sith apprentice name, but Anakin had ordered him to stay in Houston and help Leia protect the Skywalker and Kenobi families. Galen hadn't liked it, but he'd obeyed. They all knew what had happened the _last_ time no one had stayed behind to protect them, and no one wanted a repeat performance.

"Well, _whoever_ it was," Anakin murmured, pocketing the card, "They reek of the Dark Side." Still, as Anakin stretched out with the Force, _something_ about that Dark presence felt…. _familiar_. He couldn't place where he knew it from, though.

"The death is recent. Almost certainly within the last hour," Obi-Wan suddenly announced, standing back up. "The killer may still be close by. Perhaps…."

"…We can track him through the Force." Anakin finished his friend's sentence, already turning around in the direction the Dark presence had left by. He began to follow it, and Obi-Wan fell into step next to him, sensing the same presence as well.

"Whatever we find," Obi-Wan said, as they followed the Dark signature, "I have a _very_ bad feeling about this." Flicking his glance at his fellow Grand Master, Obi-Wan shook his head.

The sense of _foreboding_ in the Force was strong. They both knew it. Anakin didn't say anything. He didn't need to. He had the same disquieted feeling as well…and with each step they took, it was intensifying.

* * *

Luke sat in the far corner of the crowded, run-down bar, a glass of untouched beer sitting on the table surface in front of him. He peered out from beneath his black hood, watching the rowdy crowd that filled the room. He didn't know _what_ they were celebrating exactly, but it _almost_ looked fun, like something he may have joined in had he not been on a mission where he had just killed a man. Still, he smirked and shook his head at their drunken revelry. None of the bar's patrons seemed to notice him sitting by himself in the darkened corner, which he was _more_ than fine with. In fact, anytime a drunken bystander looked like they were considering sliding into the booth with him, he used the Force to gently suggest that they go elsewhere. So far, it was working, and he had remained alone and unbothered.

He needed to wait for Mara, and then they'd distance themselves from this place in her smooth, two-man, long-distance speeder that they always took on these missions. The longer he waited though, the more anxious he became. She was running late. That wasn't like her. She was _usually_ right on time. Had something happened to her? A shiver of dread ran up his spine, and he shook his head, trying to clear the suddenly intense worry that had overcome him. She was fine, he told himself, no need to panic. She'd handled herself on her own just fine over the years. She didn't need saving every time she got herself into trouble. She was _no_ pushover.

Talia's face flashed through his mind, unbidden. She hadn't needed saving either, and look how _that_ turned out, he thought bitterly. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he took a swig of his beer and monitored the crowded bar.

He continued to try to convince himself to calm down and not worry about it, but he soon found himself reaching out with the Force to search for danger. He frowned for a moment, concentrating through the haze of the hundreds if not _thousands_ of presences in that area: Rio was not known for being sparsely populated. It therefore took him a moment to notice **three** _very_ alarming things: First, he couldn't sense Mara nearby at all. Second, there were _two_ very Dark presences closing in on his exact location—his hand went to his side where his lightsaber hung from his belt. _Damn!_ Inquisitors. But worse, the third thing he noticed were two _other_ presences also closing in on his location. Steeped in the Light of the Force, these were presences that he **knew** despite the many years since he had last sensed them. His uncle, Obi-Wan Kenobi…

And his father.

" _Shit!"_ He hissed, suddenly standing up and immediately cloaking his presence within the Force. He self-consciously made sure that his hood was securely pulled up over his head, as if his father would enter the room right then and recognize him through it. It was possible, he knew. His father was _extremely strong_ in the Force. It was why Palpatine hesitated to move against him, even if he _hadn't_ also lived on a massive fortress-like property with other Jedi on the premises outside Houston. Honestly, Luke was a bit surprised that his father hadn't brought the whole cavalry to take him down, given that he hated Luke with a near blinding passion and had already tried to kill him himself at least once. Unless he didn't know Luke was here, and he just happened to be in the same place at the same time?

He'd been _so_ careful about keeping his true identity a secret. He didn't care _who_ knew his assassin name, Starkiller, but Luke Skywalker was a name that literally only Han, Chewie, and Mara knew. It had to be a coincidence. Unless Palpatine had decided to leak that information to his father? _No, impossible_ , Luke thought. For some reason, he had a feeling that despite Luke's split from the Inquisitors, Palpatine didn't want Luke to meet up with his father any more than Luke himself did. Why, he wasn't sure, and he _really_ didn't have time to consider it. He was about to be cornered, and he needed to escape. Now.

He was in danger, both from Inquisitors _and_ his father. He had to move and fast.

As casually as he could, Luke began to edge towards the back door of the bar, making sure to hide his presence both in the Force and literally as much as he could. With so many Force-sensitive enemies closing in on him, he knew his hold on that wouldn't last long. If he didn't move quickly, his father would figure it out before he ever reached him, and if he hadn't known already who Starkiller was, he'd go nuts trying to find and kill him.

No. If the Inquisitors didn't kill him, Anakin Skywalker _would_.

As he pushed through the back door of the bar and into a narrow, grimy alleyway, he reached up and hit the communicator in his ear. "Mara, _where_ in blue blazes _are_ you?" He hissed, trying to keep the hysteria out of his voice. He needed to stay cool. Panic would only cause him to slip up, and slip ups were deadly.

There was a long pause, and Luke began to worry that perhaps the Inquisitors or his father had gotten to Mara, when finally her voice filled his ear. " _Sorry, Han and Chewie are here."_

Damn! Of course, they were. Just perfect.

Luke rolled his eyes. _How_ was he going to explain all of this to them? He was half tempted to ask how they'd found them, but he didn't have the time or the patience. "I'm in a bit of a jam here. I need an escape. **Now**."

" _What kind of jam?"_ Mara's voice had turned deadly serious, and in the background, he could hear Han and Chewie arguing over something.

"I have two of Palpatine's goons chasing after me," He took a deep breath, " _And_ my murderous father. Sound like trouble to you?"

" _Oh,"_ Mara said, _"That's it? No tanks? No explosions?"_

"This is not the time for sarcasm!" Luke snapped, reaching out with the Force. _Oh Shit!_ The Inquisitors hadn't been fooled by his presence-cloaking trick. "I need a pick up, NOW."

" _Calm down, alright! We're coming. Get to the roof so we can see you, and try to stay in the same quadrant of the city."_ Mara replied, and the line went silent before Luke could think of a snarky reply. Not that he had time for that: Now he had to concentrate and figure out how to get to the roof without getting himself caught _and_ killed.

It turned out the way to the roof was easier than he thought. A rickety metal ladder hung from a questionable-looking fire escape not far from the bar. Using the Force to give him an extra push, Luke leapt up, closing the distance between him and the lowest rung of the ladder. He began to climb, and before long, he was standing on the flat rooftop, overlooking other dilapidated rooftops nestled close together for miles on end. Some of the buildings were so close together, he doubted he'd even have to leap to make it.

He climbed onto the ledge of the roof to leap onto the next roof, but the familiar snap-hiss of a lightsaber being activated froze him in place. "Starkiller," A hard male voice called from behind him. Luke didn't have to stretch out with the Force to know that the Inquisitors had arrived. He also had no doubt that his father and Obi-Wan would soon be joining them.

Unless he could defeat the Inquisitors and get away before they did show up.

He pulled out his own lightsaber, igniting it, the brilliant red blade lighting up the night as he calmly turned to face them. They stood there, wearing almost identical-black outfits with a mask to conceal their faces. They stared at him with Sith-gold eyes, looking sinister beneath their hoods. "Traitor!" The other one growled, raising his red-lightsaber to an offensive position.

Luke grinned, adopting an almost cocky persona, even though, at the moment, _every_ nerve in his body felt like it was on fire, as if he were about to explode from tension. "My problem isn't with either of _you_. I'll give you a chance to turn around and go and pretend that you never found me." Luke searched out their Force signatures, and realized, with some relief, that neither of them were as strong in the Force as he was.

They didn't respond, at least not with their words. Instead, they both used the Force and leapt forward, lightsabers high over their head in what _would_ have been a killing blow if Luke wasn't anticipating it and prepared for it. He moved to the side, swinging his own lightsaber at them. Despite having missed him, they recovered quickly and dodged before coming back at him together with _all_ the force they had. That was the typical tactic of the Inquisitors: Attack together, attack _first,_ use raw strength and the dark side of the Force to gain the advantage, then destroy.

Luke had to admit the approach had its merits, but even in his own time as an Inquisitor, Luke hadn't cared for this approach. Too much could go wrong. It was too easy to underestimate your opponent, and it was too easy to leave oneself open to a counter attack. As a result, Luke managed to match both of them equally, despite being only one person. His blade collided with one, and while the other tried to attack his weaker point, he used the Force to slam them back, tossing them towards the edge of the roof. They managed to recover, however, and continued to come at him with blinding speed, and it was only his years of training and complete and total immersion in the Force, coupled with his natural innate Force capabilities, that kept him from losing his own ground. He was so concentrated on the fight, however, that he almost didn't notice when two men climbed onto the roof, pausing for a moment to observe the battle raging in front of them, before igniting their own blue lightsabers to join in the fray.

 _Almost._ Luke cursed under his breath: This fight needed to end. **Now.**

* * *

They had sensed three presences shortly after they began to track the Dark signature, or rather, three _very_ Dark presences indeed. Two of them had been advancing on the third, who had seemed to notice the impending arrival of the ambush, and before Anakin could get a good feel for this third presence, they disappeared, obviously cloaking their Force signature, leaving only a muddled sense of a life form behind. "Just a guess," Anakin had said dryly to Obi-Wan, "But I _think_ that's Starkiller. Don't you?"

Obi-Wan, also monitoring the situation through the Force, had nodded his head silently, and they picked up their pace, following the remaining two. After a while, the presences stopped advancing forward and something in the Force seemed to change. "I _think_ they're engaging Starkiller." Obi-Wan said as they neared the location. Rio's streets were busy and loud, so when Anakin strained to hear the sound of lightsabers, he heard nothing but the merriment of the drunken crowds in the streets. Still, given the way the two presences were moving, Anakin had no doubt Obi-Wan was right.

"Up here." Anakin said as they finally reached their destination. He motioned to a fire escape ladder that looked like it was about to collapse.

Obi-Wan sighed. "I'm getting too old for this." He muttered, but nevertheless he followed Anakin up the fire escape.

"Oh, come on, Ben!" Anakin teased, "If Yoda could be active at over 900 years old, I'm sure you can at 51 years of age…Why you're practically a _Spring_ _chicken!"_ Mirth dripped from Anakin's voice as he teased his long-time friend.

"Yoda," Obi-Wan grunted, ignoring the feathered jab, "Was also a different species, y'know." Anakin grinned, and probably would have made another clever come back had they not climbed over the edge and onto the roof…

Where a very heated battle was taking place.

There were three men. Two of them looked to be wearing some sort of assassin-like uniform with hoods and masks, while the other, slightly shorter man wore more casual black clothing. He wore a black leather jacket with a deep hood that, in the darkness, completely concealed his face. All three of them wielded red lightsabers, and though the other two assassins attacked the smaller man, he seemed to be not only holding his own, but matching them. Anakin stretched out with the Force, trying to identify the boy, but though he stood right there in front of him, he was hiding his Force Signature well within the Force.

Still. There was something… _familiar_ about him. In those brief seconds when Anakin observed the scene, he couldn't help but feel drawn to him. Despite not being able to figure out the boy's identity through the Force, he could still sense the boy's anger and fear and immense sense of loss, as if those feelings were his own. It almost made it difficult for Anakin to breathe.

The two Grand Masters glanced at each other. They didn't need to communicate what they would do: They'd worked together for so long, at this point, their decisions in battle were almost of one mind. With just a slight nod to one another, they pulled out their lightsabers and ignited them, preparing to join the fray.

The smaller boy suddenly went _wild_. With one massive Force-push, he slammed the two bigger assassins towards Obi-Wan and Anakin. Obi-Wan immediately moved to attack, but Anakin stood there, unmoving. The boy was turning now, using the Force to propel him to the next building's rooftop, where he'd broken into a run. All form of control over his Force-presence was gone, and it surrounded Anakin, causing the Force in him to swell with an urgent _need_ to run after the boy.

So run, he did, and as ran, he stretched out with the Force, really _digging_ into the boy's presence. It was dark, malevolent, the feelings of hatred and fear and loss even more potent, but there was something _else_. Something Anakin _knew_ , would recognize anywhere no matter how changed he'd become, no matter how long it had been since he'd seen him. Anakin would know his son anywhere.

 _ **Luke.**_

Anakin forgot all about Obi-Wan. He forgot the other two assassins. He forgot his original mission to apprehend Starkiller. _All_ he could see, _all_ he could feel, _all_ he could sense was Luke. His firstborn son, who, at that moment, happened to be running away quickly across the rooftops, as if he had a wild, murderous Gundark chasing him, not his own father. Anakin used the Force to propel himself over rooftops, not caring that each landing sent a jarring jolt of pain racing through his legs and low back. At 41, he certainly wasn't _old_ , of course, and he was still in fantastic shape, but his body certainly wasn't as _young_ as it used to be, either, and Luke was absolutely using _that_ fact to his advantage.

He stretched out through the Force, trying to touch his son's mind, but Luke's mind was blocked off completely behind an impenetrable wall of mental steel. Anakin tried to dig deep down as he had multiple times over the years, trying to find familial bonds that had connected them for so many years, and like before, he came up empty. Frustrated, Anakin resorted to yelling. "Luke! Wait! " The sound of his voice managed to carry over the distance, and he saw Luke stumble before catching himself, as if he hadn't expected him to call out his name. Still, the boy kept running, as if he didn't recognize him.

But, _how_ could that be? He was his father after all. After _years_ of being under Palpatine's control, he expected Luke to…actually, he didn't know _what_ to expect. It could have ranged from anything between a full-fledged Sith apprentice to someone completely broken, or defiant and opposing Palpatine until Anakin could find him. He hadn't expected Luke to turn and run like Anakin had a deadly plague. "Luke!" He tried again, "Wait! Son! I'm your father!"

Luke leapt onto yet another roof top, and Anakin thought he would continue, but he stopped at the far edge, as if his words had finally brought him to a stop. Perhaps they had, but as Anakin leapt onto the roof and began to move towards him, his emotions swirling out of control with his need to touch Luke, to _hold_ him in his arms again, to actually speak to him, he stopped cold. Luke's mind may have been fully guarded, but his emotions… _Force_ , they were furious. Anakin barely had time to re-ignite his lightsaber before Luke whirled around, his own red saber suddenly ignited, and used the Force to rapidly close the distance between them, attacking him with an angry vengeance that startled Anakin.

"Wait!" Anakin barely managed to get the word out between Luke's hard killing blows— _Yes!_ _Killing blows!_ Luke was actually trying to _kill_ him! The whole situation of actually finding Luke had almost put Anakin into a state of shock. His mind felt sluggish. _All_ he could see was his son, his face shadowed by the hood, attacking him as if Anakin himself was Palpatine, not his own father. This normally would have been a situation he could have handled easily had it been anyone else but his missing son. But _why_ …?

This was _not_ how he imagined their reunion.

" _Luke_ …" Anakin tried again, practically begging him, but the attacks came faster, to the point where Anakin was forced to stay completely on the defensive. Dimly, he remembered their battle on the second Death Star, how he'd struggled to defend himself from Luke after Luke had gone on the offensive. His son could have killed him then, and it seemed that _now_ he was trying to do so again. Except this time, Luke had been more fully trained, and for _whatever_ reason, Anakin had a _bad_ feeling that if he gave Luke the opportunity, Luke would kill him without any remorse.

He had to put space between them. He had to give himself enough room to regain the advantage. He had to somehow impossibly forget about his need to hold his son again and handle the situation not only as a father, but as a Jedi Grand Master. It was the _only_ way he'd get out of this situation alive, as sad as that realization was. As Luke brought down his lightsaber for another attempt at a killing blow, Anakin reached out, using the Force to push his son back. It wasn't a hard push. He didn't want to knock him off of the roof. It was _just_ enough to put the needed space between them. Luke skidded backward, managing to keep his balance, but as he did so, the hood fell from his head, finally revealing his face.

The words died in Anakin's mouth. For a moment, father and son stared at one another. There was pure venomous hatred in Luke's sky-blue eyes, as well as betrayal. As if _this_ entire situation was _all_ Anakin's fault and _not_ the fault of Palpatine and Ventress. As if he truly _believed_ Anakin was the bad guy in this. Even as Darth Vader, Luke had _never_ quite given him a look filled with so much venom.

It was the look of a true Sith.

Anakin felt all the breath _whoosh_ from his lungs. His beloved son was a _Sith!_ Everything else about Luke was as Anakin remembered both from his Force dream, as well as his son's childhood. The sandy-blonde hair. The gentle lips that were currently twisted into a snarl. His skin was tanned now, unlike it had been in his dream, but much like it had been in their old galaxy. He'd grown and as nearing six feet in height. Yes, Luke was _every_ inch his son.

"Stay the _hell_ out of my way." The first words he said to Anakin after nine long, torturous years. They were not at _all_ what Anakin had expected…or hoped for. Luke's voice was not the same calm voice he remembered from their old galaxy, or one filled with happiness like it had been as a child in this galaxy.

There was _so much_ to say. _So much_ that needed to be done to bring him home and bring him back from whatever dark path he was descending. But, in that moment, stunned as Anakin was, all he said was, " _Why?"_

He might have said more. He would have, for the moment the word left his mouth, Luke swelled not only with anger, but also confusion. But a split second later, a _very_ familiar ship swerved into view over the rooftops, headed straight for where they were facing off.

The Millennium Falcon.

Anakin was, of course, aware that the freighter model was in use here on Earth, but it was not a common ship. Still, it wasn't just _that_ , but from the moment he saw it, the Force seemed to whisper that it was the exact _same ship_ he'd chased relentlessly across their old galaxy. He didn't have to know who was piloting it, or why it was racing towards them. Frantically, he began to run forward, determined to keep Luke with him. He couldn't lose him again. Not now, not ever! "Luke, please listen to me, your mom…"

At the word mom, all confusion and doubt left the boy completely, replaced by white-hot fury that was almost palpable in the Force. " _Don't you_ _ **ever**_ **,** " He pushed Anakin back with the Force so hard, Anakin was actually knocked to the ground, rolling to the other edge where he almost slipped off. " _Speak of her again!"_ Anakin scrambled to get up as Luke approached, the red blade of his lightsaber casting a frightening glow across his son's face, but before he could close the distance…

Bullets sprayed the top of the roof as the Millennium Falcon made a pass overhead, cutting both Anakin and Luke off from one another. Luke jumped back, cursing, but without hesitation, he deactivated his lightsaber and whirled, headed straight for the ship, where the top hatch was being opened…

No. Not today.

Anakin pushed himself fully to his feet and began to run…only to be stopped by another spray of bullets. " **NO! PLEASE don't go!"** He yelled frantically, but Luke didn't listen. Instead, his boy used the Force to jump the distance between himself and the ship, landing on the hull with ease before disappearing into the hatch. Anakin attempted to do the same, but the moment he took a step forward, another round of bullets narrowly missed him, as the ship turned and the thrusters engaged, the engines deafening as it flew away across Rio's skyline.

He _couldn't_ let them get away. He didn't care that the ship he'd taken here, the only one who would have any chance of catching the Millennium Falcon likely in the entire city of Rio, was miles away. He didn't _care_ that his new, hasty plan to steal the closest ship to attempt to catch his son would fail. All he knew was that he was so close, and he didn't want to _ever_ lose sight of his son again. Deep down, though, Anakin knew he was going to lose his son again, at least temporarily. That didn't mean that he was going to stop the chase. Never. He would _never_ stop.

He **was** going to bring Luke home.

* * *

 **The chase has intensified! I will say this before reviews come in: the fight between Anakin and Luke in this chapter is by no means a full-fledged fight...at least on Anakin's side. Anakin went into the situation expecting to find some random Force-Sensitive guy named Starkiller. It was a typical mission. Then, all of a sudden, Starkiller is Luke. That fact, combined with the fact that Anakin has been searching for Luke for nine years, is enough to put him into a bit of shock where he isn't thinking clearly. Have you ever had something insanely urgent happen so unexpectedly, and you have like moments to come up with something to handle it? That scenario is heightened if the situation could determine the course of your life or a loved one's life. Idk about you, but when I've had that happen, I can't think straight...and with my anxiety, I start shaking and can't breathe. Anakin's got more composure, but had he come into the situation knowing that he was going to find Luke, that battle would have turned out extremely differently. Now he knows what to expect, so...you'll have to see what happens.**

 **Three reviewer concerns I'd like to address: first, someone complained that I have guest reviews moderated. That is not my concious decision, and I wouldn't mind turning that off, but I didn't even know it was set up that way and I have no idea how to change it. I'll figure it out when I have the time to do so. It can't be that hard, right?**

 **Second: Someone asked why Luke hasn't seen Padme in like news feeds or public stuff. Very good question! Basically, Luke's guilt is so intense, he doesn't want any reminders whatsoever of his family. Growing up under Palpatine, he had extreme limited access to info from the outside world. Now that he's free, he doesn't purposefully go seek out information on his family because he's afraid to confront his inner demons. Right now, Luke is still very much in denial mode, hence why Mara is trying to help him by frequently reminding him that he's better than this. Actually, back in ch. 58 when Luke watched the beginning of that NASA broadcast where Anakin was introduced as the new director, had he not gotten angry and destroyed the TV, he would have seen footage of his mother joining Anakin's side on stage.**

 **Third and finally: Don't worry. I'll bring more Padme/Anakin stuff into the story. I haven't forgotten that main couple.**

 **Finally, the song for this chapter is "Run Boy Run" by Woodkid and "Zam the Assassin and the Chase Through Coruscant" by John Williams.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	61. Memories

Padme entered the Jedi Academy through the side door entrance after swiping her security cardkey to unlock it, striding purposefully towards her husband's office, her stiletto heels barely making sound on the carpeted floor. His ship had touched down not half an hour before. Usually he came home first and told her himself what had happened on a mission, but today, he had texted her asking her to meet him in his JA office. After nine years of following after leads that ultimately led nowhere, Padme found it hard to get her hopes up just because Anakin changed their normal routine. However, as she wandered through the halls of the Academy, the normally calm and serene atmosphere felt… _tense_. As if _all_ of the Jedi on the premises were holding their collective breath in anticipation.

 _Something_ was indeed up. Something _big._ _Really big._

"Aunt Padme!" She turned around at the sound of Ella's voice. The young teenage girl jogged to catch up with her, her blue eyes alight with excitement. "Did you hear?"

Padme offered her a small smile. She knew Ella almost as well as her own children, she and her younger sister, Rachel, were over so often. In fact, she was a _little_ surprised Leia wasn't somewhere nearby. But, Leia had a Model UN meeting after school and wouldn't be returning home until dinner time. "I don't believe so, Sweetie." She answered. "What's going on?"

Ella glanced around at the other Jedi they passed, lowering her voice as if she held a huge secret. Judging by the activity around the Academy, Padme didn't think it was much of a secret, however. "Daddy and Uncle Ani brought back a prisoner!" Padme's steps faltered for a moment, her heart skipping a beat. She held her breath, afraid to even _ask_ what sort of prisoner they'd brought back from Rio. The _last_ prisoner they'd brought back was Grievous... _nine_ years ago. Could it possibly be Ventress, or another of Palpatine's minions? She almost didn't dare to hope. Unperturbed by her aunt's momentary distraction, Ella continued to talk though: Unlike her more quiet father, Ella enjoyed talking. She was more her mother's daughter in that regard. "It's a _boy!_ He's one of _Palpatine's_ servants, and…"

" _Luke?_ " Padme's voice was harsher, more desperate sounding than she'd meant it to be. She knew the moment she asked that it was a stupid assumption, though. If it _had_ been Luke, regardless of what state he was in, Anakin would have brought him to their house, not to an interrogation cell at the Academy.

But Ella wasn't offended by Padme's tone. "No, some other kid. I dunno who he is." She shrugged. "Just thought you should know."

"Oh," Padme sighed, despair sinking in her gut again, but she still managed a smile for her. Ella took great pride in giving people useful information. "Alright. Thanks, Ella."

"No problem." She grinned. "I'm going to go practice my saber technique with Ezra. See you." She whirled away and skipped off down the hall, leaving Padme to turn and focus back on her destination. When she headed back for Anakin's office, she moved as fast as she could without outright running. _Whoever_ they'd brought back, it **had** to be important. The Academy wouldn't be like this if it wasn't. Could it be the assassin Starkiller that Anakin and Obi-Wan had gone to find?

She reached her husband's large office in the far corner of the top floor, pausing for a moment to knock, but before her knuckles hit the door, it swung open, and she was suddenly wrapped up in her husband's strong arms, as he crushed her against him like she was his lifeline. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around him as well, and though she was surprised by the intensity in which he held her, it warmed her heart just the same, and she buried her face against him, breathing in his scent. "Ani," She sighed, that one word filled with enough emotion to convey her relief at his return, her overwhelming love for him, and the confusion of his behavior. "What's wrong, Honey? What is it?"

He didn't say anything for a moment, just pressed soft kisses to the top of her head and rubbed his hands up and down her spine as he continued to hold her close, but she still felt his body tense up at her question. As quickly as he'd hugged her, he let her go, grabbing her hand instead and pulling her into his office. She tried to get a good look at his face, but he was turned away from her, and from the set of his shoulders, she could tell that he was bracing himself. Her suspicions grew exponentially even as the door shut behind her seemingly of its own accord, though she knew that was not the case. She heard the lock click and knew he'd used the Force to give them some privacy. "Tell me what's wrong, Ani." She said again, earnestly as he pulled her further into the office toward his desk, their fingers tightly intertwined.

Office was really more of a _loose_ term for the rather large room. It was more of a Jedi-meditation room, decorated in shades of blue and gray and cream, with thick textured carpet in a matching colored pattern, plenty of cushioned chairs, a sofa, and comfortable throw rugs with floor to ceiling self-darkening windows that overlooked the woods and their home next door, that just happened to have a large oak desk at the far end of the room with an Apple computer on it, as well as a 62-inch, flat screen, wall-mounted, state-of-the-art TV on the opposite wall from the desk, which allowed constant media and news feeds directly from the Internet. On several of the walls hung family pictures, as well as a couple of paintings that added to the soothing ambience of the room. Artoo was also in the room, and when he saw her, he greeted her in what was obviously a happy tone. She nodded to the droid in reply, absently patting his dome, too preoccupied with her husband's behavior to draw her full attention away from him.

Anakin stopped at the desk and let go of her hand to lean against it, his hands splayed out across the surface. He stared out the window, and for a while he was silent. She opened her mouth to insist that he tell her what was going on, but he finally spoke, and his words chilled her to the bone.

"I saw Luke."

Every muscle in her body tensed immediately. She stopped breathing. The outside world seemed to fade away, leaving just her and her husband in the room, the entire universe revolving around that moment. Nine years. In _nine_ years, there had been so many leads. Many of the leads died before anything could really come of them. Some of the leads had seemed to go places, but had ultimately ended up as dead ends with hardly any new information. But _this_ …Slowly, she forced herself to speak, her voice tight and desperate at the same time.

"Where?!"

He still didn't turn to her. He sighed heavily, and she knew without asking that, though he had _seen_ Luke, their son was still not yet home. "In Rio."

"Did Starkiller…is the boy you and Obi-Wan brought back Starkiller?" Every word out of her mouth sounded measured and heavy, as if she had a limited amount of time to ask questions and therefore had to pick the most important ones. There was a thick silence, and Anakin's shoulders seemed to slump, as he dropped his head to his chest.

"Luke **is** Starkiller, Padme."

Slowly, Padme found herself collapsing down on one of the cushioned seats, her legs unable to sustain her weight any longer, her mouth agape and staring wide-eyed at Anakin's back. She _couldn't_ believe it. The breath rushed from her lungs in a heavy _whoosh_ , and she felt as if someone had just punched her in the stomach, the abdominal muscles clenching and knotting together. She wasn't as familiar with Starkiller's actions over the years, but she _did_ know that he was the one who had killed Neeja in Nepal…or so they had been told. She knew that he'd recently been killing _a lot_ of different high-ranking officials all across the world, something that had been disturbing to Anakin and Leia, as well as Obi-Wan. But, she couldn't remotely picture _their Luke_ doing any of that! Even if he _had_ been under Palpatine's control, which was more than likely she knew, she just couldn't see _him_ being the same person as this assassin, Starkiller.

Anakin continued as if her world wasn't in the process of being turned upside down. "When we arrived, we found that he'd already killed his target, Lt. Strife's brother. We tracked him and two other Dark presences to the rooftops, where we found Luke engaging in lightsaber combat with two other assassins. He's very skilled with a lightsaber, and he was more than holding his own against the other two people. He was hiding his presence in the Force up until then, though, so I didn't know it was him at first, but when we arrived on the roof, he sort of…freaked out and let go of his control before taking off at a run. Perhaps he was desperate to get away from me….I don't know. But, when I sensed his presence, realized it was Luke, I ran after him while Obi-Wan engaged the other two." He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts before continuing.

"I ran after him, I called for him, over and over, told him who I was, and _still_ he kept running, as if I were the _bad guy_. Then, he stopped suddenly, and the next thing I knew he'd activated his lightsaber—his very _red_ lightsaber-and started _attacking_ me." He turned to face her again, his expression grave and his eyes troubled. "Padme, Luke was actually trying to _**kill**_ me. He was striking with _killing blows._ If I'd slipped up even _a little,_ made even a single mistake…he _would_ have killed me. And, what's worse…he'd have done so without _any_ remorse." Anakin closed his eyes briefly and hung his head and sighed.

It was _still_ so hard to believe.

Padme's voice was gone. She listened to her husband's words, but none of them fully reached her consciousness. It was like he was reciting a news story—tragic, yes, but it in no way applied to _her_ or _their_ family. Except that he wasn't: this was _their son_. Somehow, their son had lost his way to the point where he was almost an entirely different person from the one they had raised. But despite that, she didn't feel revulsion or disgust. This was their _son_ , and clearly he needed help. And, a lot of it. She remembered the last time she'd tucked him into bed, how he'd expressed his distress over having a new baby brother, but happily accepting her words of comfort when she gave them. She remembered how much he loved his sister, his grandparents, and his dad. She remembered how he _always_ liked to help her around the house, even if he was too little to successfully do much, and how he loved to toddle around and follow his dad everywhere, tinkering for hours together with Anakin on various mechanical projects in the garage or Anakin's workroom, his father's little 'Buddy'. No. Luke was _not_ a murderer. He was _not_ this Starkiller, this person that Palpatine had made him into.

He was their son, and she wanted him home to remind him of that.

"He escaped. I tried to go after him, but he boarded the _Millennium Falcon_ , and when I tried to follow him, whoever was manning the guns shot at me. I managed to steal a nearby speeder, but _that_ ship…" Anakin whistled under his breath. "Even in _this_ world, that ship is fast," Anakin muttered, almost as if to himself, "No wonder they said the damn thing made the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs, it's so _kriffing_ fast _and_ maneuverable," He sighed and softly swore in Huttese. "They managed to outrun me."

Padme frowned. "You've encountered this ship before?"

Anakin snorted and turned and leaned back against his desk. "Oh, I've encountered it alright. Remember that smuggler I told you about from our old galaxy? Leia's lover, the one with the Wookie? Han Solo?" Padme nodded. "It's _his_ ship. And, I'm pretty damn sure he's _still_ flying it here, too." His voice was dry and _not_ enthused at all. Padme got the distinct feeling that Anakin wasn't necessarily looking forward to _that_ particular reunion.

But, Padme, ever the planner, began to force herself to think out scenarios. It did her no good _wishing_ that Luke had come home with Anakin. For the first time in nine years, they were closer than they'd been yet. For once, it didn't seem so _hopeless_ any longer. "What model is this ship, Ani?"

"A YT-1300 Freighter." Anakin answered immediately, crossing his arms over his chest and watching his wife closely. She had an idea. He could tell. So, he waited for her to say more.

Blast it! She was _hoping_ it was a ship that her husband's company had created. As the local District Attorney though, she _did_ have ways to get access to vehicle registrations…even ones from different countries, if necessary. "Well, we have a name, and we have a model of a ship, thankfully one that isn't too widely used."

Anakin immediately picked up on what she was suggesting. "Think you can get access to the records?" He recognized that determined glint of steel in her eyes.

She bit her lip uncertainly. " _Maybe_ … _Probably_." She was actually pretty _sure_ she could, but she didn't want to get either of their hopes up. "Leia isn't home yet, but I can send Hayden…"

"Not to the Academy." Anakin interrupted, shaking his head, once more seeing where she was going. Normally, if Leia wasn't home to take care of Hayden, their youngest son came to hang out with his dad at the Academy while Padme was in the DA's office. "I have some business to take care of."

"The prisoner you brought back." She said, nodding her head, remembering her conversation with Ella. "And, he's…one of the assassins?"

Anakin nodded his head, a dark expression crossing his face. "The other one got away, but Obi-Wan managed to capture this one." He sighed. "He's Luke's age. He knows information about Luke. I'm sure of it, but he's also just a kid. I don't necessarily _enjoy_ interrogating kids, Angel."

Padme managed to stand, her knees no longer feeling weak, going over to her husband, leaning into his chest and putting a gentle hand on his cheek, rubbing her thumb across his cheekbone gently. "I understand." She said softly, as he met her eyes. Even now, all these years later, those incredible blue eyes _never_ failed to take her breath away. "But, he might be a link to bringing Luke home. He might have the answers we need to find our son. You do what you need to do. Ok?"

Anakin sighed, leaning his forehead against hers, rubbing their noses together in a gentle caress, as he closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her closer to him. "I know, Angel. But, that's why I think Hayden should go to visit Rachel and Satine today. If Snips was here, he could hang out with her in the Academy, but she's out on a mission with Peter, and Lux has taken their kids back to California for a few days to visit the Tano's, remember?"

"Ok. I agree." She nodded, then grasped Anakin's face with both her hands, looking him directly in the eye with determination. "We'll bring him back, Ani…and I don't just mean _physically_. I believe that with all my heart."

Anakin stared at his beloved wife for a while, memorizing her face, as he rubbed his hands in gentle circles on her low back. "He saved me, Angel. Back in our old galaxy, when he literally had every reason not to. He believed there was still good in me. Now, it's _our_ turn to save _him_."

"We _will_." Padme promised. "You came back to me. So will he. He's a good boy, Anakin. Just like his father." She rubbed her hands up and down his chest and smiled at her husband.

A dark look briefly passed over her husband's face, but before she could ask what it was for, he smiled softly and suddenly leaned in and kissed her slowly, tenderly before pulling away, their lips making a gentle _pop_ as they parted. "I love you, Angel, but right now, I have to go interrogate this boy. I'll let you know what I find out. Keep your comm on. Ok? " As he stood up and pushed away from his desk, he gently pinched and swatted his wife on her bottom as she headed for the door of his office.

Padme nodded and smiled at his affectionate touch, but her mind was already beginning to focus on the task at hand: Find the _Millennium Falcon_. Turning back as she opened the door, she said, "I'll comm you as soon as I have a lead on the _Falcon_. I love you. Talk to you soon."

* * *

"He claims that he doesn't know Luke." Obi-Wan said as Anakin joined him in the hall outside of the lowest level basement interrogation room where Obi-Wan had been trying to get answers about Palpatine's whereabouts from the captured boy. So far, he had been tight lipped, and Obi-Wan hadn't gotten much information out of him. "He seemed genuinely confused."

Luke had seemed confused when Anakin had asked him why, as if he _really_ thought Anakin would understand _why_ he was trying to kill him...as if it would be _obvious_ to him. It still baffled him, but he would get to the bottom of that answer as soon as he could. "I'm going to talk to him." Obi-Wan hesitated. When Anakin had finally returned to Obi-Wan hours after he had long-lost the _Falcon_ , he hadn't exactly been in the best frame of mind. It wasn't like he was falling to the Dark Side, but having been _that close_ to his son for the first time in 9 years and then having lost him _again_...devastating was not a strong enough word for how Anakin was feeling at that particular moment. "Come _on_. I'm not going to _hurt_ him. OK?" Anakin assured him wearily, rolling his eyes.

"That's _not_ what I was worried about, Anakin." Obi-Wan said grimly, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm worried about _you_. You look like you've gotten very little rest of late. When was the last time you slept more than a couple of hours?"

"It doesn't matter, Obi-Wan." Anakin insisted, rubbing his hands down his face, already tired of the argument. "I'm not going to be able to sleep until I have at least _something_ solid to go on. So, I'm interrogating this kid, while Padme searches for the registration on the _Falcon._ "

Obi-Wan studied him for a moment, but finally nodded and stepped aside. "Let me know if you need any help."

"I will." Anakin promised before keying in the security code and opening the door. There, sitting behind a metal desk with his hands and feet cuffed to a metal chair, was the assassin. He'd had his hood and mask removed, revealing a boy who couldn't have been more than seventeen at most, with dark brown hair and freckles that made him appear younger than he probably was. He exuded the Force, every inch of it steeped in the Dark Side. Anakin fought back a wince but said nothing as the door swung shut behind him and he took a seat across from the boy, meeting his glare without a flinch. Honestly, without the hood and the mask, the kid was anything else _but_ intimidating. "So. What's your name and where are you from?" Anakin figured he'd start with the easy questions first.

The boy glared back at him but answered, "Alexei. I am Russian."

Anakin nodded. It was a start. At least the boy was communicating. "Ok, Alexei. I'll be direct." Anakin began, not feeling like starting off with any other simple questions. He didn't care. _All_ he cared about at the moment was his son. Taking down Palpatine was secondary at this point. "What do you know about Starkiller?"

 _That_ caused a flicker of surprise in the boy's muddy-brown eyes, and he frowned. "I thought you wanted to know about my master, and that kid, Luke Skywalker."

Ah. Apparently, Obi-Wan hadn't asked the kid about Starkiller, he'd only asked specifically about Luke. Which meant only one thing. This kid _clearly_ didn't know that Luke Skywalker and Starkiller were one and the same person, so Anakin wasn't about to enlighten him. "Right now, I want to know about Starkiller. I mean…Clearly, you had it out for him. Unless, of course, you just randomly attack other Force-Sensitives when you feel like it?"

The boy glared, but it wasn't as intense as before. "He's a traitor."

Anakin lifted an eyebrow. Apparently, the kid was _not_ as tight-lipped when it came to Starkiller. Perhaps it was because he considered _Luke_ a traitor. Why bother protecting a traitor? "Oh?" Anakin said stiffly.

"Yeah," The kid had a Russian accent, but Anakin could still understand his accented English. He'd never really gotten the whole Earth-accents thing down. "He deserted our order."

"And, _what_ order would that be?" Anakin prodded, but the boy fell silent. Apparently, asking about whatever 'Order' the kid belonged to was too personal. Like a good general, he changed tactics by changing the subject, not wishing to jeopardize the moment. He also managed a nonchalant pose by casually clasping his hands together on the table.

"Do you know what he's after, Alexei?"

The boy hesitated, considering, as if he weren't sure if his next answer would reveal too much information. "He wants to kill my Master."

Well, Anakin had already figured that much out back when Starkiller was _just_ Starkiller, and not Luke. " _Why_ would he want to do that?" Yes. _That_ was a much better question.

The kid shrugged. "I dunno for sure. I only met him once. He had a reputation, though. He was one of the very best." He frowned. "Then, last year, he goes off and destroys one of our bases. He never reports in. He never contacts us again, and the next thing we know, he's been branded a traitor. All we know for sure is that he wants to kill our Master."

Anakin frowned. Interesting. _What_ could possibly have happened to turn Luke away from Palpatine? It apparently had _nothing_ to do with his family, he thought bitterly, because the _only_ contact he'd had with any of them had been accidental, and he'd tried to kill his own father because of it. So, nope. Not family. So, what was it? He doubted the kid knew, but… "Do _you_ have any idea where he might be hiding, Alexei?"

The kid grinned wickedly, an angry glint in his eyes. How could one so young and seemingly innocent-looking be so malicious? "Nah. But, you're Anakin Skywalker, right? You're going to kill him, right?"

Anakin deliberately kept his face neutral. Apparently, the kid believed that he wanted to know the information so that he could kill Starkiller. Hmm. He needed to tread _very_ carefully to keep him believing that, though the idea of doing so was absolutely _repulsive_ to him. He couldn't even _pretend_ to want to kill his son, even if it meant getting information out of this kid.

"How do you know what I'll do?" He opted for instead.

The kid shrugged. "We've heard stories about you and Kenobi. You're killers. _You_ don't like _us_ anymore than _we_ like _you_. If you're gunna kill me, I might as well do what I can to make sure you kill the traitor, too. Besides," Alexei smirked, "He killed that friend of yours, no? At the lightsaber crystal mountain?"

Anakin's eyes narrowed. _No_ , he hadn't forgotten about that. Once his head had cleared, the implications of _who_ Luke was and what he had done over the years were at the forefront of his mind. "I'm aware of that." His voice was clipped, dangerous, lethal…a good cover for what the boy thought of him. He wouldn't kill this boy either, of course. They'd try to figure out _who_ the boy was, find his family, rehabilitate him, and try to bring him back to the Light Side before they released him. He wasn't going to let the kid know that though. Not yet.

"So, if you don't know where he's hiding, then can you tell me the location of the base he destroyed?"

Now the boy was _really_ hesitating. "I dunno," He said slowly, narrowing his gaze at Anakin, obviously not trusting him.

"It's destroyed, isn't it?" Anakin urged, using the Force behind his words, but just ever so subtly, not so much that the boy would detect that he was trying to persuade him. "Since it's destroyed, what does it matter?"

The kid considered it for a moment, before he finally sighed, giving in. "As long as it gets the traitor killed…" he mumbled under his breath. "It's a base in Namibia. Near the sand dunes. You know, north of the ones the tourists go see. You can't miss it, though, I highly doubt there's anything left behind. When I said he destroyed it, I mean it was _destroyed_."

It didn't matter. He didn't always need anything physical. He had the Force, and going back to where Luke's break from Palpatine began could be _enlightening_ , to say the least. He stood.

"Thanks." He said shortly, turning around to leave.

"Wait," The kid said, bewildered, "Is that it?"

Anakin glanced back at him. There was real fear in his eyes now, as if he were expecting him to kill him now that he'd given Anakin the information he'd needed. Anakin grinned humorlessly.

"That's it. From me." Normally, he would have continued interrogating a prisoner. He would have sat there until he had _everything_ the kid knew. But, Anakin only cared about Luke, and the kid only knew enough to point him in a general direction. If he still hadn't talked by the time Anakin brought Luke back, then maybe he'd try again.

He left the room without another word.

The first thing he did when he got back to his JA office was have Artoo send a mass email to all his employees at NASA that he was still out of the office due to a family emergency, and he could be contacted by email. The emails, and there were _tons_ of them, helped him focus on _something_ while his ship was on autopilot when he traveled on missions. If he'd had a choice, he would have left right then and there for Namibia, but he still hadn't heard anything from Padme, and he would wait until she had info for him. Perhaps her info would be even better—like a current address for Han Solo, for example.

Somehow, he doubted Luke was that careless.

Artoo beeped mournfully as Anakin sat on one of his meditation chairs, and he sighed, reaching up to pat the droid's dome. "We're so close, Artoo." He frowned. "Pull up everything we have on Starkiller. I need to see if there's _anything_ I might have missed." He'd reviewed these files a million times since his encounter with Luke in Rio, but there hadn't been anything special except news clippings and the report on Neeja's death. Now, as Artoo projected them for Anakin to see on the 62-inch TV screen, once more he found himself reading the same thing with nothing new popping out at him, except….

Neeja's death.

The first time he'd reviewed it after his encounter with Luke, his mind kept going back to that. It was so… _random_. Over the years, the area around the Jedi Crystal Temple had grown more dangerous. Nepal was experiencing a revolution, and though the temple was far out of the way from _most_ of the fighting, it still had skirmishes happen around the area occasionally. The crystals for red lightsabers had begun to go missing, but since it wasn't the first time that crystals had been taken, Anakin hadn't been informed until one day, Neeja ran into what the Jedi had thought, at the time, was a group of Force-sensitive rebels. Neeja had died that day, but… _why?_ Anakin had always wondered about that. Neeja was a Jedi Master. He shouldn't have been so easily killed, and yet when Anakin came to Nepal with Obi-Wan, Galen, Leia, and Ella to investigate, there hadn't been any signs of resistance from Neeja.

Now that Anakin knew Starkiller to be his son, he was more confused than ever. He didn't blame the boy as he had when he hadn't known who he was—whatever was going on here, Luke had _certainly_ been manipulated to the Dark Side. Having been manipulated himself even as an adult Jedi Knight by Palpatine, he couldn't blame Luke at all. What was _so_ maddening was that Anakin _knew_ that he had likely been manipulated with what had happened to Padme, and having _literally_ gone through something similar himself, no, Anakin couldn't blame Luke. Not at all. That didn't mean that he wasn't anxious to know.

"I think," he finally said, "I think I'm going to meditate, Artoo. Perhaps the Force will give clarification on this."

Artoo whistled hopefully and cut the feed before turning and rolling away to the corner and shutting himself down in sleep mode, leaving Anakin alone on the chair. Settling himself cross-legged in a meditative pose, Anakin relaxed and closed his eyes, letting the Force flow through him, letting it calm and focus his mind until the world around him disappeared, and he was sinking into the Force…sinking…sinking…

 _He opened his eyes. He stood at the edge of a forest, looking towards a distant mountain. He frowned: He knew that mountain. That was the mountain the Jedi Temple was on! It wasn't the side he usually entered in on—he usually entered on the west side, where it was mostly clear and dry. On_ _ **this**_ _side though was almost endless forest, filled with wild animals, and occasionally, rebels._ _Before he could wonder what was happening, he began to walk forward with purpose, striding towards the trees with very little grace, making quite the racket as he moved through the underbrush. He didn't know how long he walked, but eventually, he broke through the trees, opening up to a clearing and…Found himself face-to-face with a spear._

 _He froze, his breath catching in his throat. Slowly, his eyes moved to settle on…_

" _What the hell, Fireheart?!"_

 _ **Luke.**_

 _Luke stood there. Maybe a year older than the last vision Anakin had had. Fourteen or so. He still looked pale, though not as pale as before. His hair was unruly and in bad need of a haircut, but other than that, he seemed like a healthy fourteen-year-old—that is, if you ignored the dark, haunted look in those Skywalker blue eyes. "I could have killed you!"_

 _Anakin felt himself crossing his arms. "Well, you didn't. Point the spear somewhere else, Starkiller. You'll poke someone's eye out." Luke seemed to remember that he was still pointing the spear into her face and lowered it, moving into a defensive stance, as if he didn't quite trust this…Fireheart. Given that Starkiller was not Luke's real name, Anakin had no doubt Fireheart was not this girl's real name either. Whoever she was. "How did you make that anyway? That was never covered in survival class…"_

 _Luke gave her a sarcastic look and rolled his eyes. "While_ some _people were busy day dreaming, others…like yours truly... were actually_ listening _and doing the homework. It was too covered. Chapter 4. Look it up." He grinned smugly, turning away. "Well. See ya. Don't die out here."_

 _For a moment, he watched him go, anxiously wanting to go after him, wishing that he had control of the situation…then, "Wait!" The girl, whose memories this belonged to, cried out, and he was running towards his back. Luke stopped, giving her an unconcerned glance over his shoulder. "Maybe…maybe we should team up."_

 _Luke smirked. "What? Are you scared?" The girl hesitated, which Luke immediately pounced on. "Aw, come on! It's not like there's tigers or leopards out here. Or rebels."_

" _Except that there_ _ **are!**_ _" Fireheart hissed, but Luke laughed, as if these things didn't frighten him the least little bit. It should have, Anakin thought._

" _Well, the whole point of this test is to survive. Whoever makes it to the Jedi Temple, sneaks in, steals a red crystal, and survives all the way back to the drop off point gets to advance." He said it as if he had memorized the instructions. "I have_ every _intention of becoming Master Palpatine's apprentice. If I'm going to win that competition, I'm_ not _going to let a stupid test like_ _ **this**_ _scare me. If you were a true candidate for the apprenticeship, this wouldn't be an issue."_

 _There was a mocking tone in his voice, but at this point, Anakin was fixating- not on the bitter, angry tone Luke had, but more on his actual words:_ _ **All**_ _of this…to participate in some sort of competition to become Palpatine's apprentice? Actually, Anakin could totally see Palpatine doing that. He'd done it before. He'd even forced Vader to participate at one point. Still, to think that his own son had been forced into it, too…_

" _I am so a true candidate!" Fireheart snapped, anger in her voice. "Just you wait and see! I'll…I'll even complete this assignment before you!"_

 _Luke snorted, turning away again. "Whatever. See you later…Or not."_

 _The scene suddenly melted away, and it was growing dark. A roar filled Anakin's ears, and he whirled as a mass of orange and black striped fur came hurtling towards him, the coat of the creature shining in the moonlight._

 _A tiger._

 _Anakin instinctively tried to move into a defensive position, to use the Force to push the man-eating predator away, but once more, he found himself trapped within this girl's memories without any way to react for himself. He watched, helplessly, as the girl threw herself to the side at the last possible second, narrowly missing its claws, screaming. He could sense her sheer terror in the vision, sense the overwhelming need to protect herself, and as the tiger made up for its miss by whirling to give chase, she whirled and pushed out with the Force, knocking the animal back. That only seemed to make it more enraged, and it roared again, recovering, and leapt towards her…_

 _And was suddenly thrown to the side._

 _Wildly, his vision turned from where the tiger had landed, quickly righting itself, to where the Force-push had come from. Even in the darkness, Anakin recognized his son. He stood there, defensively, the spear in one hand, but not raised. Luke raised his free hand, eyes glittering in the dark, facing down the tiger that was now bearing down on him. Luke! Anakin wanted to shout, fear for his son's safety shooting into his throat. Obviously, his son lived, but to_ watch _a tiger running to attack one's child…_

 _The tiger leaped, and Luke attempted to hit it with the point of his spear…and failed. Instead, the spear only managed to graze the big cat, causing it to roar in pain as it leaped onto Luke and flattened him to the ground…._

" _NO!" Fireheart screamed, and her hands reached out, throwing the tiger off of Luke. She moved forward, trying to assist, but…Luke stood. In the moonlight, Anakin could see four gashes across his chest, blood seeping from them and soaking into his shirt. He winced as he stood, turning back towards the tiger that was now facing both of the Force-sensitives, as if deciding which one to take down._

" _No." Luke said, his voice calm. "Stop." He motioned towards Fireheart to settle down._

" _Are you crazy?!" Fireheart cried on an anguished whisper, but she stopped advancing, as Luke dropped the spear with a clatter to the ground._ _Luke didn't answer. Instead, he reached out his hand towards the tiger, just like Anakin had done to that reek on Geonosis. Even in the vision, Anakin could feel…Light emanating from his son. Not darkness. Luke wasn't using the Dark Side. He was using the Light, reaching out towards the enraged animal, touching its mind, making a connection…_

 _The tiger instantly calmed, its nose twitching, and as quickly as it had come, it turned and stalked calmly away into the darkness of the forest, leaving the two teens silently looking after it for a long, tense moment. "What the hell," Fireheart whispered, as she turned to stare at Luke wide-eyed, "was that?"_

 _Yes! Positive proof that Luke wasn't_ fully _succumbed to the Dark Side! It was a small consolation, but it filled Anakin with tremendous hope. He hadn't ever lost hope in his son—he never could. But, without hardly any Jedi training, Luke had not only tapped into the Light Side of the Force, but he'd successfully used it. Perhaps, it was his subconscious calling on the Jedi powers of his previous life. Perhaps that was the way to get Luke to listen…_

 _The scene changed again._

" _DAMMIT!" Luke cringed away, shirtless, as the girl, whose memories this was, applied some sort of plant nectar to the now scabbed scratches on his chest. Despite this being a memory, and having no control over anything, Anakin still studied the scene as extensively as he could. There was a fire off to the right, and Luke had his back against a tree. "I said I'm fine! Sheesh! It's just a scratch!"_

" _From a tiger," Fireheart pointed out dryly with a lifted eyebrow, seemingly unoffended by his son's harsh tone, "That's not_ exactly _a housecat scratch. And stop moving around so much, will ya? You'll open it back up."_

" _It's not deep!" Luke insisted; though, he had reluctantly complied as she finished up covering it with the plant material._

" _Deep enough." Fireheart countered. "There. It'll probably scar, but if you're careful, it shouldn't open back up again." She met Luke's eyes in what Anakin imagined was a hard stare. "IF you're careful."_

 _Luke scowled, reminding Anakin so much of himself at that age, but he didn't argue anymore as he carefully slipped his still ripped shirt back over his head, covering the wound up. "You almost got yourself killed, y'know." He said, not looking at her. There was something in his voice…something that Anakin immediately identified. Worry? Luke was actually worried about this girl?_

" _Says the guy with four gashes in his chest." Fireheart reminded him, and paused. "But, yes. And, thank you. I might've be dead if it wasn't for you."_

" _Might be?" Luke raised his eyebrows, looking at her again. The fire danced in his eyes. "You_ would _be dead."_

" _I'm not that helpless." There was offense in her tone. "I'm certainly in better health than you are now."_

 _Anakin thought for a moment that Luke would argue back, but he didn't. Instead, he sighed wearily. "Maybe." That earned him a snort from Fireheart, and he shot her a look. "Fine. Okay. I'll be fine, though. Really."_

" _We still have to make it to the mountain, climb up it, steal lightsaber crystals, and then get_ _ **all**_ _the way back to the starting point. You won't be fine by yourself."_

 _Luke rolled his eyes. "This again? Look, I told you…"_

" _That was_ before _you got yourself injured." Fireheart interrupted. "If you want to make it, you'll need help. Asking for help is, after all, part of survival."_

 _Anakin knew that was_ _ **not**_ _a teaching of the Sith. The Sith didn't ask for help. From anyone. They took it, yes, and disposed of it once it was no longer needed. But, to_ _ **ask**_ _for it? Never. Luke seemed to think that, too. "That wasn't anywhere in our training book." Ah, so Palpatine had training manuals printed for his recruits. Good to know. Of course, Anakin probably knew everything in it already. Still…_

 _Fireheart hesitated. "Well. It's just logic, okay?"_

 _Luke looked back at her, his eyes narrowing, as if trying to read into the hesitation that Anakin had, of course, mentally noted as well. "_ _ **Why**_ _do you want to help? We're rivals."_

 _Anakin felt Fireheart shrug. "Because you're different."_

 _Luke raised an eyebrow. "I'm different? How so?"_

 _Another shrug. "I don't know, but everyone knows it. That's why they avoid you. You're unpredictable. An anomaly."_

" _Oh. And, here I thought it was all because of my_ charming _personality." Luke sarcastically said, again rolling his eyes, though his comment wasn't quite as harsh as before. "I guess…I guess we could team up, yeah. But, only this one time!" he hurried to amend when Fireheart opened her mouth. "I still plan on beating you in the competition. I_ _ **will**_ _become a Sith Lord."_

 _Anakin shuddered. He said it with such conviction, it was frightening. Anakin tried to say something, wanted to say something, but he couldn't. "Right," Fireheart grinned, "We'll see."_

 _The scene changed again._

 _This time Anakin recognized the dark surroundings as the inside of the Jedi Temple. Fireheart was heading towards the entrance, a lightsaber crystal already in her hands. Anakin knew the crystal: A red saber crystal. A Sith crystal. There weren't many of them in the Jedi Temple caverns, but there were some. Anakin and Obi-Wan had talked with Neeja about going through and finding and destroying all the red crystals in the Temple, as they suspected there was a bigger supply of them elsewhere on Earth, in another cave somewhere the Jedi didn't yet know of, but they had ultimately decided against it. Unless or until they found another crystal source, this Temple was it…and they needed to preserve every crystal in it, red or not. If there wasn't another source of red crystals, what Luke and Fireheart were doing would be a_ _ **much**_ _bigger issue for the Jedi than it was. Of course, this whole memory begged the question: Why would Palpatine even send his trainees to the Jedi Temple in the first place, if the Sith had an alternate crystal source?_

 _Anakin decided he'd need to discuss that with Obi-Wan and Snips at a later time._

" _Hurry up!" she hissed, the sound echoing in the cave. She turned, and Anakin saw Luke making his way towards her; though, he paused as he examined another crystal. "You already got one! Don't get greedy!"_

" _I'm not, I just…" Luke hesitated, and Anakin saw the look of longing in his son's eyes. It was the look any Force sensitive got when they had found the crystal that called to them. He seemed to be going back and forth—if Anakin had to guess, his son was debating on ignoring the feeling and doing what he'd been told to do, and taking it anyway. Take the crystal, my son, Anakin silently pleaded, Don't resist that call…_

 _With a hard look of determination, Luke snatched the other crystal, and Anakin felt his heart warm. It wasn't a red Sith crystal. The Light had called to his son through that crystal, and Luke had responded. After he grabbed the crystal, both teens took off running._

 _The scene changed once more._

 _They were sitting on the side of the mountain. Luke had the pieces of a lightsaber before him. "Why get two crystals?" Fireheart was asking, "Those won't be compatible, so you can't do a double blade…."_

" _Quiet."_

 _Fireheart continued. "And, you're supposed to wait until we get back to assemble the lightsaber…"_

" _And, where in the rules did it say that?" He closed his eyes, settling into a meditation position. "They gave us the parts. They said they'd help us,_ _ **not**_ _that we had to wait for them. I'm not waiting around: We have better chances of survival out here with a lightsaber than without one. Now, be quiet so that I can concentrate."_

 _If Fireheart wanted to argue, she refrained from doing so, as Luke closed his eyes, reaching out through the Force to pick up the pieces and the red lightsaber crystal he'd stolen. The process to assemble a lightsaber did not happen quickly. Even the most experienced of Jedi spent hours working on it. New beginners could take days or even_ weeks _to make a lightsaber. Within the vision, time seemed to pass quickly; though, the light of day changed as Luke spent the time assembling the lightsaber. As Anakin watched, it felt like a few moments within the dream before finally Luke had assembled the lightsaber. He opened his eyes, reaching out as the Force brought the saber into his hand. "Are you sure you did it right?" Fireheart whispered._

 _Luke frowned, studying the lightsaber carefully. "I guess we'll find out."_

 _Anakin wanted to protest, but Fireheart did so for him. "If you didn't do it right, it could blow up and kill us both, y'know."_

 _Luke just rolled his eyes._

" _Then go somewhere else if you're scared." But, Fireheart stayed put as Luke found the switch on the hilt and ignited it, casting them in an eerie red glow. They waited for a few breathless moments while the saber hummed in Luke's hands. Finally, Luke grinned. "See? Nothing to it."_

 _First try. Anakin was truly impressed, even if it_ _ **was**_ _a Sith blade Luke had just assembled._

 _Still, Anakin couldn't help but wonder if part of the reason for Luke's quick assembly had to do with ingrained Jedi instinct rather than pure luck. As a Jedi Master in their old galaxy, especially if he'd taken on Padawans, Luke would have had to become intimately familiar with building a lightsaber. Fireheart didn't grasp that reasoning, but in her voice, he could hear grudging respect. "Nice job. Now, let's get out of here before…"_

" _Stop right there." Anakin's heart twisted painfully. He knew that voice._ _ **Neeja.**_ _Both teens whirled around, finding Neeja standing alone on the side of the mountain, arms crossed, eyes narrowed and focused on…_

 _Luke._

" _Shit," Fireheart hissed, turning, "Let's get out of here Starkiller!"_

 _Luke had blanched and was now pale. He stared back at Neeja. Anakin tried to recall if Luke had ever met Neeja, but he didn't believe he had other than listening to some of Anakin's conversations with the older Master and saying 'Hi' to the Nepal based Jedi over the comm unit when he was a small boy. Perhaps he was remembering Neeja's voice, or perhaps it was something about Neeja's presence that called to Luke. Regardless, when Luke looked at Neeja, he recognized him. That fact was without question._

 _Neeja's eyes widened a little, apparently recognizing Luke as well. "Starkiller?" He echoed, taking a step towards Luke. Anakin could see the panic flare in Luke's eyes, as he glanced between Neeja and Fireheart. "That's_ _ **not**_ _who you are."_

" _Don't listen to him, let's get out of here! He's stalling for time!" Fireheart insisted desperately._

 _Luke took a hesitant step backwards towards Fireheart, but his gaze was still transfixed on the Jedi who was continually edging towards him as if trying not to scare off a wounded animal._

" _There are a lot of people looking for you right now."_

 _Luke was frozen, completely ignoring Fireheart's pleas to leave. Why Fireheart didn't leave without him, Anakin wasn't sure, but she continued to press Luke to snap out of it. "I am Neeja. I'm a friend." He reached Luke, towering over him. Luke still had the lightsaber activated, hanging limply in his hand by his side. Neeja studied him, feeling him out in the Force, a frown deepening. "This isn't who you are. You aren't this 'Starkiller.' You are Lu…"_

 _Luke's eyes suddenly widened, his face going ashen. "No!" he cried, his voice breaking, and before Neeja could move out of the way, Luke brought his lightsaber up and plunged it into the Jedi's chest, breathing hard, his entire body shaking._

 _For a moment, both just stood there, the lightsaber impaled in Neeja's chest, Luke staring wide-eyed and horrified at what he'd just done, while Fireheart had gone silent. Finally, Luke deactivated the lightsaber, and Neeja slumped to the ground, landing face-first at Luke's feet. Luke jumped back, looking almost green, like he was going to be sick. "Oh, Force," Luke breathed, "What have….what…."_

 _Anakin watched, heartbroken, not only as his friend lay dying, but as his son, who had clearly reacted in panic, now faced the reality that he'd taken a life. At no older than fourteen, Luke had killed a man. Why? Because he was desperate to keep his identity a secret? Was it really so important? How might things have changed had Luke allowed Neeja into whatever walls he'd built around himself? He could have been rescued. Neeja had_ _ **known**_ _who Luke was—he would have informed Anakin immediately and brought him home. Was Luke really_ that _desperate to hide from his father? Apparently so._

 _But, for Force's sake, why?!_

 _Other shouts drifted down from the side of the mountain. "We've got to go, Starkiller," Fireheart was saying, practically shouting to get Luke's attention. Slowly, he pulled his gaze up from the dead man at his feet. "Or, the rest of his Jedi pals will catch us!"_

 _Slowly, Luke nodded, and, glancing one last time at Neeja, he moved to follow Fireheart down the mountain._

Anakin roused to consciousness from the vision, his own body shaking with the impact of what he'd seen. If anything, the meditation had only made him feel _worse_ …but it had answered some long held questions.

Neeja had died because he'd known _who_ Luke was. He, like Anakin, hadn't fully realized just how deeply rooted Luke had become in this mess of Palpatine's, and had underestimated the situation. It had cost his friend his life. Just as it had almost cost Anakin his.

Luke also had to be experiencing at least _some_ memories from his previous lifetime. It was the only thing that could explain how he'd put the lightsaber together on the first try. Padawans **never** did that. Not him. Not Obi-Wan. Not Leia. He doubted Luke had gotten it right the first time either in their old galaxy, but in this world, it was as if he knew exactly what to do. Perhaps he could use this information to remind Luke of the person he _really_ was, not this…darkness that had consumed him.

Then, there was Luke's struggle with the Dark Side. The Luke he'd fought on the roof had certainly been using the Dark Side at the time, but Luke wasn't…a Sith. Just because someone _used_ the Dark Side, that didn't mean they were a Sith. Sith adhered to certain rules, whereas right now, Luke didn't seem to be caring about _any_ rules. Even when Luke was training under Palpatine to become a Sith, he had struggled with the Dark Side and the Light. He hadn't just saved Fireheart's life, he'd teamed up with her. A true Sith would have let her die, and he _certainly_ wouldn't have bothered to continue to help her. He had calmed the tiger and let it go free. Sith couldn't form the connections needed to control beasts like that. They only would have made the beast angrier. Then, there was Luke being drawn to another lightsaber crystal, the second one he'd stolen. Sith didn't treat lightsabers with the same reverence as a Jedi—Vader had, but Vader had been… _different_. Vader had still had _some_ Light within him. Luke taking the crystal showed that he, at the very least, _listened_ to the Light occasionally.

His son, though lost in darkness, could truly be brought home. He had more questions, of course. His mind drifted back to the girl he saw these visions through. Clearly, she had been an important role in Luke's life at one time. Whatever had put Luke on the path to trying to destroy Palpatine, he had a sinking feeling that _she_ was the catalyst, the eye of the storm that Luke had gotten lost in.

He intended to find out just what role she'd played in Luke's fallen state on this quest to bring him home.

* * *

Luke had never flown a ship before, but he somehow knew instinctively when the _Millennium_ _Falcon_ pulled back into auto pilot. He grimaced, staring dejectedly at the round, checkered chess board-table. Since he wasn't playing a game, the hologram wasn't turned on, but he and Chewie had spent quite a bit of downtime during their flights to various jobs playing against one another. Somehow, when his companions returned from their respective stations, he doubted they'd be keen on playing a game with him.

Mara was the first to enter the room from the quad-gun access tube, where she had fired the gun that had kept his father from capturing him on that rooftop. They instantly locked eyes, and Luke could feel her opening her mind up to him. He got the message, and carefully opened up just enough to communicate. _How did they find us?_

Mara let out a short, irritated breath. _I put a tracker on my ship in case of emergencies. Apparently, they thought snooping in our business counted as an 'emergency'._

Luke inwardly cursed, but he didn't have enough time to be upset. He had to come up with a game plan. _What do they know?_

 _They only know that these missions aren't as safe as you made them out to be._ Mara hesitated, glancing back towards the cockpit. _I think they're worried about you, Luke._

Wasn't everybody these days, Luke bitterly thought, wishing that Han kept alcohol in the kitchen area of the ship. He didn't. Before Luke could come up with a response, Han entered the room from the cockpit by himself. Chewie had apparently stayed up front to keep an eye on the controls. The _Millennium Falcon_ was an extraordinary ship with all of its special modifications, but that also meant it constantly needed to be maintained. Han sat down in his swiveling chair next to various instruments, looking Luke over silently for a long moment. Luke waited, trying to seem like he wasn't the least bit bothered by how this night had turned out.

Too bad that was far from the truth. Luke was reeling on the inside. Honestly, he wished he were alone right now: He needed to think. After so many years of hiding from his father, finally facing him had been _unnerving_ , to say the least. None of it had happened like Luke had imagined their reunion would go—he'd expected his father to hunt him down and kill him without mercy. While his father certainly _had_ been persistent in chasing him, when they finally faced off in a duel…he hadn't been aggressive at all. Instead, he'd been defensive, and reluctantly so, at that, as if he were completely _shocked_ by Luke's aggressive actions.

But, what disturbed Luke the most was what he'd asked as they broke away from each other. _Why?_ As if he _really_ didn't know why Luke had hated him all these years. Why Luke was more than willing to get rid of his father before his father tried to kill him. As if he'd _forgotten_ what Luke had done to his own mother…

Han spoke, breaking off Luke's thoughts. "Are you going to explain what the _hell_ just happened down there and _why_ we were chased by your murderous father on a cheap speeder? Or, are you just going to ignore the fact that we just saved your ass?"

Normally, Luke would have objected to the saved ass part. He was _more_ than capable of saving himself. But, he couldn't help but wonder what _would_ have happened had Mara not led Han and Chewie to his location. Still, Luke wasn't ready to admit to that. "Are _you_ going to explain why you followed us for no reason?" Luke countered instead.

" _Me?"_ Han asked mock-innocently, "Sorry, Kid, but when a seventeen-year-old who is _clearly_ in over his head keeps going off on mysterious secret missions, I wanna know what's going on. You weren't telling me, so I followed, and it's a good thing I did, too! You'd be _dead_ tonight if it wasn't for us."

Maybe. His mind flashed back to his father's strange behavior…and the strange feeling of terrible, heartbreaking, awful _loss_ that Luke had felt around him, as if something truly _precious_ had been ripped away from him. Perhaps it had to do with his mother…but no, this felt _different_ , somehow, as if the loss was felt not only in his _soul_ , but in the _Force_ as well. "They don't usually get that dangerous." Luke grumbled.

"Yeah?" Han asked dubiously, eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Well, even if they haven't been, you said yourself: You're getting close to the end of Palpatine's trail. It's _bound_ to get more dangerous." Han sighed, looking over at Mara. "Back me up here, will ya?"

Mara hesitated, looking from Luke to Han. Mara tended to stay out of arguments between Luke and Han mainly because Mara was intensely loyal. It was who she was. She had a loyalty not only to Han, but to Luke as well…although, Luke didn't fully understand some of her reasoning behind her loyalty to him. Sure enough, she said aloud, "Oh no, Solo, you're _not_ dragging me into this."

"But, you _are_ in it, Jade," Han insisted, "You're helping _him_ out! You're putting yourself in danger! Now, **we** have to figure out how to get _your_ ship back to London and…"

"Mara is enough backup, Han." Luke insisted, interrupting his friend's spiel. He wanted to be done with the conversation. He stood to indicate that. "I don't _need_ more help. But, if I do, I'll be sure to let you know."

Han was already shaking his head. "You're going to get yourself killed, Kid." Though Han made it _sound_ on the surface like he was annoyed at Luke for inconveniencing him with his seemingly suicidal schemes, Luke could sense his friend's worry. Being ten years older than them, at 27, Han had sort of taken them on not only as co-workers and friends, but as a big-brother figure. Still, he also strived to keep the nonchalant, selfish smuggler image going, so to those who didn't know him, his responses sometimes seemed uncaring. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"I won't, but…" Luke broke off as he moved to leave, staring at his friend.

Something… _something_ about Han sitting in that chair… _why_ did it seem so familiar? Sure, he'd seen Han sit there plenty of times, but for some reason, right that moment…

Suddenly, the interior of the _Falcon_ seemed dirtier, as if it were _much_ older and in serious need of a deep clean. Han still sat in that chair, but his attire was totally _different_ …there wasn't a casual black t-shirt and some jeans and sneakers. He wore a long-sleeved, white shirt with a black vest over it, with black pants and knee-high black boots. He was pulling the "I don't care what anyone thinks" look off quite well. He was facing Luke, a grin on his face. "Hokey-religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, Kid."

Before he could fathom what was happening, he was saying something back to Han: "You don't believe in the Force, do you?" He hadn't actually moved his lips, but he heard his own voice, just the same.

Han rolled his eyes. "Kid, I've flown from one side of this galaxy to the other. I've seen a lot of _strange_ stuff, but I've never seen _anything_ to make me believe that there's one _all powerful Force_ controlling everything." Then, cockily, "No mystical Force controls _my_ destiny. It's all a lot of simple tricks and nonsense." He turned back to the controls, and suddenly…

Luke's head exploded with severe _pain_ , as he came back to reality, leaning against the chess board that he'd accidentally turned on to keep from falling over. He breathed hard, sweat running down his face, his body shaking. "Luke?" Han was at his right side, looking torn between helping support his weight and giving him space.

Mara was not torn. She was at his left, one hand on his shoulder, the other over his heart. There was worry, even _fear_ in her emerald green eyes. " _Force_ , Luke, what is happening to you?!" She asked, her voice uncharacteristically frantic.

He didn't know. He opened his mouth to respond, but his father's image flashed in his head, the way he'd looked at him on that rooftop, asking _Why?_ Pain, shock, fear, worry…even, dare he think it, _love_ …were reflected in those matching orbs of blue staring at him. This didn't make _any_ sense, dammit! The word sent _another_ wave of piercing anguish through Luke's head, and his knees buckled, the world going black, that word echoing in his head:

 _Why? Why? Why?_

* * *

 **LONG chapter! I know. But I wanted to include so much here so that I can move the story along. Luke is clearly struggling, and Anakin and Padme are chasing leads. What will happen?**

 **Thanks so much for all of your reviews! They mean so much to me. I figured out the moderating reviews thing, so that's fixed. Yay! Haha one guest reviewer made me die laughing for about fifteen minutes straight. Apparently, she's a huge Mara/Luke shipper. Her suggestion was to have them "violate the Jedi code multiple times" and though I'm not going to write that, it DID make me go into a fit of giggles. As George Takei would say: "Ohhhhhh myyyyyy..."**

 **There were a lot of songs that inspired this chapter. Here goes:**

 **Kingdom Come-The Civil Wars**

 **Talia's Theme-Two Steps from Hell (yes it really is her theme)**

 **Wolf-First Aid Kit**

 **And Asami and Hiroshi/ Korra Airbends-The Legend of Korra.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	62. On the Trail

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR NOTE AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER. I WILL ALSO POST TO MY PROFILE. IT IS LONG, BUT IMPORTANT. The songs for this chapter are "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen (What Luke is listening to) and "Open Your Eyes (Deep Blue Songspell)" by Bea Miller**

* * *

Days passed. There wasn't any more pain, or strange visions in his head, but Luke continued to try to take it easy. Though his mission to find and kill Palpatine kept roaring in his heart, practically _begging_ to be paid attention to, he managed to ignore it for the time being. Running into his father had done something to him. He wasn't sure _what_ , but he'd always had strange visions—usually of flying an X-shaped plane through space, of getting into dog fights in it with weird looking spacecraft over strange, unknown planets, but other than his strange vision of Leia, they had never been painful. Until _now._ The vision he'd had of Han in those strange clothes, and then having his father asking him the confusing, stupid question of _why_ …it was as if both of those images had collided in his head, causing him the worst pain he'd _ever_ felt. He hadn't woken up until hours later, when Han had landed the _Falcon_ on the blacktop outside of their home in England, and Mara and Chewie had been trying to support Luke's weight to get him off the ship.

It had freaked him out, made him wonder if something was _really_ wrong with him. Han had tried to convince him to go to the doctor, but going to a doctor would have involved giving identification, leaving a record of where he was. Luke didn't want to do that. He had no doubt that his father would now be actively looking for something like that, and would have immediately picked up on that. He didn't particularly want to wake up to Anakin Skywalker busting the door down to attack him. So, Luke convinced his friends to just let him take a few days off, which he spent sleeping in, reading, or fixing Mara's busted TV. He'd wanted to draw the X-shaped ship he dreamed about with the intention to one day build it once the Palpatine-crisis was over, but when he put his pencil to the paper, his head had begun to throb painfully, and he'd immediately stopped.

Now, he sat cross-legged on the floor, the back of Mara's TV opened up before him. Tinkering was a much enjoyed release for Luke, very _cathartic_ and soothing. His iPod was playing wirelessly over his speakers, playing Queen songs. He muttered the lyrics under his breath, not actually singing them, of course—he was an _awfu_ l singer—but the movement of his lips helped him focus on his task. That focus, however, was broken when there was a knock on his door. He paused, reaching out through the Force and found the familiar presence of Mara. "Come in," he called.

The door opened, and Mara leaned on the doorframe, her arms crossed. She grinned when she saw what it was he was fixing. "Having fun?"

"Tons," He replied as he reached over for the back case to the TV. "It's fixed, by the way. At least, I _think_ it is."

"One way to find out." Mara said, as Luke began to screw on the back of the TV. She paused, watching him. "So, Han and Chewie won't be back from their smuggling run until tonight…"

Luke paused, glancing up at her. What was she suggesting? "Yeah, I know."

"And, I just got my speeder back from Rio." When he gave her a quizzical look, she added, "I paid off one of Han's friends to bring it."

"Han has friends?" Luke teased, raising his eyebrows in mock surprise.

"Apparently so." Mara smirked, but it didn't quite touch her eyes. She seemed almost _nervous._ "Anyway, since you've been taking a well-earned break from your life's mission, I just thought it might be fun if…" she shrugged, casually, as if she didn't care one way or the other what he said, "If you might wanna go out tonight."

Luke fully stopped then, staring at her, his heart hammering in his chest. Was she…asking him out? Like, as friends or on a _date?_ Sure, he and Mara were friends, but this wouldn't be them and Han and Chewie tagging along. This would just be _them_ —Luke and Mara. Alone. Having fun. Focusing on _each other_ , and…He swallowed hard. Mara waited patiently, not the type of girl to babble when a situation got awkward. Talia's face appeared in his head as it always did when he began to consider moving beyond friendship with Mara…but this time, it disappeared, fading away...like he was letting the past go. He couldn't change the past, he knew that. Perhaps…perhaps, it _would_ be okay to move forward just a small, _baby_ step. It wasn't like Mara had asked him to be her boyfriend, or even her husband. It was just a date. "Sure," He finally said with a casual shrug, and when he smiled, he found, to his surprise, that it was genuine.

Mara smiled back, and when she did, it was filled with so much relief, so much happiness, that it took his breath away. When was the last time he felt like _this_ just because someone smiled?

"Great!" She said, "I have the perfect place!"

"Oh?" Luke raised his eyebrows, grinning. "Where to?"

Mara's smile was now almost wicked. "Oh, you'll see."

Uh oh.

* * *

Alexei had been right: Luke had _totally_ destroyed this place.

In truth, it hadn't been hard to find it. Most of this desert was sand (which he was not excited about), with very few towns in-between. As Anakin pulled his ship over the dunes, he'd instantly felt a pull in the Force, directing him to where he needed to go. Padme had indeed found information on the _Falcon_ (honestly, it came in _so_ handy having a DA for a wife), and was currently investigating further. It had certainly been owned and registered to Han Solo, but the address on file had been years out of date. Still, Padme believed that she could still pick up a trail, and had flown to Germany in their private plane with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka to investigate.

In _this_ world, Han Solo was apparently the son of the famed actor Harrison Solo, the guy who'd played _Indiana Jones_ movies back in the 80's. Anakin had seen those movies with Padme and Mindy back in their old house just after he'd come to this world, and he'd enjoyed them, yeah, but he _didn't_ understand why women seemed to _swoon_ all over this guy. Padme _loved_ those movies and _still_ watched them occasionally, always getting this dreamy-eyed look when she'd see _Indiana Jones_ on screen, which annoyed Anakin to no end, much to his wife's amusement. They'd always end up in a playful little tiff over it, which normally led to Anakin kissing his wife senseless, leaving them both breathless, just to remind her she had her very own _action man_ to swoon over. Considering what those movies often led to for them, though, Anakin secretly didn't mind that Padme liked them so much. But, sadly, the man had died about fifteen years before, and shortly afterwards, at least according to the registration records, Han had come into possession of the famed ship. He wasn't very good at updating his address, however, so Padme was currently in Germany following a lead with Hayden tagging along (who was _very_ upset at having to miss school for this—Hayden and Luke were practically polar opposites in that respect).

Anakin had chosen to go alone to Namibia. He had a feeling that what he'd find there would be _disturbing_ , to say the least, and he didn't want anyone to know about the contents of what he found until he could fully process it and figure out how to handle it. So, as he found the blackened complex nestled-half buried between the sand dunes and set the ship down with a soft _thump_ , he reached out with the Force to determine if there were a _ny_ un-wanted surprises waiting for him down there…

And felt a familiar presence hiding in the back of his ship.

He sighed, closed his eyes, and pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers, sensing that the presence knew that he'd sensed them. _Leia,_ He sent through his link to her, _You can come out now._

It took a moment, but she eventually appeared in the cockpit, sitting down cautiously next to him in the copilot's seat, a sheepish expression on her face. "Hi, Daddy." She said, trying for a smile, but at his glare, it faltered. "Look, I _know_ you said not to come…"

"For good reason, young lady." Anakin growled, but Leia continued.

"But, I _want_ to help. He's my brother—my _twin_ brother. Unlike Hayden, I actually remember him and…" she broke off, her voice tightening. "And, I want him back."

Anakin sighed in frustration, running an anxious hand through his hair. When he and Padme had sat Leia down to tell her what had happened in Rio, she had seemed reluctant to believe the true gravity of what Luke was going through. She just focused on bringing him home, and Anakin worried…Well, Leia just had such _devoted_ beliefs about right and wrong. They were sometimes very intense, and he was worried that if he let her jump into Luke's situation without warning, it would cause a permanent rift between her and her brother. It was a silly worry: Leia was stronger than that. Still, he couldn't help but want to protect her. She would _always_ be his little princess.

Leia, however, wasn't concerned about being protected. She was concerned about getting her brother back. She was nothing if not determined- _and_ single minded- a trait she got in double doses from _both_ her parents.

"Fine," Anakin sighed, getting up. "Although, when we get back, you're grounded for a month for sneaking onto this ship."

Leia gave him a skeptical look. " _Riiight, Daddy_." She said with a half smile, getting up as well and moving towards the landing ramp, which was now descending.

Anakin followed. "No, I'm serious, young lady. I am your father, and I have an obligation to ground you for doing something so reckless….not to mention _disobedient_."

Leia just laughed, brushing off the punishment, and Anakin was tempted to argue the point further, but the moment he left the ship and set foot on the property of the destroyed base, he froze. Even though it was empty, he could _still_ feel the anger and heart-wrenching anguish in the Force surrounding the place. It took his breath away, and he had to force himself to pause just to get his bearings. Leia paused as well, and he felt her go serious as she turned to him. "Is that all from… _Luke?_ "

Anakin nodded grimly: After having sensed Luke in that fight on the rooftop, he could sense a similar essence lingering here, but it was _way_ more intense, practically _throbbing_ in the Force. Something truly **horrible** had happened here. It almost made Anakin want to turn around and pretend that he hadn't found this place—He himself wasn't sure if he wanted to face what had happened to push Luke so completely over the edge. But he needed to. He _had_ to...as a Jedi, as a father. He needed answers. "He's not a true Sith." Anakin told his daughter firmly, "He's just…lost in darkness right now."

Leia's brown eyes never left his as she slowly nodded. "Let's go find him then." She turned and headed into the complex, and Anakin followed numbly. The outside of the complex was burned to a crisp. Sand from the surrounding dunes had been blown into the property with no one left to keep it at bay. There were instruments and machine parts sticking up out of the ground they walked on. The windows had been completely blown outward, as if by some sort of massive explosion. When they reached one of the steel doors leading deeper into the complex, a huge hole, big enough to allow someone through, had been melted open. Anakin knew instantly what had done it: A lightsaber. He'd used that exact same maneuver himself in his old galaxy...both as a Jedi and as Vader, and he had a sneaking suspicion whose lightsaber had done it, too.

They stepped through the hole in the door and into the complex. Despite the windows being blown out, and the outside being burned to cinders, the inside was more or less intact. There were scorch marks along the outside room walls, but as they ventured carefully into the halls, the scorch marks gave way to lightsaber marks literally slashed into the walls, leaving scorched clefts in the walls. "I _think_ someone tried to burn this place down, but it didn't quite finish burning." Leia softly said. Though they were the only people there, it felt like they had stepped into a massive graveyard.

"I'd have to agree with you there." Anakin said just as softly. They glanced into each of the rooms as they went. It looked like it had been, at one point anyway, the inside of a military base of some kind. There was a kitchen that was in shambles with broken dishes and silverware flung everywhere. There were barracks that had obviously been hastily vacated. There were destroyed conference rooms with furniture shattered or tumbled over. None of it, however, felt like it had what they were looking for.

They reached the end of the hallway, where it split into two different, narrow corridors, one right, one left, leading to darkened, windowless rooms that were impossible to see. Anakin stretched out with the Force, trying to feel which was the way to go. "That way," He said, pointing to the left.

"That way," Leia said at the same time, pointing to the right. They glanced at each other, startled. " _Okay_ ," Leia said slowly, pulling out her lightsaber and igniting it. A blue blade bathed them in its glow. "We split up and meet back here with what we find. Agreed?"

Anakin never liked the idea of splitting up, but Leia _was_ seventeen and almost ready to take the trials to become a Jedi Knight. She was a Skywalker, after all, and _more_ than capable of handling herself. Snips had been leading armies into battle at a much younger age, and, he reminded himself bitterly, Leia in their old galaxy had done _just_ as risky missions at her age as a Galactic Senator from Alderaan and a Rebel spy."Fine. Divide and conquer, I guess," He said, as he ignited his own blue lightsaber blade; though, he didn't want to. He had learned a _long_ time ago that overprotecting Leia never, _ever_ worked. She was just too damn stubborn for that. She would do what she thought was best. Just like her mother. Just like him. They split off, tapping their sabers together briefly in solidarity, muttering to each other, "May the Force be with you."

The corridor Anakin wandered down was shorter than he expected, and he soon found himself standing at a pair of metal, locked, dusty doors. Using his lightsaber, he easily cut a hole around the locking mechanism, allowing him to push the doors open with the Force and enter into the darkened room. It was so dusty, he coughed a bit, his eyes watering as the swinging doors kicked up a layer of dust in the air. _Kriff_ , he _still_ hated sand to this day! But, the dust settled and what he found sent a sharp wave of anticipation through him.

It was a control room. The computers, though turned off now, were still _very_ much intact. Computers that would have information, not only on Palpatine, but on his son. He pulled out his phone, turning the flashlight app on as he deactivated his lightsaber. He went to the computer towers. It would be useless to try to turn them on now. The place had no power. So instead, he cracked the shell open and found the memory processor, carefully using the Force to extract it without destroying it. He did the same to the other two computer towers as well, and soon he had three memory chips in his hands, full of information that he could hack into and use to turn the tide of this war. He grinned wildly and almost shouted with joy…but Leia's voice stopped him cold.

"Dad! Come here. You're going to want to see this."

Carefully fitting the cards into the inside of his leather jacket with the Force, Anakin whirled and quickly went back the way he'd come and then followed the corridor Leia had gone down. This hallway was longer, and he jogged a bit to close the distance between them faster. When he entered the room, he stopped cold, as he was suddenly awash with _strong_ feelings of anger, betrayal….and heart wrenching _despair_. The emotions that still lingered were almost palpable in the Force, and caused Anakin's own breath to catch in stunned shock.

The room they were in had been _completely_ destroyed. It was the biggest of the rooms, with a much higher ceiling. What was once a table was smashed into pieces on the far wall, splinters from it literally embedded in the walls and splinters of wood also coated the floor. There were flat TV screens, cracked and unusable, mounted on the gray walls. But, none of that was what drew their attention. No, it was the sight in the middle of the room that was the most chilling. Leia stood before a pile of charred bodies, one stacked on top of the other on top of another, the bones blackened and melted and…Anakin thought he was going to be sick. He knew who had done this. He didn't know _why_ yet, but he knew.

 _Luke._

"Daddy," Leia asked, turning slowly to face him, her eyes wide in shock, mouth hanging open. "What in the _Force_ actually happened here?!"

He didn't know. He opened his mouth to respond, but suddenly something sharp and stinging pricked him in the back of the neck, and his vision immediately began to blur. Alarmed, he tried to reach into the Force, but he found it was sluggish to respond to him, and he knew at once what had happened—he'd been drugged. He heard Leia call his name frantically, but he was falling into darkness, falling into oblivion…

* * *

Mara laughed in amusement as she watched Luke awkwardly dance on the crowded dance floor in the jampacked night club full of dancing, swaying, sweaty...and _inebriated_ bodies. He had never been a particularly _good_ dancer—even in their old galaxy. He managed it if he practiced, but Luke Skywalker would _always_ , at heart, be the farm boy from Tatooine turned Jedi. And, farm boys didn't dance. Jedi didn't really dance, either. It just didn't come naturally to the poor boy. Still, he made an effort, and as she danced close to him, their bodies just centimeters from one another, she found that for the first time since they'd reunited in this world, they were actually having fun. Real fun. Just the two of them. It made her heart soar, _and_ turned her on. He looked so damn _hot_ , too, his long muscular legs encased in tight black jeans, black Converses on his feet, and a black, long-sleeved, open-collared dress shirt that clung to his well muscled chest and biceps. His blonde curls whipped around his scalp as he moved, and his pale blue eyes twinkled, reflecting the flashes of light in the club's semi-darkness.

Laser lights moved over their heads. Music pulsed an erotic beat. A smoke machine was spewing smoke over the large dance floor. Someone knocked into her from behind, and she instinctively placed a steadying hand on Luke's chest. She felt his heart rate increase under her palm and saw surprise flicker in his eyes, but unlike the many times before when he'd given her that look that said he was _thinking_ about making a move on her, he didn't shut down this time. Instead, he grinned and placed a large steadying hand on her tiny, indented waist. For the billionth time, she wondered what had happened to Luke in _this_ world to make him so lost, but tonight, she quickly pushed that thought away. She _wasn't_ going to sour her mood dwelling on it either. If things went well tonight, maybe he'd truly open up to her. Maybe he'd even reveal those closely-guarded secrets he was keeping from her. If he did, then she _knew_ she would have a better chance at helping him, of bringing him back to the Light.

Tonight, _all_ that mattered was that she'd _finally_ found him. She'd always remembered her past life in her other galaxy. She'd always wondered if she would _ever_ find her farm boy-Jedi in _this_ world. She'd always hoped so. At first, she had been content to just wait, happy to be raised by her beloved parents in this world, but after they died in a car accident when she was twelve, she had been forced to strike out on her own. She had done so with the intent of finding Luke, but she'd run into Han Solo and Chewbacca first. And, Mara _knew..._ Where Han Solo went, Luke Skywalker was not usually far behind. So, she'd taken a gamble and stayed with Solo, who had been like a big brother. And, sure enough, she'd eventually run into Luke…although, he was _very_ different than the Luke she'd loved and married back in their old galaxy.

And, yet he was also the same. Behind those walls he'd built around himself, there was compassion, intelligence. There was patience. There was kindness. There was _passion._ Even in the overt darkness of his current Force presence, she still felt that blinding Light buried deep within him, that incredible Skywalker Family connection to the Force that was unlike _anything_ else she'd ever seen, that trustful-nature that had broken through her own walls back in their old galaxy. No. He hadn't given up on her _then_. And, she wouldn't give up on him _now_. Somehow, Luke Skywalker **would** make it through this, and she would loyally be by his side _every_ step of the way. Even just as a friend, if that's what he needed.

But, oh, she _wanted_ it to be as _so_ much more.

Still, as their bodies finally touched, briefly brushing against each other, and she was left staring into the clear blue of those Skywalker eyes, she _hoped_ that he would want more... _much more_ , just like she did. Sure enough, she saw the sudden flame of desire there, the debate raging within on whether or not he _should_ close the distance between their lips and take their relationship to the next level. But…

He suddenly pulled away as the song ended, like a spell being broken. He smiled sheepishly, but not unkindly. That same old hesitation was in his eyes again, as if he were warring with himself on the inside, trying to decide what he wanted. Though she felt the bitter sting of disappointment, she respected and loved Luke enough not to push it. She smiled back, and she jammed her thumb in the general direction of the bathroom. "Bathroom break!" She yelled, barely making herself heard over the crowd and the music. Luke nodded to show understanding and tilted his head in the direction of the bar. She understood what that meant—drinks. The night was still young. Anything could happen. And, she hoped it would.

She turned and began to push her way through the crowd, taking deep breaths to try to steady her emotions. It killed her inside to know that Luke didn't remember _her_ , didn't remember _them_. They hadn't exactly started out on the best footing in their old galaxy—she had, after all, repeatedly informed him that she was going to kill him. She'd meant it, too. But Luke, though cautious around her, had begun to trust her slowly, incrementally, and she'd learned to trust him, without either of them consciously realizing it until much later. Even then, they hadn't immediately gotten together, but eventually, she realized that she loved him, and wouldn't have anyone else. Their wedding day had been the happiest moment of her life, certainly a far cry from the beginning of their relationship when she'd been totally hostile to him. She'd joined him at his side not only as his wife, but as a Jedi in his new, fledgling order. She'd eventually given birth to their son, Anakin Skywalker II, named after Luke's father. It had been a name she'd been cautious about at first, but the way Luke spoke of his beloved father, not as Darth Vader, but as Anakin Skywalker, a good man, a loving husband to his own wife, Luke's mother, and a great Jedi, she'd come to accept the name wholeheartedly as being perfect for their own son.

She paused, her heart wrenching painfully at the thought of their son. What had become of him? When Ben Solo, her husband's nephew and Padawan, had fallen to the Dark Side after finding out who his grandfather truly had been from a news holo, she remembered trying to protect her own son. Ben had turned into Kylo Ren, and had convinced _many_ of Luke's students to turn with him, becoming the Knights of Ren. She wouldn't let her son Anakin suffer that same fate, and she'd tried to stop Kylo…Ben, her nephew. He'd killed her. Without remorse. Without guilt. He'd stabbed his lightsaber through her in cold blood, and she'd been killed.

And, she had _no idea_ what had happened to her son after that. No idea what had happened to Luke either. No idea what had befallen the galaxy as the First Order rose from the ashes of the Empire. More than ever, she wanted those answers, _needed_ them…but the _only_ person who could offer them was Luke, and he didn't seem to remember any of it, because neither Han or Chewie seemed to remember it either. Worse, apparently the man they'd named their son after seemed to be _just_ as bad, as evil and cruel, as Darth Vader had been. Whatever secrets, whatever lies Luke had been telling them over the last year to cover up his schemes, Mara had _no doubt_ that he'd told the truth when he said his father had tried to kill him. The _look_ in his eyes when he'd told them, the way the Force felt as he said those words…it was the truth.

Mara sighed and entered the ladies' bathroom. Strangely, it was empty, but the club did have multiple bathrooms. She stopped at the mirror, looking herself over. Her fiery red hair had been pulled back partially and was held with a clip on one side behind her ear, the waves of hair tumbling down her back like a waterfall of flame, revealing gold hoop earrings dangling from her ears. Her emerald green eyes, smudged with smokey eye colors with black mascara on the tips of her long lashes, were filled with conflicting emotions. She didn't love dresses, even though she looked fabulous in them. So, even in the club she wore her typical tight black pants, black leather, knee-high, three-inch heeled boots, though tonight she wore a dark green, collared silk blouse that hugged her curves to perfection.

She took deep breaths, leaning her hip against the sink. She _couldn't_ lose control, she _couldn't_ break from the stress of not knowing what had happened, what _could_ or _would_ happen. Not now. Not when she and Luke were _finally_ out on an actual date, like a real, normal couple.

Quickly running through the calming exercises Luke had taught her oh-so-long ago, she managed to keep control of herself. She wouldn't think about their old galaxy. She wouldn't think about her death, or what had become of their son. She wouldn't think about what Luke was hiding from her right now. She would enjoy the moment and worry about those things later. Right now…

She heard a slight creak. Instantly alert, her eyes snapped up, the Force stretching out…and suddenly, there was a sharp, stinging prick to the side of her neck. She hissed in pain, reaching up, feeling the unmistakable feel of a dart embedded into her neck. _Shit._ She could already feel the drug it had been laced with consuming her consciousness, and she was suddenly falling….falling….Her last thought was of Luke, waiting out there for her, and she called upon what Force access she still could to send a distress signal before…

Everything went black.

* * *

 **I am going to do my best not to lose my cool here, because right now, I admit I'm pretty upset, but I also need to be direct and clear up a few things.**

 **My policy for negative responses to my writing has always been to take it where it deserves it, and ignore it when it does not.** _ **Some**_ **negative responses do have legit points, while others are just meant to be cruel. This story, from it's publishing, has had** _ **very few**_ **negative responses left on it, and I assume, because of this, that anyone who disagrees with or does not like my story has simply stopped reading it. Fair enough. To each his or her own. I do not delete their responses, but I also do not respond either by PM or publicly. I have only responded twice due to misunderstandings that were cleared up in private, and I've moved on with my life since then. I do this because I am an adult. I recognize that not everyone will like my ideas, or my take on Star Wars, or my decisions with how my story is moving along, and you are completely entitled to that opinion. It will not offend me. I instead look at it as a learning opportunity. In regards to harassment towards myself, I am also generally very chill. I do not try to engage. As someone who has been bullied, I have found that for me, not responding to harassment is usually the best course of action. After all, it does take** _ **two**_ **people to have an argument.**

 **That said, however, one thing I will NOT tolerate, is reviewers attacking other reviewers and their opinions in regard to my stories.**

 **I care about people intensely. Those who know me know and have seen that the fastest way to make me super pissed off is to hurt people I care about. I do not personally know most of my reviewers, no, but many of you have been loyal fans from the start. Some of you from the** _ **very**_ **beginning. You have brightened my day, given me food for thought, and inspired me to take this story and other stories beyond my wildest imagination. So, when I posted my last chapter and suddenly I had some of my reviewers attacked, I got** _ **very**_ **upset. My goal in writing my stories is to have fun, and to provide that fun for others who may want a few minutes to take a break from the rest of the world to read an alternative what-if situation. It is NOT - and never has been intended - to spark an all-out argument in my reviews page, that can be likened to the comments section of a YouTube video (go look at any popular or controversial video and you will know what I'm talking about).**

 **So, you can feel free to disagree with me or my writing, but I do NOT tolerate harassment of other reviewers of my story. I want people to feel safe when they review my story. I want them to feel like they can safely express their opinion - positive or negative** _ **-**_ **on my writing or the direction of the story without fear of being attacked. My lovely beta, SW, (who is totally** _ **awesome**_ **and has helped me so much with my stories) has said that the reason she doesn't usually review other stories she reads is because she worries about getting attacked like that for her opinion, and no one should feel that way. I noticed that many of the people who normally review my story did not review this time, and I wonder if the reason has to do with the apparent disgruntlement being aired in regard to the last chapter update. Because I aim to establish a safe environment for all my readers, I give you fair warning now: Any future attacks on my reviewers will be met with not only a delete of the comment, but also being reported for harassment. I will NOT tolerate flaming. Period. So, everyone, please behave in reviewing. Even negative comments can be said nicely.**

 **As for Mara Jade. Seriously, out of** _ **every**_ **possible controversial decision I have made on this story, I did NOT expect this apparent issue to stem from my intentions with regard to Mara Jade. So, to clear the proverbial air, I will also make my intentions clear in regard to this character without spoiling as much as I can.**

 **I know where my story is going. I have meticulously planned this story out from beginning to end, and I have been working on it since long before it was published. My beta has the overall picture, but even she does not know every little detail that influenced this decision. Now, you all know that does not mean that I have not taken suggestions from reviewers and incorporated them into my story. I will continue to do so, if it fits within my story line and adds to the story, but if a suggestion does not work out, understand that it is** _ **not**_ **meant as a reflection of my opinion on you or your idea. Many ideas that I have not included have been good ideas, but just have not fit in with my overall theme. I understand that may be disappointing, but I expect that you will be mature enough to respect my decision, as the author, and perhaps give me a little bit of trust to follow the story line through. That IS, the author's prerogative, as you all well know.**

 **My decision to have Mara Jade in my story was my own decision. It was not influenced by any reviewer, mostly because I had the second part planned intricately out before I ever even published chapter one. However, when I started this story, from the very moment it was revealed that Luke would eventually come into the story, one of the most frequent questions I received by PM from various reviewers was "Will there be Mara Jade?" Mara Jade is important to Luke's struggle. She understands the conflict, the darkness that Luke is facing right now, not only as a person who has gone through dark times herself, but also as a Jedi who has gone through dark times. She** _ **is**_ **an established character, beloved by** _ **many SW fans**_ **. Disney has included Thrawn in their Star Wars Rebels series (YAY!) not only because he's a bad-ass, but also because he also is a beloved character from the EU-Canon. Mara Jade is yet** _ **another**_ **beloved character that Disney has probably at least considered bringing in, if they aren't already going to do so.**

 **I fully understand EU-Canon and Disney-Canon. When deciding to write this story, I spent hours upon hours of research into both. As one reviewer said, right now, there isn't much Disney-Canon after Ep. 6. What canon there is, I have read, and right now the only ones that make sense are the novelization of The Force Awakens and Bloodline (this is SUPER good btw). There is simply not enough to judge what makes sense and what doesn't. Disney is doing a very good job keeping Luke to a minimum in those books because they want Ep. 8 and 9 to be a surprise for us, so what mentions of Luke there are in those books are slim and intentionally unrevealing.**

 **That means that I, as an author, have to make decisions to fill it in based on what information I have and what I don't...as well as what I like and what I don't. There is simply not enough information to say "nope Mara Jade can't be his wife." I could spend pages deconstructing that argument, but I'm not going to.**

 **I will address this fact however:**

 **I have a rule about OC-romances. I don't write them. That** _ **doesn't**_ **mean that I dislike them, I just don't write them. I also will not write an established character I don't understand or know. I understand that some people ship Luke with Jynn Erso. From what I can tell, Jynn is pretty cool, but I don't know her as a character. I've only seen the footage in the trailers. I have a thing about spoilers, so as the time gets closer I will stop reading articles that reveal spoiler details like I did for the Force Awakens until I've seen the movie. Furthermore, I highly doubt they're going to announce in that movie "oh btw Luke gets together with her." If that happens, we likely won't find out until Ep 8 or even 9. I am not going to put my story on hold to wait to understand her character more. If I put her in my story, what I would be writing is an OC character that happens to have the name of Jynn. It would make me uncomfortable. I would essentially be violating my own rule, and I would stop writing. Furthermore, I would basically base her off of Mara Jade, because like I said, Mara has the characteristics I need for what's going to happen in this story, so she'd basically be Mara Jade disguised as Jynn Erso, and that's not fair to Jynn. I want Jynn to be a strong, female character that stands on her own. I don't want her to replace Mara Jade. I want her to be her own character with her own strengths and flaws. If I wrote her as Luke's wife, I would be violating that.**

 **I suppose the whole issue behind all of this is the debate on whether Rey is Luke's daughter. I'm not going to make speculations. I want to be surprised. I will say right now that beyond the mention of Kylo Ren (which will only be mentioned one more time in this story), I will not actually write any ep. 7-9 characters until ep. 9 is done. That's another rule, because I don't want to spoil it for myself. I named Luke's son Anakin because Disney switched Ben's name to Leia's son, so I figured why not switch Anakin's name from Leia's EU-son to this story's as Luke's son? I also have a very specific reason for doing this, but it's spoilers so I won't reveal it right now. Even then, that has no significant impact on the overall story. I'm choosing to keep Rey out of this, but even if I didn't, I literally did research into this. Red hair is extremely recessive. You could have two red headed parents and possibly not have red-headed children. It's even less likely if one parent is red headed and the other is not. It is predicted that natural red hair will no longer be possible because it is that recessive. Furthermore, brown hair is super dominant. Luke has a ton of brown-haired relatives. It is completely possible for him to be married to Mara Jade, not have red haired children, and even have brown haired children. That scenario has even happened in my own family. Also, physically, we do not have an actress cast as Mara Jade, so to say that Rey does not look like Mara Jade is a fallacy because who are you comparing her to? It could end up being that Jynn is Rey's mother. It could, scientifically, still be possible for Rey to be Mara Jade's daughter (btw. Luke is standing over what looks like a grave at the end of TFA. It was a prop digitally added in. I saw the movie 7 times in theaters, and I have watched all extras, interviews, etc multiple times from the DVD, and I'm not the only one to have noticed this. Mara Jade's grave? His child's grave? Some random ancient Jedi's gave? Just some pretty rock Disney felt like adding? Who knows). So the scenario I am creating is not completely impossible, and it works for my story.**

 _ **In my story, Mara Jade was previously Luke's wife. End of story. That is my decision. It is not to be offensive. I did not ever intend on explaining it like this, but due to what has happened, I felt it necessary to be extremely clear on my position, at least when it came to my story.**_

 **Lastly, the point of this story is the power of love, friendship, family, and forgiveness. The main couple in this story is still and will always be Anakin and Padme. There are other couples of course, but at the end of the day, it's** _ **their**_ **romance that made ALL of this possible. Without them, there would be no Luke or Leia or Ben/Kylo Ren. So Luke's romantic interest with Mara is just a small element, but does not influence the overall picture of my story. I am WAY more concerned with Luke's relationship with Anakin, Padme, and Leia.**

 **So to sum up: Don't harass my readers. You are free and encouraged to make suggestions, to give critical criticism nicely, but understand and respect the fact that I will not always use them. I don't care if you ship Luke with Jynn or Mara or even a rock on that island, but understand that for the purposes of my story, Mara is the person I've chosen to go with, a decision that is purely MY decision. I'm sorry if you have an issue with that, but please respect my decision as the author. Hopefully, if you've lasted this long (62 long chapters and counting, you guys are awesome!) I hope that you trust me enough to know what I'm doing with my story. If you decide to stop reading, well I will of course be sad to lose you, but I will continue on because at the end of the day, I'm writing because I'm having fun immersing myself in the world of Star Wars, just like all the rest of you in this fandom.**

 **Phew. Super long AN. I know. But, I wanted to make sure we are all on the same page, and that issues like the last chapter's reviews never happens again. I'm still a bit upset, but I'll do what I can to calm down before the next chapter.**

 **Thanks,**

 **Sarah**


	63. The Point of No Return

_The red lightsaber cast an eerie glow on young Luke's face as Anakin dueled him in what looked to be a practice room. Fireheart's blade was in her own hands, and though they sparred rapidly across the room, blades flying and clashing against each other with amazing skill, Anakin could tell from the exhilaration in Luke's eyes that it was nothing more than friendly sparring. This time, Fireheart was much more controlled, and she and Luke were almost equals. Almost. Anakin had fought Luke before, both in this galaxy and their previous one, and he_ _ **knew**_ _that his son was holding back. "Good," Luke said when Fireheart made a rather impressive advance, that Luke easily caught up with._

" _No," Fireheart said proudly with a smirk, "Excellent."_

 _The corners of Luke's mouth twitched. "We'll see about that."_

 _Abruptly, the scene changed._

 _Anakin/Fireheart burst through a door, leading into what looked to be someone's living quarters. To be more precise, a dormitory room. There were a few boys in the room in various states of undress, and they stared openly, mouths agape, as Fireheart stormed purposefully past to where Luke was getting gear out from beneath his bottom bunk bed. "You picked_ _ **me**_ _as your partner?" Fireheart was asking before Luke had a chance to straighten up. No doubt Luke already knew she was there before she'd reached him. "Why?"_

 _Luke took his own sweet time before standing up. He gave her a lopsided grin, crossing his arms over his chest, tapping his right fingers on his left elbow, his stance one of calm nonchalance. "Hey, Fireheart," He greeted her smoothly, "How remiss of me. I didn't realize that you were a boy now." A smirk crossed his face, his eyes twinkling with mirth._

" _Oh, ha-ha, v-e-ery funny, Starkiller. Tell me something._ _ **Why**_ _did you pick_ _ **me**_ _, out of everyone else that you could have…"_

 _Luke suddenly turned serious, his brow furrowed, his eyes darkening with focused intent. "You want to know the truth?"_

" _I wouldn't have stormed in here if I didn't."_

 _Another smirking grin from Luke quickly comes and then fades away. "I picked you because I_ _ **trust**_ _you. I don't trust any of the others."_

 _The scene suddenly changed again._

 _Now, Luke and Fireheart were in some sort of ornate office that Anakin didn't recognize. Luke had broken open a file cabinet and was rifling through the files in one of the upper drawers. He was wearing that same black uniform the assassin Obi-Wan had caught wore, but even with his face covered, Anakin knew who he was. His Skywalker eyes were a dead giveaway. Fireheart was holding a stack of file folders, evidently from some that Luke had pulled out. "Hurry!" Fireheart hissed, "He's coming!"_

 _Luke cursed, shutting the drawer. "It's not here!" He said, whirling. "Let's just get…what are you doing?"_

 _Fireheart was crossing over to the big oak desk at the other end of the room, plopping the folders down on it before taking a seat in the plush leather chair. She put her feet up on the desk, seemingly kicking back and crossed her ankles, a picture of calmness. Luke's ice blue eyes narrowed from beneath the mask. "Fireheart, what the hell…?"_

" _Shut it, Starkiller, and just trust me." Her eyes met his. "You said you did, so come stand next to me and look…I don't know. Menacing. By the time this is over, we'll have what we came for."_

 _Anakin thought Luke would outright refuse and leave Fireheart to her own survival, which is what a Sith would do, of course, but he should have known better. Luke wasn't like that, even in this state. Luke sighed in frustration, muttered something about how stupid of an idea this was, but came to Fireheart's side nonetheless, eyes on the door, waiting…_

 _And, once again, the scene changed._

 _Luke looked older...about fifteen or so, maybe sixteen now. He was still wearing that black uniform, but his hood was off, his mask cast to the side. Anakin was amazed at how much like_ _ **himself**_ _at that age his son looked. He was lying down on what looked to be a granite block, high above the ground…Were they on top of a pyramid in Egypt? Anakin couldn't tell, but Luke was staring up at the stars in the inky black sky. "Do you ever wonder," He asked softly, "If we aren't alone out there...in the universe?"_

 _Fireheart snorted, lying down next to him. The stone was hard beneath her and uncomfortable, but Anakin had a sense that she didn't mind. "What are you, some sort of conspiracy theorist?"_

 _That got a laugh out of Luke. "Oh, yeah. Big time."_

" _So, is that your secret?" She asked, and suddenly Anakin felt her move her hand to grasp Luke's. Again, Anakin expected Luke to pull away…but he didn't. Instead, slowly, tentatively, he squeezed back, interlacing their fingers. Wait…was Fireheart Luke's girlfriend?! The moment the question had been asked, he knew the answer. His son had a girlfriend! He'd missed his son's first girlfriend…again._

" _Why so interested in my secrets?" Luke teased, squeezing Fireheart's hand once more. "Why don't you tell me one of your secrets?"_

 _Fireheart paused. "I really like baseball."_

 _Now Luke was sitting up to look down at her, his face framed in darkness, but Anakin could see the mirth in his son's eyes. "Baseball?" He echoed incredulously. "Aren't you from Argentina or something?"_

" _Hey, it's a world sport, not just American. Ever been to Japan?" She insisted playfully._

" _But, it's a dying one."_

 _She gasped in mock-horror, holding her opposite hand to her chest. "Take it back! You know nothing!" Luke laughed and…_

 _The scenes kept changing, rapidly. They sat in a stolen car that Luke had taken, listening to rock music. "I think I like this band," Luke was saying, and Anakin instantly recognized one of Queen's top hits._

" _It's so old though." Fireheart complained, rolling her eyes, though she didn't sound like she was annoyed._

 _They fought side by side, lightsabers blazing, fighting off a barrage of actual gunfire. Anakin was intrigued. He, Obi-Wan and Ahoska had never actually had to use their lightsabers against real bullets and had debated what the outcome of such an encounter would be. Apparently, Palpatine had already tested this out and knew the answer, and now the Jedi would know, too. The lightsaber could block bullets, but as they did, the bullet melted immediately and splattered searing hot metal onto their uniforms. Normally, this would have been painful and likely would burn holes in their clothes immediately, but Anakin realized their uniforms were thick, designed to keep them from such an injury. Another good tidbit to know. Luke and Fireheart moved in perfect sync: They guarded each other's blind sides, apparently understood each other's strengths...and weaknesses. It was the perfect partnership: Well-practiced, smooth, graceful. Just like he and Obi-Wan._

 _They were wading through what smelled like sewage, the pungent grimy water up to their chests, the tunnel dark and only lit by their lightsabers. "Ewwww!" Fireheart groaned, her voice echoing in the darkened passage._

" _Oh, come on! It's nothing a little shower won't fix." Luke said, though he didn't sound like he really believed that._

" _Yeah, and how much soap?! Just shut up, will ya?" Fireheart hissed, "Don't act so tough."_

 _Luke paused. "Okay fine, it's pretty gross. There! Happy?"_

 _They were under the night sky again. Billions of stars shone clearly down on them. Luke had his arms wrapped around Fireheart's waist, looking at her so tenderly, that Anakin couldn't help but think back to the way he'd looked at Padme when he had first fallen in love with her (and still looked at her today). Clearly, Luke had it bad for this girl, and Anakin had a sneaking suspicion Fireheart felt the same way. Thankfully, before Luke could kiss her - and thus, thanks to the Force,_ _ **him**_ _\- (no father wanted_ _ **that**_ _perspective to happen, even in a dream), the scene changed one last time. They were in their uniforms. They stood alone in a corridor. Both of them were tense. "Starkiller," Fireheart said softly, getting his attention. "Whatever happens in there…it won't change us, will it?"_

 _He saw uncertainty flash in Luke's eyes before he responded. "I love you, Fireheart. Master Palpatine won't change that." Anakin's heart twisted. He hoped not. Thankfully, Palpatine had never destroyed his own love for Padme, not even during his horrific years as Darth Vader, but what about Luke's love? What about Fireheart's?_

" _I'm not going to go easy on you, though." Fireheart teased._

 _Luke nodded, and Anakin could imagine Luke grinning behind that mask. "Me either." He turned, about to head through the door leading into what lay beyond, but Fireheart's voice stopped him._

" _Talia." Luke paused, looking behind him at Fireheart, one eyebrow cocked questioningly._

" _My name. My real name. It's Talia."_

 _Luke was silent for a long moment,just blinking at her, the gravity of what she'd just said weighing on both of them. "Only Master Palpatine is supposed to know our real names."_

" _I know." Talia, Fireheart, whispered. "But, my loyalties lie with you. Not Palpatine."_

 _Luke processed this, swallowing hard, and when he responded, it was an attempt at awkward teasing, but Anakin could hear how unsettled he was by her admission. "Talia isn't a very Hispanic name." Certainly, he hadn't expected her to tell him her real name._

" _Oh, hush," she said, stepping up beside him. "Get your head in the game, Starkiller. We've got a competition to win."_

* * *

Everything felt fuzzy…even the Force seemed to be just out of his reach, just barely on the edge of his consciousness, but as hard as he tried, he couldn't muster enough energy to call upon it. Distantly, reverberating through the darkness and the images of the Force vision he'd had swirling through his brain, he heard a heavy metal door being creaked open and the sound of someone throwing something or _someone_ heavy onto the floor next to him. He felt the heat of the object radiating out toward him when it landed with a _whump_ on the floor, and instantly recognized it must be human. He struggled to open his eyes and managed to peel them apart just a little bit, but by the time his vision cleared enough to really focus, the metal door (or bars, he found out to his utter dismay) had been closed, their captor gone.

 _Where am I?_ He wondered, trying to sit up. It took him a few tries, but he finally managed it, though his body shook from the effects of whatever he'd been drugged with. He tried to remember why he'd been put in this situation, but he drew a total blank. Giving up on that for the moment, he tried to determine what it was he'd been drugged with. The effects of it almost reminded him of the Islamari, but that wasn't it. Those were creatures, not drugs, and besides they didn't exist on this planet (He'd checked and double checked _that_ fact, just to be sure. He hadn't wanted _that_ type of surprise to show up here unawares). So, it had to be a really strong dose of a regular sleep-inducing drug. Though he was awake now, the Force hadn't _quite_ wakened to his call just yet. He continued to work on it as he propped himself against the cold hard wall and looked down and…His entire body tensed.

Mara Jade.

Perfect. Just _kriffing_ perfect. He'd recognize her anywhere. She'd been one of Sidious' Hands. Vader had been _well_ aware of her role, even if she hadn't quite known that she wasn't the only one. Still, out of all of the Hands Palpatine had had in their old galaxy, Mara had been the most competent by far. Vader had also been well aware of her jealousy of his own position as the Emperor's Apprentice. Whenever he ran into her, he made sure to remind her of that fact, all too pleased by the wild jealousy in those emerald green eyes, even if her expression was always a mask of cool indifference.

Now, here she was. Lying on the ground before him, her fiery red hair splayed across the ground, wearing an outfit that told him that she hadn't exactly been on a mission before she'd been kidnapped. _Vader_ was not her cell mate now: _Anakin_ was, and he didn't know what her role was on this Earth, and he doubted she knew his role on this planet either. He was at a loss for what to do, and he couldn't even call on the Force to guide or protect him, if need be. At the same time, he had this rather disturbing revelation, he remembered what he'd been doing before he'd been drugged. He'd been investigating his son's split from Palpatine. He could still feel the memory chips digging into his side in his jacket. He hadn't been alone—Leia had been with him, and she was not in this cell with him and Mara.

 _ **Leia!**_

Fear sank into his gut for a brief moment. He _couldn'_ t lose Leia. He'd go nuts if he lost _both_ Luke and Leia. Not to mention the impact that would have on _Padme_...and the rest of their family. Just the idea was enough that he tried to force himself to stand only to collapse against the wall. However, as he gritted his teeth and tried to stand again, logic calmed his fear. Leia was almost a fully trained Jedi. She would be ready for her trials soon. Luke had not been anywhere _near_ her level of training before he'd been taken by Ventress. Leia had her mother's gutsy determination and _his_ temperament—both of those, combined with her training, meant that she was probably taking care of herself. At least, that's what he told himself to calm down. It did him no good to panic and waste his energy trying to launch a rescue mission from the inside of a barred cell.

He heard a groan, and his body tensed. Looking down, he found Mara's eyes fluttering open, the green eyes unfocused for only a brief moment before clearing. Slowly, she sat up, grimacing from having been thrown into the cell only minutes earlier. "Where…?" She muttered, turning her head to look around…and froze instantly when she caught sight of him.

For a moment, they just stared at one another like deer in headlights, neither one of them sure how to respond. Mara was the first to move. Despite being drugged and just as groggy as he was, she managed to scoot away from him, her back against the cell door. She glared daggers at him, as if daring him to come near her. " _You!_ " She spat venomously, "What the _hell_ are you doing here?!"

With a sinking feeling, Anakin realized that she recognized him. At least, she did in some form. He was determined to find out what exactly she did know before he responded to her question. "Do we…know each other?" He asked hesitantly, convincingly, squinching his eyes in a frown.

Still, Mara's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "No," she bit out. "But, I know who you are. You're Anakin Skywalker and you hurt my friend!"

Anakin frowned. "Your… _friend?_ " He asked, honestly confused. Yeah. Sure. He'd hurt a lot of people before; although, in _this_ galaxy, anyone he'd hurt was as a last resort and _only_ in the interest of protecting others, even in executing Grievous.

"Yeah," Mara snapped, reaching into her boot. Anakin tensed, ready for whatever she pulled out…but he was surprised when she only pulled out two miniature pins. "You tried to kill him, actually." Her voice was still full of venom, and she moved to turn around to, Anakin assumed, pick the locks, but she stopped. "So, you'll forgive me if I don't want to turn my back on you."

" _Who_ are you talking about exactly?" Anakin found himself asking, bewildered. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd actually _tried_ to kill someone…and failed to do so. Usually, he didn't _have_ to try to kill someone, he simply accomplished it. But, it had been a while since he'd done so because he'd had to (Grievous being the last time), and even longer since he'd done so because he _wanted_ to.

Mara rolled her eyes. "We don't have time for this conversation. I'm getting out of here, so unless you'd like to stay here, I suggest that you move to where I can keep an eye on you while I pick this lock."

Typical Mara Jade. She reminded him of Padme somewhat. Both women had _always_ had an escape plan. Grudgingly, Anakin positioned himself within her line of sight, and, just as reluctantly, she began to pick the lock. Anakin debated on pushing her for more answers, but Mara was _not_ a person to be pushed. Even with them both still reeling from the effects of the drug used on them (and he suspected it was the same drug used on them both), Anakin had a feeling Mara had no qualms about attacking him if she felt like he was pushing her for information she didn't wish to share. Quietly, he leaned back and watched her work on the locks.

Hopefully, more answers would be forthcoming once they were free.

* * *

Luke closed his eyes as Han and Chewie maneuvered the Falcon close enough to the complex for him to probe and sense for Mara with the Force, but not close enough that the Inquisitors could spot their ship. Chewie had jammed their signal, so Luke was confident that the ship wasn't showing up on their radar. Han and Chewie knew what they were doing when it came to hiding their ship.

"I feel her," Luke said softly, "The Force is muted around her, but…" he broke off, unexpectedly feeling _two_ other familiar presences. _Damn!_ His father…and was that… _Leia?!_ Unlike his father's presence, which was also muted like Mara's, Leia's was vibrant and full of defiance, but as his mind touched hers, he could sense her demeanor change to one of disbelief, excitement, and worry. Involuntarily, he felt his own Force presence latch onto hers, as if she was the very thing keeping him alive. But, it didn't just stop with the Force—it was also a _very_ physical reaction as well. He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he'd found his twin sister, the other half of his soul, and unlike his father, who he had already decided to ditch, he _couldn't,_ in good conscience,ignore Leia's distress. To do so would be to ignore his _own_ need to breathe.

" _Leia_ …" He whispered before he could stop himself.

Han glanced at him over his shoulder, a puzzled expression on his face. "Leia? Dammit, Luke! Who in blue blazes is _Leia?_ "

 _Luke!_ He heard in his mind, as she found a way past his lowering mental shields. Her voice was full of desperation, not to be saved, but to get to him. He quickly, though reluctantly, pushed her out of his head. He needed to think clearly, and having her in his head wouldn't help with that. "She's…she's my twin sister."

Han and Chewie glanced at each other. Chewie said something unintelligible, and Han translated. "Yeah. I want to know, too…you have a _twin?_ "

"Sort of." Luke said lamely, trying to calm the rage of emotions that was threatening to drown him.

" _Sort of?_ Look, it's not rocket science. You either _do_ or you _don't_ , Kid." Han snorted and rolled his eyes, as he finished landing the ship in the dunes next to the destroyed base. "Tell me something. Is she _anything_ like your crazed father?" In other words, was she going to try to _kill_ them?

"I don't _think_ so," Luke said slowly, "When I left her, she mostly ignored me. We didn't have a good relationship, but we didn't exactly have a bad one either." The words left his mouth, but his reaction to her presence didn't match up with that. Still, as he quickly reviewed what memories he had of his twin, he couldn't deny what he remembered. Furthermore, since he'd killed their mother…he honestly had no idea how she viewed him now. He didn't mention that to Han though. He wasn't too keen on the idea of Han running into her just in case she tried to reveal that fact to Han and Chewie. He didn't want to explain…he didn't want to _think_ about it. He didn't want Han's accusations or pity or…"You okay, Kid?" Han's voice brought him back to reality.

"I'm fine." Luke grumbled, shaking his head.

Han's eyes narrowed in suspicion, and Chewie said something that sounded like he didn't quite believe Luke either. "Maybe you should stay with the ship." Han said.

"No." Luke was already standing, pulling his lightsaber out. "You're about to dive into an Inquisitor base. You won't make it out alive without me." Frankly, he wasn't happy that Han and Chewie were there anyway, but after Mara had been taken and Luke, who had tried to catch her captor before he could take her to their ship, had lost her, he'd gone back to their home to try to grab what he needed to face these monsters. It had taken him a while, given that he'd never flown a ship before, and he doubted Mara would be pleased that he tried flying for the first time in _her_ ship, and by the time he'd gotten back home, he'd already lost too much precious time as it was. So, figuring out _how_ to fly a ship wasn't exactly an option.

Time was of the essence.

Luke didn't just get his lightsaber—he also got explosives. He knew that Mara was taken as an attempt to draw _him_ out of hiding. His Sith training told him to give up and just let her die. According to his training, the _only_ person he should care about is himself...and well, Palpatine.

He didn't give a rat's ass about Palpatine, quite frankly, but _Mara_ was special. He didn't know what he felt for her exactly, but as they'd danced close to one another on the dance floor, it was undeniable that she meant _something_ to him, something more than just _platonic_. He couldn't just let her die. So, just as he'd gathered the explosives, Han and Chewie had come home from their smuggling run and insisted that they help as soon as he'd explained the situation. The Falcon was _way_ faster than anything Mara's captives had. They wouldn't overtake the ship that had taken Mara, but they'd catch up enough to track it, and he'd had a good idea of where they were headed, too. So, he hadn't given much of a fight at the time, but now, he was beginning to worry. He didn't want to lose Han and Chewie's friendship…but, he also couldn't lose Mara.

He couldn't lose _anyone else_ he cared about. Not anymore.

Han and Chewie glanced at each other again, both clearly wondering if they should tie Luke down to keep him with the ship, but given that that wouldn't work anyway, Han just sighed, giving in. "Okay, Kid. What's your plan?"

Luke hesitated. He'd thought of a dozen different plans to accommodate for a dozen different situations. He had mentally prepared for anything…except for _where_ they were about to storm. _This_ was where the end of his allegiance to Palpatine had begun. _This_ is where his whole world had been destroyed for the second time in his life.

 _This_ was where he'd last seen _her_...Talia.

He'd honestly thought he'd completely destroyed it all, but as he reached out with his senses, he not only sensed that the base above ground was still partially intact, especially towards the back end, but furthermore, he also sensed that Leia, his father, and Mara were not being held above ground, but rather, _underground_. Others, Inquisitors that he actually recognized the Force signatures of, were down there keeping guard. _Shit!_ He hadn't realized before that there had been an _underground_ level here, but at the time, he also had not quite been himself, nor had he ever been intimately familiar with this particular base before that day.

Now…he wasn't entirely sure how to proceed. He had no doubt that bringing Mara here, where his split from Palpatine had begun, was intentional. In fact, he was _certain_ he knew who came up with the idea. _Rysand._ He'd always had a flare for the dramatic. Most of the time, Luke had found it annoying, but _this_ time…it might actually prove effective. _Kudos to him_ , Luke thought wryly. Already, with the unexpected presence of his father and Leia, coupled with Mara's kidnapping, and now this place…Well, saying Luke was 'off his game' was putting it mildly. He was... _on edge_. And, that was a _very_ dangerous place for him to be.

So, he made a decision. "Alright, here's the plan…"

* * *

"Look, I _have_ to find my daughter." Anakin said as he forced himself to stand after Mara had sprung the lock on his own binders. His body was still somewhat shaky from the drug, but he was beginning to be able to feel the Force come back to him. Mara was the first one out of the cell, slowly edging her way along the wall towards the door that kept them separated from the rest of the building they were in.

"Do what you will." She snapped, though she sounded distracted. Considering that it was taking quite a bit of concentration for him to put one foot ahead of the other without collapsing, he was sure her mind was occupied on other things. "Just _don't_ do anything stupid and draw attention to _me_." She muttered.

"That's not part of the plan." He said as Mara cautiously opened the unlocked door. He frowned at that. Shouldn't their captors be more concerned about _two_ Force-sensitives potentially trying to escape? He had a bad feeling about this, but he wasn't about to wait around either. He had his daughter to find, and make it out of here without getting any of them killed. "Would you have any idea if these people have her?" He didn't know if Mara knew the answer to that question or not, but given her shady past, she was likely to have more info on their captors than he did at the moment. Even if she _did_ know though, he doubted she'd tell him. She'd never learned to work well with others in their old galaxy. _Why start now?_ He figured.

Still, when she turned to look at him, the expression on her face was more than a little confused…and annoyed. " _Why_ would I know that? I've…never even _met_ your daughter."

He didn't have to be a Jedi to catch her hesitation. His eyes narrowed. "Oh? Are you _sure_ about that?"

"Positive." She rolled her eyes. "Even if I _did_ know where she was, I wouldn't tell _you_ anyway. I'm not going to be responsible for you trying to kill yet _another_ one of your own children." Her voice was filled with so much venom and accusation that he almost missed what it was she was actually implying.

"Wait," He said as she turned to head down the seemingly unguarded hallway. When she didn't stop, he forced himself forward, grabbing her shoulder and spinning her around, his hands gripping her shoulders in a steel grip. " _What_ the _hell_ are you talking about?!" his voice was ragged, desperate, and harsher than he intended, but Mara didn't flinch. If she was in any pain from the hard grip he had on her shoulders, she didn't show that either. She merely glared at him.

"Don't act stupid," she bit out, attempting to push him away. He didn't let her go, and she snarled. "Luke. You tried to kill Luke, _remember?_ " Her voice dripped with disdain...and disbelief.

Her words hit him so hard, he felt as if he had been hit by a Star Destroyer. He released her as if she were on fire, stumbling back, staring at her in abject horror. In the back of his mind, he knew that he and Mara should have been making their way towards freedom. He should have been more surprised that Mara knew Luke in this world—he should have pressed her for information on Luke's whereabouts, but in _that_ moment, all he could think about was what she had just said to him.

He'd tried to kill Luke.

She believed he'd tried to _kill_ Luke. His mind flashed back to his encounter with Luke on Bespin, to their final battle on the Death Star. Even before that, when he'd _almost_ shot Luke down just before his son had destroyed the Death Star. Anakin had suspected that Luke was remembering his past life… But, did Luke remember _all_ of that? Was _that_ the reason behind Luke's intense hatred of him? Was _that_ why Luke had apparently told Mara, to make her hate him in this life as she had in their last one?

"I…wouldn't hurt Luke. He's my son." He said through numb lips, but it sounded like a feeble defense, even to his own ears.

Mara scoffed. "Are you actually _denying_ that you tried to kill him before?"

He opened his mouth…and closed it. He would _never_ hurt Luke. He would _never_ , **ever** try to kill him. He loved his son dearly. But, he couldn't _technically_ deny that he hadn't tried to kill him before. Even if he, as Vader, had ultimately wanted Luke to join him in the Dark Side, he _had_ lost control during their fight on Bespin. He easily _could_ have killed him. And, on the Death Star, even with his feelings conflicting within him, there had been a dark, evil, unspeakable part of Vader that would have done so. His overriding love for his son had driven that darkness away…but now, Luke apparently remembered those past events. Without any explanation, without any context, it certainly _would_ have seemed to Luke that his father had been, at one point, a monster in a black suit who had tried to kill him on multiple occasions.

At his silence, Mara shook her head. "So no, I will _not_ help you find your daughter, or anyone else you may be related to either, for that matter. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to leave this wretched place." She turned to leave, using the wall for support. Once more, Anakin was struck with the need to stop her, to demand answers as to _where_ Luke was, but he remained rooted to the spot. He knew without a doubt that Mara would never tell him anything. Not now, not believing what she did.

Still, he _had_ to find Leia…and then, perhaps, he could somehow use Mara to help him track down his son. He _had_ to tell Luke the truth. He _had_ to explain, to make this right. He _had_ to beg his son's forgiveness and hope that there was still enough Light left within his son to help Luke at least consider a truce, even if he couldn't bring himself to forgive him. He began to follow Mara, feeling more of the Force returning to him with each step, but _not_ yet enough to have foreseen the sudden blare of alarms that rang out through the entire complex, or, even worse, the electrified metal grates that slammed down from above in front and behind he and Mara, trapping them in a narrow space within the hallway. Anakin couldn't help but think of the ray shields he'd been trapped in before on various missions during the Clone Wars. Those pesky Neimoidians had favored their usage on their ships. " _Shit_." Mara hissed, and as soldiers…no, _Inquisitors,_ he realized after looking at their uniforms, began to march down the hallway towards them, Anakin couldn't help but agree with Mara.

He knew he'd had a bad feeling about this 'escape.'

* * *

KKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

Leia heard the wailing sound of alarms first. Strapped to a chair, unable to move, she had no way to try to physically block the noise out that was making her ears ring, and she was forced to wait, hoping that it would stop eventually. She was alone in the empty, white room. She could sense the presences of those Force-Sensitive assassin's (her father had told her they were called _Inquisitors)_ standing guard outside her door. She could also feel other assassins in the underground basement she had been dragged to after her father had been drugged, and she'd been overwhelmed by the Inquisitors. She could even feel her father, his presence muted in the Force, beginning to move around with another Force Sensitive that she felt like she _should_ recognize, but didn't.

But, at that moment, _all_ she could maintain focus on was Luke.

She couldn't feel his Force Presence anymore. He had hidden it, and hidden it well. So, obviously, he'd had _some_ Force training. Probably Dark Side, given the destruction they'd sensed above ground earlier. But, she could still feel him—that brief touch against her mind had been enough to re-awaken their bond within the Force, a bond that ran deeper than just the fact that she happened to be related to him. He was her twin. She would know him anywhere. It wasn't _quite_ the same as the bond he'd had with his father before it had broken: She couldn't use it to track him, exactly. But, she still could feel that he was coming, and though she knew, from the flicker of surprise she'd felt from him with their ever-so-brief contact, that he hadn't initially come to help _her,_ he was certainly coming for her _now._

He wasn't alone, either. She could sense two other beings. They weren't Force-Sensitive, but their life force was still vibrant within the Force. She frowned, concentrating momentarily on one of them. He felt… _familiar._ Achingly familiar somehow. As if he contained a missing part of her that she hadn't even _known_ she was missing. The realization, unexpected as it was, unsettled her, and given that she was already desperately trying to struggle out of her bonds so that she could escape and reunite with her beloved brother, she was in a rather anxious state.

It didn't help when suddenly the alarms were overshadowed by a massive _BOOM_ overhead, the basement complex suddenly shaking violently. Leia looked up at the ceiling, as dust rained down upon her, filling the air and making her cough, and a bad feeling settled over her as she swallowed the lump in her throat. Moments later, the doors opened, and two Inquisitor guards entered the room. She couldn't see their faces, but she could sense how tense they were, not because of _her_ , but because of something, or _someone_ , else.

She had a feeling she knew exactly who it was that was making them so tense.

"Master Palpatine would like a word with you." One of them said in an accent that sounded strongly East European to her, and she could hear the stress, but also the _curiosity_ in his voice. They had attempted to drug her like they had her father, but she didn't think they had expected them to show up here. Because she was expecting it, it hadn't been hard for her to destroy the poisoned darts with her lightsaber….which was currently on the belt of one of the guards.

"Oh _really?_ Now?" Leia scoffed, using her best "I'm-in-control" voice. She used it whenever she was in a debate in Model UN. She used it whenever a teacher tried to pull something unfair in class. She used it with her father whenever they disagreed and she wanted things her own way. With her father, though, it _usually_ ended in an argument (with _him_ winning), but most other people were at least _intimidated_ by it. Not too many people her age had a persona like that, but then not too many people she knew outside the Order got to see Padme Amidala Skywalker in action in court either, and as much as she loved being a Jedi, Leia _also_ loved to watch both her mother and her Aunt Satine tear it up in a courtroom, and she'd learned a lot from them as well. Smirking, she had to admit she was _certainly_ her parents' daughter, to be sure.

It did well to hide the fact that the thought of seeing Palpatine, of being anywhere _near_ that monster, not only filled her with anger at what he'd done to her family, but also _fear_ at what he could do to _her_. Her father, her mother, her Uncle Obi-Wan, and even Galen, had _all_ warned her numerous times that her too-quick-to-anger personality would be something Palpatine would try to use to his advantage. "I know he's not _here_. A man as vile as he is cannot hide his evil presence in such a small, secluded place like this."

"Shut up!" The other Inquisitor growled as they approached her chair. "You and your Jedi father have already screwed up our mission enough. It's bad enough that we have to keep you alive."

She maintained her steely composure, but inside, her anger was giving way to fear. As much as she hated Palpatine, there was _no way_ she could face him on her own. She was not yet a full-fledged Jedi, and she didn't have the power to destroy him…nor, she feared deep down, did she have the ability to _resist_ being twisted to the Dark Side.

"What of my father?" She demanded, her voice implying that she was to be answered to, even if she was technically in no position to get answers. "I'm not going anywhere until I see that my father is alright!"

"Shut up, you _bitch!_ " The Inquisitor with her lightsaber suddenly slapped her across the face, hard enough that her vision blacked out for just a second…

Just as a figure appeared in the doorway.

When her vision cleared, her cheek now numb and stinging from the blow, she realized the Inquisitor who had slapped her was clawing desperately at his throat, making gurgling noises. " **Don't you** _ **dare**_ **,"** A deep masculine voice that was _so different_ than the last time she'd heard it, and yet, somehow so achingly _familiar_ at the same time, reached her ears. " **Touch her!"**

The struggling Inquisitor in front of her made one last desperate attempt to escape before his windpipe was completely crushed, and he dropped limply to the floor at her feet. Swallowing the nausea that suddenly rose up to engulf her, she looked desperately towards the door where Luke stood, a red lightsaber in his hands as he faced the other Inquisitor who was now moving to engage him. The Inquisitor didn't stand a chance. Luke easily deflected his blows, and with one swift stroke of his blade, cut him down, the body slumping to the ground. Luke deactivated his lightsaber, giving the body no attention whatsoever, and stepped casually over it, his ice blue eyes resting on her.

" _Luke_ ," Leia breathed, drinking in the sight of him. After so many years…he was both what she expected and what she did not. He was very clearly taller than her, though not quite as tall as their dad yet. He was nearing six feet, though. In fact, he looked very much like their dad: The same sandy-blonde hair, the same tanned skin, crystal-clear blue eyes that were currently assessing her for injuries…He was as familiar to her as her own hands. He wore all black: Tight black jeans and knee-high boots, a black t-shirt, and a black leather jacket over it.

He reached her, kneeling before her, switching his lightsaber out for a knife at his belt, and he began cutting the ropes at her feet. "Are you alright, Leia?" Though she could tell that he was trying to hide it, there was definitely concern in his voice. Her heart soared, and she fought the desire to struggle against her bonds to launch herself into his arms. Her brother. Her best friend. Her twin. Her Luke! He was here, right _here_ , before her very eyes after _so_ many years…When Luke looked up after she didn't answer, he frowned in alarm. "Why are you crying? Are you hurt?"

She hadn't even realized she _was_ crying. She took a deep shuddering breath. "Get me out of these bonds." She managed to say. How could she put into words just how much she had missed him? She opened herself to him in the Force, willing him to see the depth of her emotions….but he paled suddenly as he looked at her, his eyes flashing with pain for a second before they closed, and he gasped. "Luke? What's wrong?" Her voice was worried, and through their twin bond, she could feel the echo of his pain.

But, as quickly as the pain came, it disappeared and Luke shook his head. She tried to touch his mind, but as before, it was as if he'd erected a durasteel wall around it. "I'm fine," He said, though his voice shook a little. "Just hold still." It didn't take him long to cut through the bonds at her feet, and just a little longer to get through the ones restraining her hands. The moment the ropes were free, however, she threw herself into Luke's arms, where he caught her in surprise, as if he didn't expect her to do that. It was an odd reaction, but at the moment, she didn't care.

Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face against him, tears flowing freely now. She wasn't a crier normally, and when she _did_ cry, it was never in front of others. But Luke was different. She had missed him so much, and now, he was here in her arms, everything about him feeling like home. His presence, even guarded in the Force, wrapped around her, and she felt as if she'd been missing him for much longer than just these last nine years. " _Luke_ ," she said through her tears, " _Oh Force_ , Luke…how much I've missed you!"

* * *

For a moment, Luke was frozen, as his sister hugged him as if he were her lifeline. This was _not_ what he expected at all. He expected…anger at him for killing their mother. Indifference even that he'd come for her. Annoyance maybe that he was still alive. He'd expected all of that, but _this_ outpouring of obviously intense l _ove and longing_ \- and he _knew_ that's exactly what it was - were the last thing he'd ever expected. At the same time, however, it felt…right. Despite the fact that their relationship had never been close, he felt that same aching love and longing for _her_ presence, something he did not expect of himself. Hesitantly, he reached up and wrapped his own arms around her, holding her close as she cried into his neck. He opened his mouth to say something, anything, but he found himself choking up, tears springing to his own eyes, and he stopped himself. For just this moment, he held his twin sister...and breathed in _home_.

But soon, reality pressed against him.

They had to get moving, or else they would be overwhelmed with Inquisitors. Besides, Mara still needed him, and Han and Chewie would be coming down to rig up explosives at any moment—they may have started already. Luke pulled away gently from Leia, though she resisted at first. "We have to get moving, Leia," He said, choosing not to look at her. He didn't want to get choked up again, and he _didn't_ want another strange, painful vision again. The last one while he'd been cutting her out of the rope was short and fleeting, but it had been painful nonetheless. He couldn't afford to be more distracted than he already was. He had to focus.

Too much was at stake.

But Leia, as reluctant as she seemed to be, steeled herself, becoming almost a different person. She reached over to the Inquisitor he had choked to death, grabbing a lightsaber off of his belt and igniting it. A blue blade burst forth, and Luke knew immediately that it was her own lightsaber. "Right behind you." She said. Luke had to admit, he was impressed. He could feel her wanting to stop and ask him a million questions, but even she could see the need to keep moving. So, she pushed that desire away for the time being, and followed Luke out of the room and down the hallway.

"We have to find Dad," Leia said, as they ran down hallway after hallway. A few times they ran into Inquisitors, but Luke was ready for them every time. He engaged swiftly, Leia joining him at his side. To his surprise, Leia was _more_ than adept with her lightsaber: In fact, she almost matched his own skill. Together, they took down the Inquisitors quickly, and moved forward.

"I'm not looking for him." Even he could hear the bitterness in his own voice, but he didn't particularly care. Still, he was a bit surprised to feel Leia's shock at those words.

"But, Luke, he's our _dad_ …." She began, her eyes, so much like their mother's, were widened in shock, but he cut her off.

"I don't care _what_ he is!" he snapped. It took all of his willpower not to stop moving and whirl on her to continue the argument. "I'm here for Mara, and _she's_ the one I'm going to save. If you want to help that ass, go right ahead."

" _Luke!_ " Leia admonished, completely flabbergasted at her brother's venomous diatribe, and he suddenly felt her hand on his arm, forcing him to stop. He tried to shake her off and continue forward, but she was having _none_ of that. She pushed herself in front of him, blocking his way, not intimidated by her twin in the least, and he was forced to stop and look down at her. There was confusion in her eyes as she gazed up at him, but her expression was firm, almost haughty, like she expected him to answer her truthfully and immediately. " _Why_ are you so…"

What else she said disappeared. For in that moment, the expression on her face triggered another one of his stupid, painful visions. He tried to stop it from happening, but it couldn't be stopped.

" _Chewie! Come here!" Han was standing in front of him, beckoning to a massive, fury creature Luke had never seen before…it looked a little like Bigfoot, actually. Luke didn't get a chance to really take the image in, or process the fact that Han had called it "Chewie" because another voice interrupted, causing both Luke and Han to look over and see...Leia._

" _Listen." She was wearing a white dress, dirty, the hem wet and streaked with gunk of some kind, and her hair was done up so it looked like she had two giant cinnamon rolls stuck on the sides of her head. "I don't know who you are, or where you came from, but from now on, you do as I tell you." Han looked back at Luke incredibly, as if to say 'Can you believe her?' but Luke said nothing. Honestly, given his sister's personality and Han's personality, he wouldn't want to get in the middle of_ _ **that**_ _conversation anyhow. "Okay?"_

 _She turned and began to follow the giant Bigfoot-Chewie-Guy-Thingy down the strangely lit hallway. Han followed, breaking out of his stunned expression and into a defensive one. "Look, your worshipfulness, let's get one thing straight! I take orders from just one person—me!"_

 _Luke sort of expected Leia to get angry with Han's defiance, but she seemed more annoyed than anything else. "It's a wonder you're still alive." Leia responded sarcastically before gesturing to Chewie, the-Crossbow-Carrying- Bigfoot-Thingy. "Would someone get this walking carpet out of my way?" She demanded, as she shoved her way past the creature._

 _Luke and Han looked after her, both stunned by Leia's…well, by Leia. "No reward is worth this!" Han grumbled…_

"Luke!" Leia was shaking him. He was leaning against the wall, barely standing. Leia was practically holding him up as she shook him. There was worry in her eyes as she tried to bring him back around. " _Luke!_ "

Shakily, he managed to get his footing, and he gently but firmly pushed her away from him. "I'm…I'm fine, Leia."

Leia stared at him like he was crazy. "You are _not_ fine." She insisted. "I'm your twin sister, remember? I can _feel_ when you're lying to me, even with that stupid shield up around your mind."

Actually, he'd forgotten about that. He hadn't been around her in so long, he'd forgotten what she could and couldn't feel whenever they were together. "Well, I'm going to have to be fine." He insisted, pushing away from the wall. A wave of nausea swept over him, but he managed to keep his footing. "I have to save Mara."

"Who on Earth is this Mara anyway?" Leia asked, obviously perplexed, following him as he continued his way down the corridor.

Luke hesitated. "A…friend."

 _Now_ he could feel Leia's frustration begin to melt into curiosity. "Oh? A _friend_ , huh?" From the tone of her voice, he could tell that she suspected that Mara was more than that to him.

"Yeah, a friend, okay?" he replied, still refusing to look back at her. Right now, whatever was happening to him…he had to find Mara quick and get out. If he got caught up in a battle with the Inquisitors and he looked at Leia and had another vision…he'd be a goner for sure.

"I see." Leia seemed amused, but she dropped the subject. "You never answered me. _Why_ are….?"

They rounded a corner and were immediately facing down a group of five Inquisitors. Luke swiftly activated his lightsaber, moving to engage them, Leia promptly cutting her question off and moving to join him. They were outnumbered, but they still moved with grim determination, refusing to surrender, even as the Inquisitors moved on them with their lightsabers drawn…

Gun shots suddenly rang out through the hallway, and two of the Inquisitors dropped like rocks while a third whirled to block the other gun shots with his lightsaber. Luke promptly ran him through from behind with his lightsaber before lashing his hand out towards the next one, using the Force to pull him off of his feet and forward, where he promptly impaled him with his lightsaber. Leia dispatched the Inquisitor she had been facing, looking over at the Inquisitor Luke had just forcefully killed. " _Luke_ ," she began, her voice shaking with uncertainty. Luke didn't need to know what it was she was going to say. He could already feel the difference between the way they used the Force: Her Force Presence was filled with Light, while his was filled with Darkness.

He didn't feel like debating it. They didn't have time to.

He turned, ignoring her unspoken question to find Han and Chewie moving towards them, their guns pulled out. "You okay, Kid?" Han asked as he approached, looking to Luke, sparing a glance at Leia…and then back to Leia, where his gaze stayed, a frown creasing his lips, his eyebrows furrowed. Luke restrained himself to look at Leia, but he had a feeling she was looking back at Han as well.

"Who…?" she began, her voice filled with confusion…and a strange sense of _longing_.

"You're…Luke's sister, right?" Han managed to say, starting to recover from whatever it was that had come over them. Still, he continued to stare transfixed at Leia as if she were from another planet.

"Yeah," Leia said, and Luke could hear her recovering as well. "I'm Leia."

"Han." Han responded immediately, eyes still glued to Leia's face.

"Well," Luke started, "This is great and all, but we need to…" He cut off speaking as another wave of pain hit him, followed swiftly by yet another vision. But, he hadn't looked at Leia! He thought desperately as his mind was overtaken by…

 _They whirled around a corner, Han holding his gun. Facing them was a squad of masked, armored men dressed all in white. It was the same uniform Luke had seen in a previous vision, ones that vision-Leia had called 'Stormtroopers.' "It's them!" one of them said, as the group stared at each other in shock for a moment. "Blast them!"_

 _But, Han was quicker. He shot at them…but the gun that he used didn't shoot bullets. It shot a red blast of light, hitting the leader square in the chest, knocking him to the floor. Though the troopers outnumbered them, Han's response somehow made them turn and start to run in the other direction as Luke grabbed Leia and pulled her back._

 _But, what was even_ _ **more**_ _insane was that both Han and the Chewie-Bigfoot guy chased after the soldiers. "Get back to the ship!" Han shouted over his shoulder._

" _Where are you going?!" Luke yelled after him incredulously._

" _Come back!" Leia yelled, but it was in vain. Han and Chewie disappeared around the corner. "Well, he certainly has courage." She said with a stunned look of awe, and Luke could detect the admiration in her voice. Why, he didn't know. It was a stupid move….but totally something the Han Luke knew in the real world would do._

 _Apparently, Vision-Luke agreed. "What good will it do us if he gets himself killed?"_

Now, it was Han yelling his name as Luke came to. "Luke!" He was being supported by Leia, one arm slung over her shoulder. He could feel her frantic worry overshadowing Han and Chewie's worry for him. Once Han saw that Luke was back in reality, he shook his head in frustration. " _This_ is why I told you to stay with the ship, Kid!" He made it sound like he was upset, and perhaps he was, but Luke knew he was mostly just worried for him.

"I'm…I'll be fine." Luke forced himself to say. It was a struggle to get the words out. His vision was swimming…but he forced himself to get back on his feet. "We have to get Mara."

"Let Chewie and I do that." Han began to insist, but Luke was already pulling away from Leia, moving once more down the hallway. He didn't even bother to respond to Han. At this point, it was all he could do just to keep moving. He was going to save Mara. They were going to escape. He would kill Rysand, and they would make it safely back home, unfollowed by either Inquisitors _or_ his father. He wouldn't lose anyone else he cared about.

* * *

The Inquisitor who called himself Rysand frowned at the screens that were displayed on the wall. There were multiple camera feeds showing the interior of the underground complex, and currently, he was monitoring Luke, Leia, Han and Chewie through the halls, the four of them successfully taking out Inquisitors as if they were the perfect team. And, they _were_ the perfect team—they always had been. It was almost surreal for Anakin to watch them in action again.

Still, he'd watched as Luke had collapsed not once, but twice. Though Rysand was clearly more interested in what they were doing, or what they were saying (for he did have audio capabilities on the monitors), the fact that Luke had collapsed twice in the span of a few minutes was worrisome to Anakin. Han's comment to Luke the second time he'd collapsed had Anakin suspecting that this was not the first time Luke had experienced something like this. A million possibilities swarmed through his head, making it difficult to concentrate on the here and now. He _needed_ to escape, but his mind kept going back to his son's health, even though now Luke fought and dodged those electric grates that sometimes went crashing down with seeming ease.

Anakin and Mara knelt on the hard ground behind Rysand, their hands tied behind their backs, an Inquisitor standing on either side of them with their lightsabers activated, guarding them while the rest of the Inquisitors moved to engage his children and his son's friends. Anakin glared at Rysand's back, willing more and more of the Force to return to him, but also doing his best to hide that from the Force-sensitive Inquisitors around him. "So." Rysand finally spoke, not turning around. "Starkiller's real name is Luke Skywalker. How... _interesting._ "

As much as Anakin hated that Luke had been taken from him and given that codename, he also recognized that it had been important that his true identity stay secret from the rest of these Inquisitors. If Rysand managed to escape and tell the rest of Palpatine's men…but then, _why_ hadn't Palpatine told the Inquisitors of Luke's true identity?

Rysand continued to speak. "And, Leia Skywalker is his twin sister." He scowled. "Given how powerful Luke was, it's no wonder Palpatine has demanded that _she_ be brought to him alive."

Fury slammed into him at that revelation: There was no way in Sith's Hell that Anakin would let Palpatine go near _any_ of his children again...Be it Leia, Hayden, or Luke. He wouldn't let Palpatine have the _chance_ to try to turn another Skywalker _ever_ again. He tested out his control of the Force again, finding that more and more of it was waking to his call.

Rysand turned then, and Anakin's eyes flashed down to his belt, where both his and Mara's lightsabers hung. Just a little more..."So, obviously, that makes _you_ Starkiller's father." Rysand scoffed. "If everyone knew that our greatest enemy's _son_ was among us while we were growing up, we wouldn't have _ever_ let him have the chance to turn on us."

"This whole thing is stupid." Mara suddenly snapped, drawing Rysand's attention. Anakin began to casually work the rope, using the Force to slowly loosen it while Mara distracted him. "Why kidnap _us_ and take us here? If you just wanted to kill Starkiller, why do it here?"

Rysand grinned, though there was no humor in it. "He never told you, did he?" Mara opened her mouth, but no words came out. Rysand continued. "Let me tell you a story."

"Oh great, the Orator speaketh," Mara muttered, rolling her eyes, but Anakin could sense her curiosity underlying her annoyance. For whatever reason, Anakin suspected Mara didn't know very much about Luke's past as an Inquisitor. Why Luke hadn't told her, Anakin didn't know and couldn't fathom, but he suspected it was for a good reason.

"Mara…" Anakin began, his voice full of warning, but Rysand spoke over him.

"Once upon a time, there was a Golden Boy named _Starkiller._ Unlike the rest of us, he wasn't brought into the Inquisitors by one of Palpatine's minions. Nooooo. Uh-huh. He was brought in by our Master himself. None of us knew _why_ at first, but it became crystal clear that his skill in the Force _far_ outweighed the rest of us. Except for _one_ girl: Another Inquisitor by the name of _Fireheart_. She had been with the Inquisitors as long as the rest of us, but when Starkiller arrived, she took a sudden keen interest in him. Eventually, as the years went by, they teamed up, became each other's official _partners_. They were inseparable, but none of us knew the depth of their relationship until it was too late. When we all turned 16, we were put to a test. The winner of the test would become Master Palpatine's Apprentice, and the undisputed leader of the Inquisitors. Starkiller and Fireheart, though partners, had made it clear they each intended to win, but only one of them could do so. We all thought Starkiller would be the one to win. We suspected our Master expected it as well. But, it was _Fireheart_ who actually won, though barely."

Anakin was almost through the ropes, but at that revelation, he paused. It had been clear, even in his visions, that Luke clearly outmatched Fireheart….Talia. _How_ could she have won?

Rysand continued, his voice full of bitterness. "Starkiller didn't seem to be upset though. He accepted Fireheart's new role, even encouraged the rest of us to pledge our loyalty to _her._ It wasn't long before she was ordered to come to this base where she would officially take the title of Sith Apprentice. She was supposed to go alone…in fact, she did go alone. But, the next thing we knew, Starkiller was gone from our home base, having snuck away in the night. The next morning, we found out why. Fireheart and Starkiller had teamed up to try and _destroy_ our Master. Our Master had foreseen this, of course, and had escaped, but most in the base above us did not. They were cut down, but not before killing Fireheart. Now Starkiller, or Luke Skywalker, as we now know, is systematically hunting down my Master's men, one by one, intending to kill our whole order." Rysand leaned towards Mara's face, which had gone pale as his story had continued. "So, you see, I _will_ destroy him, where it _all_ began, but before I do so, I will make sure he watches as I kill _you_. He will watch as the woman he _loves_ dies where his partner was killed, and he _will_ suffer before I cut him down myself."

Mara swallowed hard, her skin still unnaturally pale. "Joke's on you, Asswipe." She said in a quavering voice, "He doesn't love me." Force, Anakin certainly _hoped_ Luke didn't have a thing for her…He wasn't dumb enough to try to stop Luke from loving Mara if that _was_ his choice, but Mara was dangerous. Still, though the thought of Mara and Luke being together filled him with dread, Anakin realized that didn't matter at the moment. None of this did, although Rysand's explanation of what happened to Luke and Talia was both enlightening and puzzling at the same time. He didn't have time to think on it. He finally loosened the ropes enough to slip his hands through the loops, and the moment they were free, he whipped one hand out towards his Inquisitor guard, throwing him far across the room with a Force push where he slammed into the wall, dropping unconscious to the floor. At the same time, his other hand stretched towards Rysand's belt, calling his lightsaber to him. It broke free easily, and he used the Force to ignite it before it even entered his grasp.

Rysand swore as Anakin, ignoring the still woozy effects of the drug in his system, launched to his feet, blocking the lightsaber of the other Inquisitor who had been guarding Mara. He expected to fight the battle by himself, but a split second later, Mara was free of her bonds as well, her own lightsaber in her hands, ignited into a violet blade that swiftly engaged Rysand. He hadn't even realized that she too had been working out of her bonds. Despite the fact that he didn't necessarily _like_ Mara, he couldn't help but be a bit impressed at her skill level...and her determination, so much like his own wife's.

It took him a little longer to dispatch the Inquisitor guard than it normally would have, but it still didn't take Anakin long to slam the boy into the other wall, also knocking him unconscious. Mara was still engaging Rysand, evenly matched. Anakin moved to help, but before he could, Rysand let his guard down and Mara drove her lightsaber through his chest. "Well, _Storyteller_ , looks like _you're_ the one joining the rest of the Inquisitors Luke killed here." Mara said coolly, as she ripped the lightsaber out of the Inquisitor's chest. Though his mask hid most of his face, Rysand stared at Mara in utter disbelief as he collapsed back onto the control board of the monitors, where he went limp and lay still.

Mara breathed hard, turning to Anakin, their eyes meeting. They stood there, frozen, waiting for the other to make a move. Clearly, Mara was debating on attacking _him_ …but she hadn't yet. Perhaps she was waiting to see what Anakin would do. But, Anakin was suddenly tired of fighting. He was tired of killing those who knew no better because of how they were raised. He was tired of fighting his son and his son's friends. So, he deactivated his lightsaber, returning it to his belt, looking at Mara pointedly with his eyebrows raised. He watched as she hesitated, confused and surprised by his action, but reluctantly, she deactivated her lightsaber as well. Unlike him, though, she kept it in her hand.

"I'm going to my children." He said warily. "I'm _not_ going to let you stop me from that."

Mara was silent for a moment, weighing his words. "Why?" She asked. "So, you can try to kill Luke again?"

Anakin flinched. "No." He said, and when Mara opened her mouth to argue, he held up a hand, cutting her off. "I'm not going to stand here and try to convince you. I love my son. I always have. What happened between us…it was complicated, but I need to try to seek his forgiveness."

Mara looked doubtful. "And, if he _doesn't_ forgive you?"

Anakin knew that was a very real possibility. What he'd done to his son in their last life…it was unforgivable. But, Padme hadn't done anything to him. Leia certainly hadn't, nor had Hayden. His family had a right to be reunited with Luke, even if…even if Luke didn't want to be around _him_. "I still have to try. My family deserves that." He said softly.

Mara regarded him for a moment, but she eventually seemed to at least accept that he would follow her. She turned around, headed for the door. "Fine." She said, "But, if he tries to kill you, don't say I didn't warn you."

* * *

KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

Luke waited while Han set another explosive, his eyes scanning the hallways for more Inquisitors. He reached out with his senses…but to his surprise, he found there were none. Instead, he felt Mara and his father moving through the hallways towards them. "Hurry up." He said to Han, "Mara is on her way."

"Wait," Han looked over his shoulder at him, "She's….?" Luke nodded, and Han laughed a bit under his breath. " _Of course_. Figures. Shouldn't have expected any differently."

Luke smiled a little in agreement. Han had a point. Mara was anything _but_ a damsel in distress. Still, given that her presence was still muted in the Force, he had a feeling she wouldn't have made it out by herself in the current state she was in.

Suddenly, he felt a gentle hand on his back, and he turned to find Leia at his side, looking up into his eyes. The look in her eyes made him step back, guilt and uncertainty filling his heart. Her eyes were full of worry, but they were also filled with…revulsion. While Leia had not shied away from killing, she had still tried to spare Inquisitors when possible, opting for knocking them out instead of outright killing them. When she _had_ killed them, she had done it as quickly as possible. Luke, on the other hand, had Force-choked, smashed, and slashed his opponents to death. Each time, he had felt her horror at just how violently he'd killed them, how _seeped_ in the Dark Side he was…and he was ashamed for it. For the first time in his life, he felt _shame_ for his actions. He quickly averted his eyes. As much as Leia often was quick to anger, she was still good at heart. Luke, on the other hand,…Luke was not. " _Luke_ ," She whispered.

"When Mara gets here," Luke said, not wanting her to say it, "We're leaving. There is another exit out of the complex, just around that corner." He nodded behind them at the corner they'd passed. "Take father and go before those bombs go off." He nodded to the explosive Han was almost finished setting.

Leia was shaking her head. "No. You're coming _home_ with us. We miss you." She said it so earnestly, he almost believed her. But, he couldn't believe her. He knew how his father wanted him dead, even if she seemed oblivious to it. How she could ignore that fact, Luke didn't know, but he didn't care to ask at the moment. Every second they delayed, his father and Mara were coming closer. Any moment now, and he could get Mara and they could escape. Already he had spotted the little control panel that marked where those grates would fall down, a plan forming in his head.

"I'm sorry, Leia," He said, pulling away from her. He could see the pain that flickered across her face as he did so. "It's not about you. It's…"

"What? Is this about Dad?" Leia demanded. " _Why_ won't you tell me why you hate him so much?! What did he _ever_ do to you?"

Now, it was Luke's turn to be surprised…and angry. His father hadn't told her what Luke had done? He hadn't told her that he had tried to kill Luke for it? "Of course, he didn't tell you," Luke said bitterly, angrily.

"Tell me _what?!_ " Leia asked, frowning.

"He tried to kill me, Leia!" Luke told her, and he watched as her face paled, shock and confusion and disbelief flickering across her expression.

"That's… _.impossible!_ " She said breathlessly, "I was _there_ when we lost you, Luke. I saw how devastated he _was_ …how devastated he still _is!_ Mom…"

"NO! STOP, LEIA!" Anger and despair overwhelmed him, and as he glared at her, Leia closed her mouth, her eyes widening. Whatever she saw in his eyes, it had frightened her. In the back of his mind, he knew he had to calm down—if he could scare _Leia_ , then he _really_ was out of control. He felt out of control, too—like he needed to destroy something.

But, at that moment, Han finished setting up the last explosive, and Mara and his father rounded the corner. Seeing his father following Mara sent another wave of anger through Luke, and he clenched his jaw. "I'll see you around, Leia." He said in a tight voice, and as Mara passed the threshold where the grate would fall, he used the Force to gently push Leia back and into their father's arms, who steadied her, but disappointedly, did not fall over.

Instead, his father met his eyes, desperation and longing in their depths. "Luke, _please,_ listen to me, Son…"

But, Luke was through with listening. He was through with being chased. He was through with those he cared about getting hurt. Pulling the gun he rarely used from his own belt, he pointed it at the little control panel in the wall and shot it. "LUKE, DON'T…." Leia cried, but it was too late. The grate came crashing down, sparking with electricity, separating his father and Leia from them.

Mara whirled, startled by the sudden crash of the grate. "Luke…" she began, turning back to him, but as Luke peered at the panel he had destroyed to make sure that it truly was unusable, another wave of pain hit him, his vision blinking in and out, and…

 _He was running down a corridor, Leia by his side. Red bolts of light were whizzing past them, barely missing them. Suddenly, the walkway ended, and Luke jerked to a stop, off balance, starting to fall…But Leia grabbed his arm, pulling him back. "I think we took a wrong turn!" He said, peering down over the edge and into the long drop below. He couldn't even see the bottom, and his voice echoed._

 _Suddenly, more bolts of light blasted at them, and Leia hit a control panel switch, shutting a thick metal door behind them. She continued to fiddle with the panel, and after a moment, turned to him in frustration. "There's no lock!" She said._

 _Not wanting to face more fire, Luke took Leia's hand and moved her, using his own gun to blast the panel. "That oughta hold them for a while," He said._

When he came to again, Mara was holding him up, grim faced as his vision cleared. " _Luke!"_ his father was yelling, and he sounded frantic, as if he really were concerned about him.

"Luke," Mara whispered, "I think we should…"

He pushed away from her. "Let's get out of here." He said, glaring at Han and Chewie, who were looking between Luke and his father as if they were unsure what to do.

"Sure kid," Han said slowly, "But…"

"Now, Han!" Luke growled, turning to go…but his father's voice stopped him.

"I'm _sorry_ , Luke!" Sorry? His father was _sorry?!_ Luke's anger was practically choking him now, and the Force swelled within him in response, as his father continued. " _Please listen_. I can explain…"

"Explain what?!" Luke snapped, whirling again, his hands shaking with anger. "You tried to kill me! That doesn't need an explanation!"

Pain flickered across his father's face, and this time it was Leia who was trying to convince Luke. "I told you, Luke, that's impossible!" she looked up at their father. "Tell him!"

For a long moment, there was silence. "It's not what you think…" his father finally began, and Luke was almost satisfied to see Leia pale, looking at their father like he had grown two heads.

" **I was your son!"** Luke was yelling now, his hands tightening into fists. He felt Mara approach him from behind warily, as if offering her support…or perhaps getting ready to stop him if he did something drastic. "I don't _want_ your damn apologies, or explanations! I want you to leave me the hell alone, or I will end _you!_ "

"Luke!" Leia gasped, and now she was looking at him like she didn't know him. And, sadly, she _didn't_ know him. They hadn't seen each other in years, and before that, she had barely paid attention to him. Despite whatever…tender feelings he'd had when he'd first found her, nothing could change the fact that she didn't know him _now_. She didn't really care.

"I know apologies mean little," Now his father sounded upset. His voice was starting to rise. "But, _I've_ _changed!_ I'm _not_ going to turn my back while you run around and ruthlessly kill people…"

"Wait," Han interrupted, " _Kill people?_ " He turned to Luke with a shocked look, his hands on his hips.

Luke turned sharply. "I said get out of here, Han," He snapped, though he only snapped because he didn't want Han to know the truth. He'd worked so hard to hide his assassinations from his friend…

"I take orders from _one_ person, Luke—me! Now, what the _hell_ is your old man talking about?!" Han was mad now, but Luke couldn't deal with it then. He still had his father trying to convince him to listen to his ludicrous explanations.

"The path you're going down is only going to lead to more pain, Son. Can't you _see_ that?" His father's voice was so earnest and full of pain that Luke paused, turning back to stare at his father. "Trust me, _I know_. But, at least listen to what I have to say, and if you _still_ don't want to come home because of me, at least come home for _your mother_ …"

The tension and anger that had been building within Luke snapped at the mention of his mother. There had only been _one_ other time when he'd snapped like that, and it had also happened in that same location. "I said," Luke snarled viciously, "Don't talk about her!" Without consciously thinking of what he was doing, he outstretched his hand towards his father, the Force filling him with darkness as he used it to grasp hold of his father's throat.

"LUKE!" Leia was yelling, trying to help their father, but she was helpless to stop Luke's attack.

" _Shit, Luke!_ What the _hell_ has gotten into you?!" Han was saying, and he felt his friend's hands on his shoulders, trying to pull him away. It only made Luke grasp harder on his choke hold. _All_ he could think in that moment was getting rid of the problem, of setting himself free of the fear and hatred he had for his father.

But, it was the image of his father that imprinted into his brain. His father's hands were at his neck, his blue eyes that matched his own were wide with pain, shock, and… _hurt_. It wasn't quite betrayal, but it was as close as one could get. As his face reddened, he tried to open his mouth, tried to say something, but Luke's hold was simply too tight.

But, his father's eyes….that _hurt_ ….there was so much _sadness_ , so much _anguish_ , so much _loss_ …but there was also… _understanding?_ Puzzled by that, Luke's hold began to slip…

"LUKE! STOP!." Mara was shaking him. She sounded pissed off, and when he ignored her and kept strangling his father, she hissed and suddenly…Her hands were grasping his face roughly. She was pulling his gaze off of his father, pulling it back to her startling green eyes. The next thing he knew, she crushed her mouth against his, kissing him _hard._

Just like that, the anger suddenly evaporated, vanished, as if it had been knocked out of him entirely. In its place was disbelief…and confusion. He felt his hold on the Force slip from his control…and disappear. Distantly, he heard his father drop to the floor, gasping and gagging as Leia murmured words of worry. His hand dropped, his eyes widened, and his brain simply…stopped functioning correctly.

The only word he could think in that moment was: _What?_

But, just as soon as it had come, the kiss was over. Mara pushed him away, glaring daggers at him. "Let's go, Luke." She growled. The threat was clear: She was ready to drag him off if need be.

"Y-yeah," he said, turning to look back at Han and Chewie. Both men looked at him grimly, as if they were looking at a stranger who had run over their cat, not their friend. The disbelief and surprise he'd felt upon kissing Mara dissipated, leaving a sinking, horrible, gut-wrenching feeling behind.

He'd screwed up. This time, it was a _massive_ screw up.

Glancing over at his father and Leia, his father still gasped for breath on the floor, but it was _Leia_ who looked at him. She looked at him like he was a total…monster. A monster to be feared, not her twin brother who was loved. His own throat tightened. He considered apologizing, but he doubted it would help any. So, slowly, he turned around, following Mara, Han, and Chewie out of the complex. "Do you still want to detonate those explosives?" Mara asked as they climbed the stairs to the upper level. It was Han who had the detonator.

Han didn't even turn around when he replied. "No. There's been enough killing here today." The last comment was pointedly directed at Luke, but Luke didn't say anything in return. For once, Luke agreed with that statement.

He'd gone past the point of no return. He didn't feel victorious. He didn't feel strong.

He just felt empty.

* * *

 **So, no spoilers, but that is the last time Luke and Anakin will have a violent confrontation. Promise. So, don't kill me.**

 **Super long chapter, I know. Tons of stuff happened. But I haven't updated in a while, not because of what happened recently, but just because my Beta went out of town on vacation. Given the awesome work she does, she deserved the vacation.**

 **The songs for this chapter are:**

 **Luke and Talia dream scenes: StarWaves from the movie Oblivion, We Will Rock You by Queen, and Northern Downpour by Panic at the Disco**

 **The rest of the chapter:**

 **The Pit of Carkoon/Sail Barge Assult By John Williams**

 **Monster by Skillet**

 **Luke and Leia by John Williams**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	64. Broken Barriers

"This whole friggin' time," Han fumed, his clenched fists resting on his hips, "You've been going off and _killing_ people?!"

There was no point in denying it. Luke sort of wished he had Mara there, soothing both him _and_ Han down, but Han had just dropped her off to pick up her own ship. Now they were back at their home in the quiet English countryside just outside London's outskirts but were still in the Falcon, staring each other down. Chewie stood immobile at Han's side, arms crossed, and though Luke couldn't clearly see his expression due to all his shaggy hair, he could tell that Chewie was glaring at him, not to mention being able to _feel_ in the Force the large Russian man's intense anger coming off him in waves. Luke winced. "I had no choice, Han. I _had_ to kill them...every single one of them! If I'd let them live, they would have tracked me…no, _us_ down and killed _us_ instead."

"No, Kid. Not us. **You**." Han snapped, jabbing his right index finger toward Luke. "There _had_ to be another way to deal with them after getting the information out of them you needed. If you had just come to me and told me the truth about what was going on, we could have worked something else out! Killing them was just plain... _stupid._ "

"Look, it's not like we haven't killed people before," Luke pointed out the obvious, but even _he_ had to admit it was a feeble excuse. He knew it wasn't about that for Han, and it was the _wrong_ thing to say in that moment to his already furious friend.

"It's not about that!" Han roared, gesturing wildly with his arms around the three of them. "You _lied_ to me! You hid important information from me! _On purpose!_ You could have gotten yourself killed, or brought that danger home and left _us,"_ Han motioned between himself and Chewie,"Unprepared to deal with it! And, nowyou're so out of control you even lashed out at your own father!" Chewie said something unintelligible to Luke's ears in his thick accent, and Han sighed. "Okay, yeah, sure, your father tried to kill you at one point a long, long time ago, but he _wasn't_ trying to kill us at that particular moment. Dammit, Luke, he was trying to apologize to you, and you almost killed him! You wouldn't even _listen_ to him! What the _hell_ is wrong with you?!" Han raked his hands roughly through his hair, causing it to stick up at all different angles.

Luke was silent, dropping his eyes to the floor, his mind flashing back to the look on his father's face as he'd strangled him with the Force. For once in his life, he actually felt _guilty_ for something he'd done, for what he'd just done to his father. It was an unexpected feeling—he'd spent _years,_ after all, dreaming about getting his revenge and killing his dad. But when he'd come close to doing so, the hurt, and also the strange _understanding_ , he'd glimpsed in his father's eyes chilled him to the bone. Had he actually killed him…he shuddered, forcing the thought away, but that did nothing to chase away the heart-wrenching guilt that stayed with him.

What had he done?!

"Do you have _anything_ to say for yourself?!" Han demanded after Luke said nothing for a while. Luke lifted his gaze to meet his friend's eyes, seeing the hurt and betrayal in them. Force, he'd hurt _so_ many people. And, Luke had to admit...it hadn't been _Palpatine_ who had done that—it had been _him_. He was the one hurting and pushing people he cared about away. Perhaps, it was a curse pronounced on the Skywalkers by the Force. He didn't really know. Either way, he found that he couldn't think of anything remotely adequate to say to his friends. Han glanced at Chewie, who shook his own head, and sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Get off my ship."

Luke flinched as if Han had punched him. Being kicked off the Falcon was literally _worse_ than getting kicked out of their home. Han only allowed his most trusted friends on his ship, and to tell someone to get off…He had a sad feeling there might be no coming back from this. Slowly, he stood, making his way to the lowered boarding ramp. He paused just before exiting. "Do you want me to move out of the house, too?" He asked quietly over his shoulder but not looking at the two men behind him.

Han was silent for a long time. "I don't know yet. I'll think about it."

The words were not unexpected, but they were still painful. Luke didn't argue though—he deserved those words. So instead, he turned back to the ramp and left the Falcon. He didn't turn back even as the Falcon's engines fired up, and he heard the ship take off into the night sky.

* * *

KKKKKK

Sighing, Luke shoved his hands in his pockets. He had never felt as alone as he did in _that_ moment.

"We're almost there, Leia." His voice was a hoarse whisper, and he was barely able to get the words out. Since coming to this world, he had regretted the many times as Vader he'd strangled someone to death, but now that he'd actually _experienced_ being Force choked himself—by his _own_ son's hand, no less—he regretted it even more... _Force!_ Especially having done that to Padme, and Anakin realized that the moment he saw his Angel again, he knew, despite how many times he'd already apologized for it over the years, that he'd drop to his knees before her and apologize again and again until she forced him to stand up and stop.

Leia, who had been silent the whole ride, nodded, staring out the viewport of the cockpit. She had a strange expression on her face, as if she'd wiped herself clean of all emotion. She hadn't even shown a flicker of a response when he'd comm'd Padme and had gotten the news that she'd found a lead on the _Millennium Falcon_ in London, was enroute there with Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and their youngest son, Hayden, from Germany, and had asked that he and Leia come meet them there on the outskirts of London. After she'd sent them the address, they had immediately taken off from Namibia, heading for England.

Anakin had no doubt what the cause of his daughter's troubles were. After calling on the Force to help ease some of the pain and swelling inside his abused throat and larynx, he was finally able to breathe normally again, and the look of horror and betrayal on Leia's face, as she watched him struggle to even breathe, was obvious. Leia had _always_ felt strongly about right and wrong. Even as a very young toddler she'd had -and expressed-rather _strong_ opinions. He suspected that despite having been warned of what Luke was becoming, Leia hadn't _truly_ believed her parents on the matter. To _her_ , Luke was a hero, trapped by the villain. Plain and simple. Anytime she had ever considered Luke becoming allies with the villain, he was sure she'd pushed that thought away immediately. But now…

His throat throbbed painfully, and he gently rubbed his neck.. _Force, Padme! I'm so, so sorry, Sweetheart!_ He couldn't help but think back for a second, as the image of his choking wife on Mustafar filtered into his thoughts, to be quickly replaced by thoughts of his son's face contorted in rage, arm outstretched towards him...

 _Luke_ …his heart broke at the thought of his precious son, being in so much turmoil, so much confusion and hatred. Though he now better understood what it had been like for Padme to be attacked like that by him, he also understood his wife's continuing faith in his goodness even after everything he'd done. There was _still_ good in Luke. He _knew_ there was. When Luke had released him, through his daze, he'd felt that small spark of Light in his son, accompanied by confusion and an overwhelming sense of _guilt_. But, Anakin was also _extremely_ experienced in the Dark Side of the Force. He knew when someone was close to the edge of giving in fully to the Dark Side. If he didn't find his son fast…Luke would be lost.

Probably forever.

No. Anakin wasn't about to let that happen. His son _would_ be redeemed...whether he _wanted_ to be or not didn't matter. This time, when he found Luke, it _wouldn't_ be to convince him to listen. No, he had a feeling that he was going to have to _drag_ Luke back to the Jedi Temple and keep him in underground holding until he could get him to at least _listen_ rationally. If Luke still decided to go down the path he was currently going down…well, he'd figure out what to do when and _if_ they came to that bridge. For now, he just needed to find Luke and bring him home.

"Tell me what you're thinking, Leia." He finally said, his voice firm but gentle. He put the ship on autopilot, swiveling his chair to face her fully.

For a moment, she just stared out the window, not making a sound. He wondered if she would ignore him and refuse to answer—it wouldn't be the first time she'd done something like that. But, as he opened his mouth to press her, she finally asked, " _Why_ are we still looking for him? He clearly doesn't want to be found." There was so much hurt and bitterness in her voice, he had the urge to reach over and pull her into his arms to hold her until she was happy again. In many ways, the twins being little had been much easier to deal with than them being almost adults. Problems were less complicated to solve with toddlers and preschoolers than older teens.

And, _this_ was certainly a complicated issue to be sure, and one that no amount of hugs would solve. Anakin sighed. Leia was volatile in her own unique way. He had to tread carefully here. "Your brother is lost right now. He…he doesn't have all the information, and Palpatine has obviously manipulated and hurt him. Badly."

"But, Luke's gone rogue! Palpatine _isn't_ controlling him anymore, Dad!" Leia looked at him, her deep brown eyes, so like her mother's, filled with accusation...and _hurt_. "The person I saw back there sure seemed like my brother at first, but he's _not_. My brother wouldn't _ever_ hurt you, Daddy." Her voice broke, but Leia, being the stubborn, strong-willed, young woman that she was, didn't cry. Crying wasn't her style.

Anakin reached over and gently put a hand on her shoulder. "There _is_ still good in him, Leia. I feel it. It's buried under years of pain and loss, but it's _there._ Luke _needs_ his family—now more than ever. If we give up on him, abandon him to the Dark Side, then he _will_ truly be lost." He paused, the Force swelling a bit within him, throbbing in his chest. Though he wished it didn't have to be in this _exact_ moment, he knew what he needed to do. It was time. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair and looked in his daughter's eyes.

"I know what that feels like, Princess."

Leia frowned, turning back to him. "What do you mean, Daddy?" He had her full attention now. He had a feeling that she'd sensed a change in the Force, had sensed that he was about to reveal something to her that would change _everything_. Still, as she waited silently for him to speak, his throat tightened again, and this time not from the damage Luke had done. Now that it was time, it was so much harder to just come out and say it, to admit the truth of _who_ he had been so long ago…what the _true_ legacy of their family had been, once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away.

He, therefore, chose his words carefully.

"Do you remember those stories I told you and your brother when you were really little?" Anakin finally began, his voice so tight he could barely get the words out.

Leia frowned. "You mean the ones with our family in space or whatever?" She shrugged hesitantly. "Not all the details, but sure."

He paused, willing himself to say it. "They weren't make believe stories, Princess. They're true. Every one of them." He waited for Leia's reaction, but she just stared at him, blinking, willing him to finish his explanation. It was actually something Padme did whenever he started to say something that would land him in hot water. She'd calmly wait to see if he would dig his hole deeper, or if he would dig himself out of it, before she responded. Given that Leia also looked very much like Padme (and had her mother's determination and spunk in _spades_ ), it was very _eerie_ to face his daughter this way, and his courage almost cracked. He struggled to clear his throat before he kept going. Nodding his head affirmatively, he said, "I am not from this galaxy. Neither is, well, our entire family, and many of the other Jedi you know. I'm from a planet called Tatooine. So is the Lars family. Your mother and all of her family are from the planet Naboo, as is Palpatine. Your mother was a Galactic Senator representing Naboo, and I was once a Jedi, and we lived in a time of political turmoil and war in a far distant galaxy. In those days, the Jedi Order was very strict on not forming attachments of _any_ kind. Younglings, as children were called there, were taken from their parents by the Jedi shortly after birth if they showed a high enough midichlorian count to designate them as Force Sensitive and were raised in a nursery by Jedi called a _creche_. Thus, Jedi were not even allowed to have familial bonds. I, however, was not brought to the Jedi until I was nine, and thus, I had already learned how to love from my mother. I met and fell in love with your mother, and eventually we married in secret."

He paused at this point to gather his thoughts and watched his daughter as she assimilated what he'd just said. Her face betrayed no emotion, which was a bit unnerving, but then, this _was_ a lot to take in, he acknowledged. Taking a deep breath, he rubbed his hands together and continued speaking.

"I fought as a General for the Republic forces alongside Snips and Obi-Wan in the Clone Wars. I was known as the 'Hero With No Fear'—I told you and Luke those stories. The wars were _very_ dangerous, and I saw many horrifying, unspeakable things during those years. I thought I was fighting for a good cause, and I was intensely loyal to Chancellor Palpatine, who I thought, at the time, was a good man." He shook his head in disgust. "Little did I know then that Palpatine was actually the Sith Lord, Darth Sidious, the single most _evil_ being the galaxy had seen in millennia, and he had foreseen my potential from a very young age. He took every opportunity to grow close to me during my years at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, the capital planet of the galaxy, and he became, what I considered to be, a trusted friend. I was loyal to _him_ —I believed in _him_. He seemed to understand me in ways the Jedi never could."

Another long pause had his throat tightening again at what he would reveal next.

"Your mother and I had been married for three years when she became pregnant with you and your brother. I was away fighting in the war in the Outer Rim sieges for the first five months of her pregnancy. When I got home and found out we were expecting, I was so happy. I remember the _joy_ I felt when your mother told me. I wanted you and Luke _so_ much. I wanted to be a happy family, all of us together. But, almost immediately, the nightmares began. I dreamed that Padme…your mother, died in childbirth. I had lost my own mother after I had ignored Force induced dreams of her death, and I couldn't bear to lose my wife, too. I went to Master Yoda for help, but the Jedi gave me no real help. Just told me to let my feelings and attachments go, but I couldn't do that. I loved my family. So, when Palpatine told me that _only_ through the Dark Side could I save my wife from death, I believed him."

He paused, swallowing hard, clutching his knees with both hands . "I was _desperate_ , Leia. I was willing to do _anything_ to save your mother, including turning myself into the very thing I had sworn as a Jedi to destroy...A Sith. When the Jedi came to arrest Palpatine after his discovery as the Sith Lord, I stopped Master Windu from striking Sidious down. Windu was killed, and then Palpatine dubbed me his Sith apprentice, which I willingly agreed to become, and he ordered me to execute the top secret Order 66, to destroy the Jedi. I-I…marched to the Temple with the Clone army, and I killed most of the Jedi Order. I murdered all the younglings. Then, I was sent to the volcanic planet of Mustafar on a mission by Sidious. When your mother followed me and tried to bring me back to the Light, I didn't listen to her. Obi-Wan, who intended to kill me, stowed away on her ship without her knowledge, figuring she would try to come after me. When Obi-Wan left her ship, I assumed she had betrayed me, and I was so angry, I Force choked her...yes, my own pregnant wife," He said on a garbled whisper, feeling his daughter's horror through the Force.

He took a steadying breath and then continued,"She didn't die immediately, but I was so filled with anger, with despair and sorrow and fear, that I couldn't even stop myself from hurting the one person I had always loved most." There was an emotion-charged silence in the cockpit as Leia absorbed his words, but she didn't stop him, understanding he had more to say. Taking that as encouragement to continue, Anakin said, "Obi-Wan and I fought, and I lost the battle with him. After that I became a monster, not only on the inside but on the outside as well. I lost most of my body in that duel. Sidious came to Mustafar and found me lying on the lava riverbank where I had fallen, and he took me back to Coruscant for care. When I awoke, in a horrid black suit and mask with the new name of Darth Vader, Sidious told me I had killed your mother…and my unborn child. I thought that _any_ trace of Anakin Skywalker had died that day, died with your mother. I spent the rest of that life living as a ruthless Sith Lord who killed without remorse, without mercy. I don't even _know_ how many innocent beings I killed. I became a killing machine, controlled by the Emperor.

"Your mother lived long enough to give birth to you and your brother. Luke was sent to Tatooine with Obi-Wan and raised as a farmer by Owen and Beru. You were raised by Bail Organa and his wife, Breha, as a Princess on Alderaan. You grew up to become a leader in the Rebellion against the Empire. I finally caught you smuggling secrets for the Emperor's ultimate weapon, the Death Star, which was capable of destroying an entire planet, and not knowing who you were to me, I…I tortured you. I held you while you watched your planet be destroyed by that weapon. Later, I tortured your boyfriend and almost succeeded in taking him away from you. I hunted you across the galaxy with the intent to destroy you. I didn't even _know_ you were my daughter until I came to this world and Obi-Wan told me who you were.

"I _did_ find out about Luke being my son. I hunted the galaxy relentlessly for him. I killed _so_ many rebels to get to him. I used _you_ to draw Luke out of hiding. I dueled him, and though my intent at first was not to actually harm him, I lost control of my temper and ended up cutting off his right hand. But…despite all that, Luke…Luke didn't give up on me. He barely knew me, and what he did know was not anywhere _close_ to good. But, he insisted that there _was_ good in me, and though we dueled again on the Death Star, he continued to push me to come back to the Light. It was his faith in me that ended up saving me.

"Palpatine was trying to kill Luke with blasts of Sith lightning. But, I couldn't let that happen. Luke was my _son..._ So, I turned on Palpatine, and I killed him to save Luke, but in doing so, I also sacrificed my own life. I expected, honestly, to go to the Jedi-version of Hell, given everything that I'd done after your mother's death. Even though I _had_ returned to the Light at the very end, I had done so many awful, _unforgivable_ things. But instead, the Force brought me here, to Earth, reuniting me with your mother and Obi-Wan and Ahsoka, and the Force gave me this life now to live as a second chance...a chance where I…I have spent so many years repenting for what I'd done. I _still_ don't think I've completely atoned for any of it, and I doubt I ever fully will, but…" he sighed again, looking at Leia once more. She was no longer looking at him. She was staring at her hands in her lap, her eyebrows furrowed. "I love you, Leia. I love your mother. I love both of your brothers. I love all of you so _very_ much. All I want for _all_ of you is for you to be happy. I want you to have the life you _should_ have had before I ruined it all. Right now, your twin brother…has done some pretty bad things, true, but they aren't yet anywhere _near_ what I have done. _How_ can I possibly ask for forgiveness and then turn my back on my son when he needs it? How can I turn my back on him after _he_ believed in _me?"_

Leia lifted her head to stare at her father for a moment and then glanced away.

"No. I will _continue_ to believe in him and the goodness that I _know_ is there until he's home with us and safely away from that monster...and I would do the same thing for you, your mother, or Hayden. Because I love you."

Leia was silent for a very long time. Her skin had gone pale, her brown eyes wide and glittering with unshed tears. For a moment, Anakin worried that she didn't believe him, but she finally let out a shuddering breath. "I _should_ think you're insane." She said in a quivering voice, "But, I don't. Somehow…I always knew."

Anakin frowned in concern. "Have you had… dreams about it?"

Leia slowly shook her head, still not looking at him. "I…I don't…" She looked like she was about to be sick. "I…I need time to think about this."

"Leia," Anakin began, reaching for her…but she pulled away. He drew his hand back, stung. It would have been better had she slapped him. Honestly, he had always feared _Leia's_ reaction to the truth more than he had feared Luke's. He had done horrible things to Leia in their past life. Though he had always intended on telling Leia the truth at some point, he couldn't deny a part of him had enjoyed the fact that she _didn't_ remember. In all honesty,he was terrified that she would remember, or somehow find out, and then reject him as her father. He'd already lost Luke for too long in this life. He didn't want to lose Leia, his _only daughter,_ too. He let his hands fall back into his lap. "I wish…not a day goes by for me that I don't _wish_ I could take it all back. But, I can't. Sorry doesn't even begin to cover it, but please, _please believe me_ , Leia…" he sighed, running a frustrated hand through his hair. "I'm sorry. So, _so_ sorry."

Leia abruptly stood up then, a strange, pained expression on her face. She still refused to look at him. "I need to think." She didn't wait for him to stop her. She turned and left the cockpit, heading into the back of the ship, likely to the living quarters to be alone until Anakin touched down in London. He watched his daughter go with a heavy heart. He knew that telling her the truth was the right thing to do, but he couldn't help but worry that he'd just pushed his daughter away from him forever.

Suddenly, he felt very, very alone.

* * *

Luke sat alone in his room at his desk. The only light in the room was the desk lamp shining down on the paper he was sketching on. The curtains had been pulled over the windows, leaving him feeling like he was isolated from the rest of the outside world. Normally, he liked looking out at the trees or opening his window to smell the fresh air, or listen to the sounds of the calm serenity of nature. Today, he did not want any of that. It was too contrary to the turmoil he was in.

The calm would only frustrate him further.

He stubbornly worked on the X-shaped ship from his dreams. He drew detailed plans, as if he had the time and money to build it once the plans were completed. It came to him naturally, just as it always had. He knew _every_ part of that little ship like it was part of his own soul. Now, however, as he drew, flashes of pain, accompanied by brief visions of flying the craft through space, stabbed into his head. It wasn't the first time he'd had this stupid pain. He'd been having it for far too long, and it had delayed his completion of the ship's drawing.

Not this time. He…he wasn't in _control_ of anything anymore, it seemed. He was no longer an Inquisitor, set to become a Sith Apprentice. He was no longer a secret boyfriend to a beautiful, kind, fiery girl from South America. He was potentially no longer a friend to Han and Chewie. He was no longer a son _or_ a brother. He had no doubt that, after the events of the last twenty-four hours. What was left of his family thoroughly hated him. Even…Even _Leia_. He stopped, taking a deep breath and pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger, trying to calm himself down. He _had_ to get control. The drawing was not going to give him control of his life again, no, but it _would_ give him control of _something_.

He was so focused on the drawing, on the pain in his head, and his roiling emotions, that he missed it when his door quietly opened. "Luke." Mara's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Her voice was both firm, but gentle. He tore his eyes away from his drawing and saw her standing there. She had changed out of the clothes she'd been wearing since they'd gone to the club…Force, that date felt like so long ago now. She stared at him for a moment, and then without waiting for his invitation, she entered the room, walking over and sitting down on the edge of the bed so that she could be near him, see what he was working on. A peculiar expression crossed her face. "Where have you seen that?" She flicked her wrist at the drawing.

Her voice was so filled with urgency, it managed to startle him. "Um," he looked down at it. Other than the strange X-shape of the wings, it didn't look _that_ strange. "I've had dreams about this ship since before I can remember." He thought back, trying to remember the first time he'd dreamt of it…and a thought came into his mind, a thought so random and out of place, he barely realized how strange it was before he blurted it out. "I wanted...to build it one day with my father."

As Mara frowned, looking at him suspiciously, he wondered where that thought had come from. Even before his mother's death, he hadn't had a good relationship with his father. _Why_ would he want to build his dream ship with him? Sure, his father knew a ton about building ships…it was what had gotten him the position of the Director over NASA, after all. But, that didn't mean that Luke would ever do something _he_ loved so much with him. He didn't want to share that love with a man like his 's what his _head_ said at least, but his _heart_ clenched painfully, as if that idea wasn't true at all.

"Well," Mara said softly, slowly, as if choosing her words carefully, "It will be a cool ship when it's built. It'll be just right for you."

Though he didn't feel happy at all in that moment, her words managed to put a small smile on his face. "Thanks." They lapsed into silence for a while, just staring at the drawing. Finally, Luke asked, "Are you here to tell me to leave the house?"

"Of course not." Mara responded immediately, firmly.

Hesitantly, he looked back at her, looking for a lie. There was only conviction in her expression, however. "Then, _why_ are you here?" The moment he asked the question, his mind flashed back to their brief, desperate kiss at the base, and he blushed.

Mara raised an eyebrow, but she didn't bring the kiss up. Yet. Instead she said, "I think it's time you came clean, Luke."

His whole body froze. He knew she wasn't stupid. He could practically _see_ the suspicion or disbelief in her electrifying green gaze whenever he told her even a _half_ truth. Deep down, he'd always known this confrontation would come one day. He'd just wished that it never actually would. Apparently, the Force had deemed his time up on that score.

Taking his silence as him avoiding her question, she pressed again. "You act like you can do everything by yourself. Well, news flash, Luke...You can't. No one can, especially anyone who has goals like _yours_. You need help, Luke, and I want to help you, but you _have_ to tell me whatever it is that you're hiding."

Luke tensed. His whole being rejected the idea of needing help. He hadn't been raised by Palpatine to _ask_ for help. If he did need it, he'd been raised to _take_ it, willingly or not. He could never hurt Mara like that, though. She looked at him now only with concern, and…was there something else there deep in her eyes? He sighed, turning away. "It's not a happy story."

"I know."

"You may decide _not_ to help me after I tell you."

"No, I won't. I'm with you till the end. _Nothing_ you do or say will change that." He doubted that, but he didn't argue. Instead, he took a deep breath and began his tale, blue eyes downcast, staring at the floor, lost in a whirling mist of memories.

"My father and I never got along. He was close to my twin sister, Leia, and Leia was close to him. They did _everything_ together. She was his little 'Princess.' I was close to my mother, though. When I was lonely, she was _always_ there for me. She used to make the _best_ chocolate chip cookies for me. But, when I was eight, she had another baby—my brother, Hayden. At that point, I was basically ignored." He shrugged. "I told myself I didn't mind. I have always found peace in solitude. But, it was hard after Hayden arrived, especially with my father paying more attention to _him_. Yeah, I _know_...he was a baby. I get that, but I was his son, too, I figured. I hadn't done anything wrong. Why would he just… _ignore_ me like that?"

"Anyhow, one night while my father and most of the Jedi were out on a mission, someone broke into our home. A man. I don't know who he was. I got my sister and baby brother to safety upstairs, but I could hear my mother was in trouble downstairs. I knew…I knew I wasn't strong like my father, but _someone_ needed to protect her." He cut off, the next words sticking in his throat. He'd _never_ admitted this aloud. He'd _never_ talked to anyone about this, not even Talia. He had kept these memories locked deep inside him where they had festered and rotted his very soul. Still, Mara waited patiently, calmly, and he forced the words out. "I found a gun in my mom's closet in a drawer. I…didn't have anything else. So, I grabbed it and went downstairs with it. I tried to threaten the man, but he just laughed and hurt my mom more. She told me to run, but I wouldn't listen. I tried….I tried to sh…s-shoot the man, but I….I shot….I shot my mother instead."

The words practically tumbled out of him now, as if an internal dam had broken, giving way to a flood of emotion he couldn't stop. "It was an accident! I _never_ wanted to hurt her. I _loved_ her! I was just trying to protect her. Not only did I fail to protect her her,but I-I...k-killed her. She died in front of me, lying in a pool of blood. The man got away, and she just lay there, her blood soaking our living room carpet, staring at me as she died. I could _feel_ her fear, _feel_ her intense pain, and I _knew_ I was the one who had caused it. My mom died at my own hand. When my father returned home not long after, and he saw what I'd done…my mother was his _whole_ world. He lost it. He tried to kill me…He beat me, and somehow…I don't _really_ remember how, but somehow I managed to escape him." He frowned. His father was the most powerful Jedi _ever._ He'd always wondered _why_ his father hadn't just run him through with his lightsaber...or Force choked him even. It would have been much easier to kill an eight-year-old kid with one stroke from a lightsaber than by beating him to death. He shook the thought away and continued.

"Anyway, somehow Palpatine found me. He brought me into the Inquisitors, raising me in the use of Dark Side of the Force, and I became Starkiller. All of the other Inquisitors had been there since they were toddlers, but I worked hard. Soon, I was at the top of my class. The only person who rivaled me was my partner, Fireheart. We both wanted to become Palpatine's Sith apprentice, and we competed for the position. Despite that, she and I… _well_. We weren't _supposed_ to, but we dated in secret. Our mission was supposed to be focused on becoming a Sith Apprentice, not falling for one another." He hesitated, wondering how much info he should give her. Again, his kiss with Mara flashed through his head. He was pretty sure telling a potential romantic interest of his failed past relationship was normally a big no-no. But, Mara had asked for the truth, so he would give her the truth….well, the _short_ version of it.

"She became his apprentice. Or rather, she was _supposed_ to. Palpatine killed her—she died in my arms. I'm still not sure _why_ he killed her, but…" he pushed the memories away before he could dwell too much on it. "I snapped. I vowed revenge, and I killed almost everyone in that base you were taken to. When I was…sort of myself again, I wandered in the desert until I meandered into that little town—where I met you." He sighed, afraid to look at her. What would he see in her expression if he did? "You know the rest."

He wasn't sure what he expected from her. Yelling? Accusations of being a murderous monster? Silence? But, Mara was always full of surprises, and she did none of that. "Look at me." She said firmly. Hesitantly, he did as she bid, almost flinching when he met her intense green gaze…and he frowned in confusion with what he saw there.

Understanding. Just like his father as he choked him. But _why?_

"Listen to me, Luke. _None_ of that is _your_ fault. Do you understand me? **None** of it." He opened his mouth to object, but she held up a hand, cutting him off. "Let's just say that I understand, Luke." She sighed, pursing her lips and nodding her head before she continued,"To be honest, I haven't been 100% truthful with you either. You see, I…I knew Palpatine."

Luke stared at her like she had just told him that it was literally raining cats and dogs outside. "But…. _how?!_ I would have heard about you…"

"No, believe me, you _wouldn't_ have." There was bitterness in her voice, surprising him. He had never heard her be bitter before. "I was a secret. He…he used me. Manipulated me. I did terrible, awful things for him. In the end, he tried to get me to kill someone I cared about very much, but I couldn't do it. I had nightmares about it—so many, _awful, gut-wrenching_ nightmares that would keep me awake at night." She shuddered, as if reliving those memories.

"Why didn't you do it?" Luke asked softly.

Mara met his gaze again before replying seriously, "Because someone very wisely told me once that my choices are my own. I don't _have_ to do anything I don't really _want_ to do." She leaned forward, her face inches away from his. Despite the fact that she had his full attention, he couldn't help but glance down at her lips. " _You_ have a choice too, Luke. You've already made plenty of choices, bad choices that I promise you **will** lead you down a dark dangerous path full of utter misery and loneliness." She hesitated, and slowly she reached up, touching his cheek gently with her fingers, caressing his cheekbone. Her touch was like fire spreading across his skin, and his breath caught in his throat. Without realizing it, he was leaning into her touch. "You're a _good_ person, Luke. You have so much _Light_ still in you, and right now, you're hiding that Light in a dark, deep abyss. I don't want to lose you to that darkness. Don't… _don't_ leave me. Not like that."

Luke swallowed hard, barely breathing. She was so near, and there was so much pleading in her eyes…. _Force_ , she really was worried about him. Given what he'd done, almost killing his own father in a moment of lost control… for the first time, Luke began to worry about himself, too. "Why… _why_ are you staying with me, Mara? What have I _ever_ done to deserve your friendship?" _Or your love?_ A part of him added mentally.

Mara's emerald eyes softened, and she leaned closer. They were mere centimeters away from each other now. "Because, Luke Skywalker, I _believe_ in you. I _believe_ in your goodness. Just because you're struggling right now, that doesn't change how…how I feel about _you_."

There it was. And, with her admission, Luke's mouth went dry, and he was suddenly speechless. When he did force himself to speak, his voice cracked. "F-Feel… _about me?"_

There was a moment's hesitation in Mara's eyes, but also steely determination. "Yes, Luke. I…I realize that you've lost someone else, someone you cared for deeply, and maybe now isn't the best time since…well, everything is so crazy and sorta up in the air, but I _do_ feel something for you—something strong, and…"

He closed the distance between them, his lips crushing hers, cutting her off mid-sentence. She jerked a little in surprise, but quickly relaxed. Her arms reached up and wrapped around his neck. His hands went to her waist, pulling her off the edge of the bed and onto his lap. Their kiss, unlike the last one which had been full of anger and desperation, was full of hesitance at first, but quickly melted away into one of sizzling passion, her lips parting for his, and his parting for hers, their tongues wrapping around the other's in a slow heated dance. Although his brain was still swelling with confusion, and his heart ripped with inner turmoil, _this_ felt right, and good, and _something_ deepinside him cried out that he'd been missing her for a very, _very_ long time.

Talia flashed through his brain briefly, and he paused, suddenly pulling away, ending the kiss. Both of them breathed hard, staring at one another wide-eyed. "Luke?" Mara's voice was barely above a whisper, husky but filled with hope.

He took her in, sweeping his cerulean gaze over her features. Her heart-shaped face. Her flaming red hair. Her soft, luscious lips. Her emerald green eyes that sent waves of emotion crashing through him every time she looked at him. She was not Talia. She was nowhere near Talia. Though Talia's codename had been Fireheart, she had been a rather gentle soul, thrown into a dark world that had ended up consuming her. He had loved her gentleness, her optimism, her rather gutsy determination in a tough situation. But, Talia was gone and she was never coming back.

Mara was here. Mara was a burning flame to his wall of ice...and as a fire will do, she was thawing that ice encasing him.

He could feel it.

Everyone he'd ever cared about at some point seemed to leave. Yet, he'd told Mara of his dark deeds, his tragic past, and she'd stayed by his side as he tortured and killed Palpatine's men, even though she'd expressed her displeasure for it. She'd stopped him from killing his father and totally stepping over the edge into the Dark Side. And, here she was, sitting on his lap, looking at him with a mixture of worry, and hope for a better future for them _both_. No. She wasn't going anywhere.

"You said I have the power to make my own choices." He said softly.

"I did." Mara agreed, frowning a little. She wasn't sure where this was going.

"I _still_ have to kill Palpatine. Even if I hadn't sworn to avenge Talia, I've made him a rather great enemy." It was true. There was no getting around the enemy he'd created in Palpatine. Somehow, it didn't bother him as much as it _should_ have. "But, I also need to move on from the past. I'm not….I'm not ready to let it go just yet, but…I _will_. And, I when I _do_ ," he paused, looking down at her lips. Without really thinking about it, he kissed her again, softer, sweeter this time. "It'll be just you and me. No more killing. No more running. Just _us_." He said against her lips.

He felt Mara relax in his arms, and she pulled away slightly. "I think that's a very good start." She said softly. She reached up and brushed a lock of his blonde hair away from his forehead. "So. How do we bring that bastard down?"

Luke frowned, thinking back to the information he'd received from his last mission. It felt like so long ago when he'd been in Rio. "I have to find Asajj Ventress. I have no idea where she is, though."

"Do you have a starting point?" Mara asked. Though she still sat on his lap, her face just inches from his, she was serious now, focused.

Luke strained to think about it. "Well, I _might_ , but it's extremely risky."

"Risky's good." A grin spread over Mara's face. "So, the usual."

"Oh, no-o-o," Luke tsked with a shake of his head. " _This_ is triple the danger. We would be infiltrating the main Inquisitor base."

Mara froze, eyes wide at that. "Oh." She said.

"Yeah. I told you, it's risky, but if I can hack into the main terminal, I _should_ be able to find her last known location." Luke said, but even as he said it, he couldn't believe they were words coming out of _his_ mouth. Sure, he knew the base better than anyone else who wasn't an Inquisitor, but it was _still_ basically a suicide mission. He didn't see any other way though, and he'd had plenty of time to think about it.

"You know, given how hard he is to find, one might think that Palpatine is a bit paranoid." Mara said, and he noticed that now _her_ gaze was straying down to _his_ lips… "Can I ask you something else?" she suddenly asked, flicking her gaze back to his.

That was _not_ the direction he thought she was going in. "Sure." He said.

Slowly, tentatively, she reached up, lightly touching the side of his neck where the silver chain of his mother's necklace just barely stuck out. "I've seen this chain sticking out every day, and yet I've _never_ seen the necklace itself. You aren't exactly the jewelry-type, you know. Can…can I see it?"

Luke hesitated, not because he didn't want her to see it, but because he simply had never shown it to anyone. He'd _always_ been afraid that if he were caught wearing it as an Inquisitor, it would be taken away from him. So, he'd always kept it carefully hidden. He hadn't even shown Talia. But, there was no longer any reason to hide it, and he'd already let Mara through his barriers. Might as well let her into all of them. He reached up and pulled it out. Gingerly, she took the little pendant in her hand, her fingers running over the etching. "It was my mother's. I keep it close to my heart all the time." Luke told her quietly as she examined it, "I…grabbed it from off her neck when she died. Not on purpose. I…actually don't remember _how_ exactly I got it, but she always wore it. I think it was a gift from my father."

"It's intriguing," Mara muttered, her eyebrows furrowing. "What's it made of?"

"Actually, I have no idea." Luke shrugged. "It's not a common material, that's for sure. My father travels a lot, so I kind of assumed he must have picked it up somewhere on one of his Jedi adventures."

Mara held it for a second more before she let it drop back to his chest. "And you never take it off."

He met her gaze. "Not for a moment." He admitted with a slight shake of his head.

Something flashed in Mara's eyes, but it was gone before he could identify what it was. "I'm with you to the end, Skywalker." Mara suddenly said, bringing him back to their previous discussion. "Regardless of what…what _this_ is," She motioned to their current position with her still sitting in his lap, "You can count on me. We'll figure out how to get into that base, and get out with the info we need and our lives intact."

His heart warmed, and though he was _still_ reeling from what had happened with his father, with what he wanted to do, he no longer felt so alone. Though the road ahead of them was still dangerous, he had a feeling that as long as he wasn't alone, as long as he had Mara with him, he could accomplish almost anything. He smiled, and Mara smiled back, and he kissed her softly once more before they began to detail out the next steps of their plan.

* * *

It was raining in London when they landed. Typical. The moment the loading ramp had been lowered on her father's ship, Leia rushed out into the rain-washed air. Her mother and Hayden were waiting at the bottom, and when he saw her, Hayden broke out into a grin. "Leia!" He cried excitedly, and ran to her, throwing his arms around her waist. Normally, Leia was always happy to see Hayden, as they'd developed a close relationship over the years, but her father's revelations were still whirling in her head, cascading her into a confusing oblivion. She sensed him appear at the top of the landing ramp behind her, his gaze on her back both anxious and apprehensive. She tensed, blocking him firmly from reading her emotions through their Force connection. It wasn't an easy task, given that he was not only her dad, but also her Jedi Master, and their bond had strengthened over the years, but he didn't press the issue. He knew she needed time and space.

"Hi Hayden," Leia's voice was tight. Her mother, who had begun to approach, immediately noticed her tone, and her brown eyes, so much like Leia's own, narrowed in suspicion before flicking up to her husband's troubled gaze behind her. Hayden still hadn't let go of her. He looked up at her, his dark curls falling away from his face, his blue eyes so like their father's and Luke's growing sad. He frowned, also sensing Leia's closed-mood in the Force. Normally, she was open with him, and though Hayden wasn't like Luke, who could read her like an open book, Hayden, being a Skywalker, _was_ still strong in the Force and took his own Jedi skills training seriously, and over the years, he had grown accustomed to at least getting _something_ from his sister. "What's wrong?" Her father hadn't moved from the top of the ramp, and her mom was now looking between the two of them with a very serious frown on her face. For a moment, Leia felt a flash of anger at her mom— _how_ could neither of her parents tell her of her heritage all these years? Of this whole other life they had all lived? _How_ could neither of them tell her what her father had done to destroy their family?

"I need to take a walk." Her voice was almost monotone. She wanted to yell, she wanted to make accusations, but it was her Jedi training that stopped her from doing so. She was too clouded to make a judgement. She needed to clear her head, to meditate somewhere away from her apparently dysfunctional family. Hayden seemed to sense this, and slowly he dropped his arms, stepping back from her.

"Leia," Padme began, stepping forward, but Leia side-stepped her mother, shaking her head. Her mom stopped, and Leia flinched as she watched hurt and worry fill her mother's eyes.

"I'll be fine, Mom." Leia rushed to assure her, not because she wanted to, but because she knew that her mom was already stressed and worried about Luke. She almost blurted out how _Luke_ almost murdered her husband, but she forced herself to clamp her jaw shut. She'd let her father break _that_ news. Leia was not in the right mind to be dropping any info bombs on anyone, because those bombs would explode in an inferno...of _her_ own making…and there was a part of her that didn't want _any_ of that to happen. Her family had already been through enough. She didn't need to make it worse.

"I'll be back."

She didn't wait for a response. She skirted around her mom, leaving the hotel premises. As she did so, she spotted Obi-Wan and Ashoka leaving the hotel, headed for her family. She picked up her speed as the urge to stop and yell at them too for keeping that info from her overcame her.

Walking at a rapid clip, she was soon far away from their hotel, losing herself in the vast sprawl of London's streets. It was quieter here than it was in the United States. They weren't in downtown London, so many of the streets she passed were residential. It wasn't a rough neighborhood either: There were some very haute couture shops with _Prada, Dior,_ and _Armani_ products, to name just a few, prominently sitting in the window displays. Still, as she passed the few people who had decided to brave the rain to travel to their various destinations, she found comfort in her lightsaber gently thumping against the side of her thigh. She reached out with the Force, but she didn't think any of those Inquisitors were near _here,_ but given that this…Han Solo character, and therefore Luke, supposedly lived somewhere nearby in the greater London area, she supposed the Inquisitors couldn't be _that_ far behind either.

She didn't know how long she wandered around before she felt the Force tug at her. Her father had pressed upon her the need to follow promptings from the Force so often, that she followed the tug almost without realizing it. She turned a corner, walked underneath a stone arch, and found herself in a quiet, secluded graveyard. Overhead, she was mostly protected by the foliage of the ancient rickety trees that grew and shaded the graveyard. She saw a wall of a little cathedral at the far end of the yard. Looking around, she was completely alone.

Strangely, it didn't feel creepy to her. It felt peaceful, serene somehow, and secluded from the outside world. It felt like nothing dangerous could ever touch her here. She knew that was silly, but…as she wandered quietly among the timeworn gravestones with multiple names chiseled into the stone, some faded beyond recognition, many covered by overgrowths of moss, she felt, for the first time since her brother lashed out at their father, at peace. She stopped at an old stone bench. She was already drenched at this point from the heavy misting rain, so when she sat down on the gathered small puddles on the bench, she didn't mind it in the least. It was wide enough to sit cross-legged on, so she did, moving herself into a meditation position. She hadn't ever meditated in such a public place before, and yet…she was alone, and this felt _right_. She was certainly more at peace than she _had_ been. What's more, she felt that the Force was pushing within her to meditate. Here.

So she did.

She slipped into the peaceful trance quicker than she thought she would. The pitter patter sound of drops of rain hitting the leaves disappeared, as well as the feeling of being drenched to the bone. She felt weightless, timeless, floating in a calm, peaceful nothingness, allowing the Force to wrap her up in it's embrace, calming her confusion and _revulsion_ at what her brother had done and what her father had said. Letting all of that go into the Force, she completely relaxed, and...

Soon, images began to come.

First came images of her childhood. She remembered how kind and loving her dad had been to her. The hours upon hours he'd played with her and her dolls in her room or blowing bubbles for her and Jedi to chase after out in the backyard. The hundreds of times he sat there on the couch with her, sharing popcorn and hot chocolate, as she made him watch, yet again, the movie _Frozen_. She knew now that her father _hated_ that movie, but he'd never let her feel that when she watched it with him. She remembered their trips to Disneyland, and how he'd carry her on his shoulders if she got too tired from walking. She remembered all the sandcastles he'd built with her at the beach not far from their house in California...even though he _detested_ sand. She remembered his patience whenever she was so wrapped up in what she wanted, that she refused to believe that it wasn't the right thing to do. She remembered him telling her and Luke stories each night before bed, of giving her goodnight kisses each night until she insisted that she was too old for that. And still, sometimes, when he thought she didn't notice, he would wait until he thought she was asleep to check on her, and would tuck her in further and kiss her forehead anyway, whispering that she was still his little princess.

She remembered how he held her in the hospital while waiting for her mom to be okay that awful night. She remembered that night in his workshop, when he was sure that he'd lost Luke. The workshop had been destroyed, and he'd been on the floor, crying. She hadn't been afraid of him—in fact, in her deep moment of sorrow, she saw that and had felt connected to her father. He'd held her that night, too, and she'd clung to him. He had been her lifeline in those early days, when she was still reeling from the pain of losing her brother and best friend. She remembered all their trips to Idaho to visit Grandma and Grandpa Lars and how her father had taught her how to ride a four-wheeler and a horse. How they'd taken family vacations to Colorado in the winters, and her father had taught her how to snowboard, ski, and ride a snowmobile.

She remembered training with her father. Oh, they'd had arguments alright—they were both too headstrong not to. However, he had also been patient with her, and she'd had the feeling that training her when he wasn't at work or searching for Luke had been something her father had welcomed wholeheartedly, not only as a chance to train his daughter to do something that he himself embraced fully, but it was also a welcome distraction from the worry and the loss they shared in. If she was honest with herself, she felt the same way. He'd been there for every school award ceremony, every parent-teacher conference, every soccer game and every tennis match she'd played in at school. He'd attended every Model UN competition, even though he hated politics. He'd hemmed and hawed about it but had sat blushingly through her mom explaining ' _the birds and the bees'_ to her when she had to take a class about it in middle school. He'd gone shopping with her and her mom for her first homecoming dress—had even teared up a little when he saw her in it ( _not_ that he would admit that). He'd taught her how to drive a car, and how to pilot a speeder. And, after her mom had had a _'talk'_ with him, he'd allowed her to start dating and then he'd waited up to make sure she got home safe (and on time) from every date he'd let her go on... _after_ he'd practically interrogated (and frightened) the boys brave enough to ask her out. He'd thought about her well-being first whenever they'd gone on missions to find Luke.

But finding Luke again changed everything. It changed the way Leia viewed the world—how she viewed her family. It had revealed not only her deepest fears for her brother, but something terrible from a past that she had lived through but she no longer remembered. She tried to picture the man who had lovingly raised her as being the same _evil_ man who her father had described on the ship. Her father was a _good_ man. Certainly not pure or innocent—that night in his workshop had shown her that. But, he _was_ a good man. So how…?

 _Show me._ She thought suddenly, and the Force responded with hesitation, as if it were worried what the knowledge of her former life would do to her. That irritated her. She didn't like to be protected. She _hated_ it when her father became overprotective, or her mother either, for that matter. She didn't _want_ protection from the Force, not on this matter. She needed to _know._ She needed to decide how to proceed. _Show me._ She demanded the Force again, and it seemed to sense her determination. Soon, images of the past she knew faded away, replaced by images of a past long ago, in a galaxy far, far away…

It was happy at first. She saw herself raised as a princess by the man she knew in this world as her childhood doctor, Doctor Bail Organa, on a planet called Alderaan. She had been just as headstrong then as now, and though she was taught the ways of a noble princess, she had never had the desire to be that person. She aspired to be more than that, and had looked to her political adoptive father as her hero. Still, she had lived a childhood full of happiness and love, with dreams and aspirations that only a child could dream up.

Then, she was a Senator for Alderaan. She took to the position naturally, even though she was younger than she was now when she started. She had _no_ qualms about speaking up for what she believed to be right, even though the Senate at that time was little more than a puppet show for the Galaxy, controlled by the Emperor. Despite her boldness, she remained careful to conceal all of her other clandestine activities with the growing Rebellion. It was a dangerous charade that she had mastered for years before she was caught.

She remembered the first time she met Darth Vader, the man she now knew to be her loving birth father. In her memories, she had met him while meeting the Emperor for the first time. Though she could sense the pit of darkness that was the Emperor, it had been Vader that had drawn most of her attention—and her fear. At the time, all she could sense from him was this twisted darkness, a pure hatred that consumed everything he did. She couldn't have gotten out of that room faster. But now, beneath all that anger and hatred, Leia could sense her father, or what was left of him. Behind all of that anger was a man who was lost, who wallowed in misery and pain for a lost love, a lost family, a personal Hell reserved just for him.

She remembered being captured by him while attempting to bring the stolen Death Star plans to Alderaan for the Rebellion. She remembered placing those plans inside Artoo before she was captured. She remembered her angry exchange with Vader before being taken aboard the Death Star, how he'd tortured her there until she screamed, until she begged him to stop...but she hadn't broken and revealed the secret base location of the rebels. She remembered as he held her back and forced her to watch as her planet Alderaan, as her only known-family, was destroyed in a single laser blast. He hadn't cared one bit at the time—he hadn't known that the girl he tortured was his own flesh and blood.

But Luke had rescued her, Luke and Han and Chewie, and they had continued to team up throughout the Rebellion on countless missions. _Han_ …the young man she'd just met at the base, the one Luke was friends with, the one who had been angry with Luke for lashing out like that at their father. She remembered him now. _Force_ , he'd gotten on her nerves!…and yet, she'd fallen for him. Hard. Yes, he was a scoundrel, but he had also been unexpectedly kind and loyal to those he called friends. As much as she'd _tried_ to keep from falling for him, to keep him at arm's length, she just fell deeper and deeper…Especially after they'd fled from the Imperial attack on the rebel base on Hoth. _Kiss a wookie, indeed!_ She smirked. He never _did_ arrange that, taking the job on himself...very pleasantly so.

Suddenly, Vader was hunting them relentlessly across the galaxy. She didn't know why—at first, she assumed it was because she was a Rebellion leader, but by the time they'd reached Bespin and Lando Calrissian, she knew it _had_ to be more than that. They'd been betrayed there by Lando, and Vader had tortured Han (for no apparent reason) before forcing her to watch, as yet again he attempted to take away everything that she loved by freezing Han in carbonite, and then by trying to do the same to Luke. But Luke escaped, and she'd heard him call for her through the Force, leading her right to him, dangling precariously off the underbelly of Bespin. His right hand had been cut off, and Luke had been in horrible shock, a state he'd remained in for weeks after the event.

But, they stuck it out together. They found and rescued Han. Luke became a Jedi, and before he'd faced Vader in the final battle of the war, he had told her the truth of their heritage. She'd been immensely happy to have Luke as her brother, but equally horrified to learn that her father was Vader, her most hated enemy. Just as she learned that, her brother left, and had faced Emperor Palpatine and Vader on the second Death Star.

Luke always told the story, to her at least, that their father had ultimately chosen the Light. He had chosen to turn from the Dark Side and save Luke. Her father had been the one to kill Palpatine, completing his destiny as The Chosen One of the Force. He'd become Anakin Skywalker again, and had sacrificed himself to save his son from the Emperor's clutches. Luke had _always_ spoken about the incident with an almost reverent tone and had been at peace with what had happened between him and their father.

But, Leia could never say the same for herself. She craved answers, to have the chance at the same closure her brother had been granted. Sometimes, she had been envious of Luke for it, but never overtly resentful. Still, she _never_ considered Vader to be her father, and she didn't quite…see Anakin Skywalker in Vader like Luke had. She'd longed for just one hour with the man, just to demand to know why. _Why_ had he become a monster? _Why_ had he hurt her? Had he ever even _wanted_ her as his daughter?

But she'd never gotten the chance, and no Force Ghost ever showed up to provide what she longed for, though Luke swore he had seen their father's Force Ghost, along with that of both Obi-Wan and Yoda right after his return from the Second Death Star.

But, she'd lived a relatively happy life. She married Han. She became a Senator again in the newly restructured Galactic Senate when the Republic was reinstated. She settled down. She had a son, Ben. Ben joined Luke's growing Jedi Order, and he became Luke's apprentice while Luke's son, Anakin (named after their father) was with his mother, Mara Jade. Things were going right. She spent so many years away from war, that she had begun to believe that things would end up alright. Never perfect, of course. There had been tragedies. But it would be alright.

Then it was revealed to the entire galaxy that she was the daughter of Darth Vader. Her son found out, and the evil Snoke used Ben's confusion and his resentment of not being told by his parents about Vader's relationship to them to turn him into Kylo Ren. Once again, the Jedi Order was destroyed. Mara was killed. Luke and Anakin and many of the other surviving Jedi went into hiding.

The galaxy was plunged into Civil War yet again...with her son on the side of evil.

The fallout destroyed her marriage to Han. It had destroyed Han himself. She threw herself into what she'd been good at—leading a Resistance. Even then, she convinced herself that it would be okay. She and Han would somehow work it out. She'd get her son back. Snoke would be defeated, just like Palpatine had been. She'd find her brother and nephew again, and the other Jedi, and they'd…

But, it wasn't that way.

At least…she didn't remember the end of her previous life's story. The last thing the Force would show her was the moment in the control room as she monitored the progress of the attack on Star Killer Base, when she felt her husband violently plunge out of the land of the living and into the living Force, lost to her forever. _No_ , Leia pleaded, desperate to know what happened after that. _No! Show me more! That can't be it! Han…Han can't be dead! Ben needs to come home! Luke needs to come home! Please, don't let that be the end!_

But, the Force was firm this time. The answer was no. It refused to show her more.

Suddenly, the sound of church bells striking the hour ripped her from her trance. She was still sitting in the graveyard, still drenched as a heavier rain continued to pour from the sky. She was still alone. All at once, the peaceful feeling, the serenity was gone, followed by sadness and despair. Now she knew. Her previous life had been so full of sadness. She had lost so much… Oh how foolish to think she could _ever_ have a happy ending!

And yet…she looked around, forcing herself to think back to the present. That was the past. She was still alive…she had been reborn. Her parents, her _real_ parents, were happily together. Her father….not Vader, the Anakin Skywalker Luke had always spoken about with such reverence, the Anakin Skywalker of today was here, really here, and he'd done nothing but love her and take care of her since the moment she'd been reborn into this world. He wasn't full of darkness. He was full to overflowing with the brightest shining _Light_ , and he'd only encouraged others to follow the path of the Light in this world. Now, he was trying to make sure that the ending their whole family got this time _was_ a good one, even though it had nearly cost him his life.

Luke was still lost, in more ways than one, but she knew she could find him. She knew, really _knew_ , that he was a good man, not only because she'd felt his goodness as they were children in this world, but because she'd seen his goodness in their old life.

And Han… _Force be praised_ , she'd seen him again! They'd fought side by side, had spoken words to one another, and aside from the feeling that he contained something important she had been missing, she hadn't even _realized_ what it was he meant to her! In her memories, he had been killed, but in _this_ life, he was alive. They could start over...Well, that is if they could convince her _father_ to accept it, they could. This time, she could make sure things were different between them.

Her mind clear, her course set for now, she stood abruptly as the last peals of the church bells faded away, and she began to run. Back out of the cemetery. Back through the streets. Back to the hotel. Though there was still much that she needed to decide, she knew one very important thing: Her story had not ended. It had only begun.

She planned on making sure it had a very happy ending, for everyone she cared about.

* * *

"We knew this would have to happen someday, Ani." Padme consoled her distraught husband. His voice was still raw from the…the choking their son had given him. _Force_ , she couldn't even _imagine_ it—though she _should_ have been able to, given that her husband had once lashed out and choked _her_ in their old life just exactly like that, but Luke doing that to Anakin? She couldn't imagine it.

The idea was surreal.

Anakin had prefaced this tale by dropping to his knees before her, wrapping her in a strong hug, and looking into her eyes, tears in his own, and begging once again for her forgiveness. As Anakin had told her the story, though, _all_ she could think about was the last time she'd seen her little boy happy. He'd been tucked into bed, asking about Hayden. He was so sweet and understanding, even if he hadn't exactly liked all of the answers Padme had given him. She remembered how she'd kissed his forehead, how he told her he loved her…

How could such a sweet little boy be so lost?

"Maybe we should have told them those stories weren't just stories the first time I told it to them when they were little." Anakin said dejectedly, his voice full of misery. "Then when Luke started remembering, he'd know the truth. He'd at least have had some context."

"They wouldn't have really _understood_ at that age anyway, Ani. They were three when you told them those stories. It would have frightened them to know it was real. It might have caused an unhealable rift between them and us." That's what she told herself, anyway. And, it made sense. What mother wanted to tell her little children about the horrific things their father did to an entire galaxy in another life? She had wanted them to be innocent and happy for as long as they could be in this life, and now…

Still...Perhaps Anakin _was_ right. Perhaps they _should_ have been told the truth long ago. Now Luke hated his father for what he didn't fully understand, and their family was _still_ incomplete.

Anakin put his face in his trembling hands, and though she was not Force Sensitive, his wife could feel his pain. It mirrored her own. She wrapped her arms around him, stroking his hair and his back, pressing kisses to his jaw, providing what comfort and support she could while she too, couldn't help but feel that same, aching pain. She just wanted Luke home. Anakin said Luke seemed really touchy about _her_ , likely because he felt guilty at having accidentally shot her. "We're going to lose them all, aren't we?" Anakin asked miserably, his voice muffled by his hands.

"No." Padme said firmly, keeping the doubt out of her voice. "Leia is a smart girl. She just needs time to process. You've been nothing but a good father to her in this life, Ani. You **are** a changed man. She will see that, just give her time. Hayden didn't have a chance to exist in our old galaxy. So, he will never have any memories like that to come between us," She hesitated. "As for Luke…I think _**I**_ need to try talking to him."

Anakin immediately tensed in her arms, but after a moment where she worried he would get overprotective and say no, he relaxed. "You're right." He said softly, "Maybe _I'm_ the wrong person to be trying to get him to listen." He sounded pained to admit it, but they both knew he was right.

"So, in the morning…" Padme began, but a knock on their door interrupted them. The door to their private hotel bedroom opened, and Obi-Wan poked his head through. "Sorry," He said, "But, I have important news."

Anakin was immediately standing, pulling out of her arms, his hand going to his lightsaber. "Is it Leia?" He asked, his voice serious. "Is she alright?"

"Yes, she's fine. She literally just got back. But, that's not what I'm here for." He raised his hand, holding up Anakin's cell phone. "Your secretary just transferred a call from NASA to your cell. You have an urgent call…" He hesitated and his next words caused Anakin to step back in shock.

"From Mara Jade."

* * *

 **So...stories revealed! Leia knows most of her past (except past the major event in Force Awakens...as I said, I won't really touch ep 7-9 until ep 9 is done on any story of mine and that is final). Luke and Mara are together as...something. They haven't had the DTR yet, so I wouldn't fully say "dating" yet. Mara Jade has now contacted Anakin Skywalker-but why?**

 **Find out next time!**

 **The songs for this chapter are: Falling Slowly from Once; Demons originally by Imagine Dragons but this version is a really good cover by Boyce Avenue. Monster by Imagine Dragons, and Who We Are by Tristan Prettyman.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	65. Meeting Mara Jade

Ok. This was it.

Anakin looked once again at the time on the wall clock and fidgeted over a cup of steaming hot coffee, turning the cup round and round on the tabletop. He didn't plan on actually _drinking_ any of it, so he'd just ordered it black. He'd never really been much of a regular coffee drinker anyway; though, his wife _had_ managed to get him hooked on cappuccino over the years. Padme, meanwhile, was _much_ more at ease over her own cup of java; although, he knew her well enough to know that she was _just_ as tense over this upcoming meeting as he was. She just didn't show it. _Lawyers,_ he thought.

Technically, Mara had said, in her very brief and cryptic phone conversation, to meet her alone. Given that he didn't trust her as far as he could throw her (with or without the Force), he wasn't keen on following that particular request. Besides, Padme didn't even _have_ weapons on her anyway.

No. It was Leia and Obi-Wan that Mara would have to worry about if she decided to attack him. Leia was sitting on her father's other side, also slowly drinking from her coffee, the perfect picture of calmness, just like her mother, as they all waited for Mara to show up. Anakin didn't even need to look to know that Leia had her lightsaber strapped to her belt. Obi-Wan, who was still taking his own sweet time ordering up at the counter, also had his lightsaber. Still, even against three Jedi, Anakin suspected that Mara had plenty of tricks up her sleeve to escape.

Besides this arranged meetup with Mara, Anakin was also concerned about his daughter. Leia hadn't said much about what happened yesterday other than that she wanted to talk to him in private when they had the chance. Since Mara's phone call last night though, the group had been busy preparing for this meeting, and they hadn't had a chance to really be alone to talk. The thought of _that_ conversation made Anakin's stomach twist in nervous knots, and he _wished_ he could just pull her aside and ignore everything else going on to talk to her. But, Leia was in her 'focused' mode. _She gets that from her mother_ , he thought on a sigh. Honestly, it was _so_ much like Padme's, Anakin didn't even _bother_ suggesting it. He already knew what the answer would be. At least they had convinced Ahsoka to take Hayden home—their youngest son had missed enough school as it was (which he was _highly_ upset about—he apparently had complained to Padme every single day while in Germany that he wanted to go back home and go to school…strange, lovable kid). With how Luke had reacted to Anakin and Leia, they didn't want to risk Hayden getting hurt. So, they had hugged him goodbye this morning before he left with Ahsoka on their private ship, and if he was concerned that he was going home with Ahsoka and without his parents, he certainly didn't show it.

He was certainly Padme's son. Well, _mostly_. He _was_ a Skywalker, after all.

"Two more minutes and she should get here," Padme said when Anakin continued to fidget.

"Stop fidgeting, Ani. Do…I don't know. Calming exercises or something."

"I've done that like five times already, Angel. This _is_ me being calm right now." He said back, twisting in his seat again, his eyes darting around the room, causing Leia to shift awkwardly next to him.

" _Soooo_ ," Leia started, setting her cup down and nervously tapping her fingers on the rim, getting _both_ of her parents' attention. Anakin had a sinking feeling this didn't bode well. "This is sort of what I was going to talk to you about later, but I, uh, think I should go ahead and warn you _now_ so you aren't, you know, _totally_ blindsided here." She bit her lip and kept her gaze focused on her coffee, not looking at either of her parents. Anakin and Padme glanced at one another in silent communication and obvious concern.

Uh oh. No parent wants to hear _those_ words spoken.

"Yes, Leia? Go on," Padme said, quirking an eyebrow. Leia suddenly looked… _embarrassed_? And, she wouldn't meet either of their eyes.

Anakin's sinking feeling sunk lower. _This. Is. Not. Good._

"Well…you see...when I went out yesterday on my walk, long story short, I came across this old quiet graveyard, and I went in there and sat down on a bench in the rain, and I meditated for quite a long time actually, and... _welllll_ , I remembered…well not _all_ of my previous life, but certainly a good chunk of it, and uh, I just wanted to tell you that...it would be best if...well, let's just say that I highly _suggest_ that you be _nice_ to Mara since, oh, she just happens to be your...y'know, _daughter-in-law_." Leia quietly sipped at her coffee and flicked a sideways glance at her parents, gauging their reaction.

 _ **Whaaaaaaaat?!**_

If their daughter had just set off a bomb, Anakin didn't think they could've been more stunned. Both he and Padme stared at her, identical looks of shock on their faces, their mouths hanging wide open. At that moment, Obi-Wan showed up with his coffee. "Sorry that took so long," He was saying cheerfully, and then paused, noticing the very tense, awkward silence at the table, the waves of distress he felt coming off _all_ the Skywalkers into the Force, and the shattered looks on Anakin and Padme's faces. "Um...You know...I _think_ I'll go back and order a pastry, too." He turned around and beat a hasty retreat, walking right back to the counter to get in line again, having decided that he did _not_ want to get in the middle of whatever he had just inadvertently walked into. Nope. Not touching _that_ with a ten foot gaffi staff.

Anakin stared at his daughter, who looked at her coffee mug sheepishly. "I was going to wait," she began to say, and Anakin realized she was actually babbling— _babbling!_ Since _when_ did Leia….? And, _how_ did she remember…? And, _why_ in the _hell_ did Luke think it was a good idea to marry _Mara freaking Jade?!_ Question after shellshocked question tumbled over and over in his mind at this... _revelation._ Anakin silently swore in Huttese. Leia remembered their old galaxy...and _Mara Jade_ was their _daughter-in-law?!_

 _Damn and blast! Luke, what in Force's sake were you thinking, Son?!_

"But, then I thought it _might_ get brought up, and I didn't want you to, I don't know, _freak out_ maybe and scare her off. I mean, she's actually a _very_ nice person...well, once you get past the sarcastic persona and all. And, she and Luke…"

It was Padme, not Anakin, who held up a hand. "Leia Skywalker," Padme's voice was _barely_ controlled. She was freaking out, too, and clearly, like her husband, she dearly _wished_ their daughter had decided to tell them all of this... _enlightening_...and very _important_ information long before they'd left to come to this busy coffee shop, "We will discuss _all_ of this when we are _not_ in public, young lady." Leia gulped. Her mother meant business, and she _knew_ it.

"Sorry, bad timing, I know," Leia said sheepishly, glancing at Anakin. "Um. Are you…okay, Dad?"

He must have been turning a different color or something. Green maybe, to match the nausea he suddenly felt roiling in his belly. He swallowed hard and opened his mouth to _try_ to respond, but that was the moment Mara Jade decided to make her grand entrance. Anakin knew that Mara knew exactly _who_ was in that coffee shop, or at least, who all was there who would be a potential threat at any rate.

Still, she seemed calm, cool, and collected, as she made her way over to their booth, sliding into the seat across from them and launching into her spiel without preamble. "Oh _hi_ , _Skywalker_ , so glad you decided to join me... _alone_. Like I asked." She arched her eyebrow and turned her head to give Leia a pointed look, though it wasn't overtly hostile.

Still, when Anakin looked at her, he felt the nausea in the pit of his stomach again, and he thought once more, _Why, Luke? Why did it have to be Mara Jade?!_ And, before he could stop himself, he blurted out in despair, " _ **Why?**_ _"_

From beside him, Padme sighed and rolled her eyes. The corners of Leia's mouth twitched, and it was obvious that she was trying not to laugh. Mara's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but other than that, she didn't seem that put off. "Nice manners, Skywalker. What a way to greet someone," Mara said dryly, waving her hand absently around the room, "Bring two extra armed Jedi and begin by asking cryptic questions. You certainly know how to make a woman feel important." The look she shot him was pointed.

As Anakin forced himself to take three, deep, calming breaths, Leia quietly said, "We don't mean you _any_ harm, Mara. I'm not sure how much Luke has told you, but I'm…"

"His twin sister, Leia." Mara interrupted smoothly. "Oh yes, I know who you are. Your father here," she flicked her fingers casually toward Anakin, "wouldn't stop worrying about you when we were fighting for our lives, and Luke has mentioned you once or twice. Nice to formally meet you, even if you _do_ have a lightsaber strapped to your belt."

"Could we not talk about that _stuff_ so openly in public, please?" Anakin finally managed to say, his voice strained from the effort of keeping himself under control.

Mara gave him a feral, challenging grin. "Ahh, _come on_ , Skywalker. It's not like anyone else here _knows_ what we're talking about. Besides, this is _London_. Weirder things have happened in London, y'know."

Anakin wouldn't know anything about that, as he and Padme had only been to London a handful of times over the years since their honeymoon, so he decided not to comment on it. "Could we just skip to the point and get to _why_ you called and asked to meet us here?"

Mara tsked, waving a single finger in the air. "Ah, ah. You still haven't introduced me to your other two _friends_ here. One is a Jedi," She nodded over to where Obi-Wan was now paying for pastries, "And the other is a normal human." She gave Padme an appraising look, her eyebrows arched questioningly.

It was Padme who jumped in this time. "Over there at the counter is our friend, Obi-Wan. He may be a Jedi, but I assure you, he's _not_ here to fight."

" _Riiiight_ , the other Jedi-Grand Master wouldn't hurt a fly." Mara said in a sarcastic tone that suggested she didn't believe a word she'd said. "But, that still leaves _you_. **Who** exactly _are_ you to have such high friends within the very exclusive Jedi Order, hmm?"

Anakin felt himself flush with anger at her impertinent tone and opened his mouth to very angrily tell her to show some respect to his wife, but underneath the table, Padme suddenly gripped his knee tightly in warning, a silent order to keep quiet and let her handle this. He bit down on his lip to keep himself from doing anything brash—as much as he didn't like Mara, and he was still freaking out that _first_ , his daughter apparently knew about her past...well, _their_ past lives, and _second_ , Luke had actually married Mara Jade —he _knew_ he couldn't mess this meeting up. Mara was clearly _very_ involved with Luke (he refused to think about how _much_ she was involved...after all, Luke _was_ still a teenager), and it would be beyond stupid to scare her off, because _he_ was currently freaking out. Refocusing his attention to their discussion, he listened as his wife addressed Mara.

"My name is Padme Skywalker. I'm Anakin's wife, and Luke and Leia's mother." Padme introduced herself kindly, smiling at the younger woman, and yet the moment the words left her mouth, Mara's sarcasm was gone, obliterated, only to be replaced by stone-cold shock. The girl went pale, her emerald green eyes almost bulging from their sockets, straightening up in her seat as if Padme had told her someone close to her had just died. Concerned at her reaction, Padme frowned. "Are you alright, Mara?"

Mara leaned back into the seat cushion, staring at Padme as if she were a ghost. "That's impossible," she stuttered on a whisper, "You're supposed to be _dead_."

 _ **Whaaaaaaaaat?!**_

"Hey, I got some extra scones if anyone wants any." Obi-Wan said, suddenly appearing and placing a bag full of delicious smelling pastries in the center of the table. "I…. _oh_." He sighed once again as yet _another_ wave of shock and anguish was emanating from their table into the Force, and a look passed over his face as if he were debating on going back to the line to get something _else_.

 _Just. Sit. Down._ Anakin sent through their Force connection without looking at him.

Obi-Wan complied, sitting down next to Mara very uncomfortably. If Mara was bothered that she was essentially boxed into a booth by the other Jedi Grand Master, she didn't show it. Didn't even _register_ it really. She still stared at Padme as if she had grown two heads.

"What the _hell_ is that supposed to mean?!" Anakin managed to ask, barely keeping his voice even.

"It means," Mara said carefully, quietly, not tearing her eyes from Padme. "That I have _way_ more questions now than I came here with."

Anakin opened his mouth to demand some straight answers, but he felt Padme squeeze his knee again in warning. "Obviously, Mara, there are some _serious_ miscommunication problems here. Why don't I explain what really happened all those years ago, and then _you_ tell us what you _think_ happened?" Padme smiled kindly at Mara again, willing her to agree to the plan.

Slowly, Mara nodded. "Yeah….let's do that."

So, Padme launched into the story. She briefly mentioned that their family had been at war with Palpatine since well before the twins were born. She briefly mentioned, with some tightness in her voice, _why_ they'd made the move to Texas to start up a more secure living environment for their family and for the Jedi Order. She talked about how Grievous and Ventress had led the Jedi into a trap, drawing adequate protection away from Anakin's family on that fateful night. Though she had rarely spoken of this incident to anyone else but Anakin, she now spoke of it openly in a strong, firm voice, the voice of a politician, of a lawyer. Anakin couldn't help but lean into her a bit, rubbing their shoulders together—he had always found her even _more_ alluring and attractive when she showed power and strength, even when he knew she felt anything but that.

Padme told the events of that night as if she were stating facts in a court case. As if it wasn't _her_ that Ventress tortured, as if it was _someone else's_ son who had tried to protect her and ended up shooting her instead. As if it were _someone else's_ son who had been abducted so violently from their home, to be taken to a monster who wanted nothing more than to use and corrupt his innocence and power in the Force.

By the end of it, when Padme finished speaking and they all turned their eyes to the red-haired young woman, Mara was shaking her head, stunned nearly to speechlessness. "But...but that's just _it_ —so much of that is _so_ similar to what Luke said happened, but there are slight and yet _very_ significant differences in _his_ version of it."

"What did _he_ say happened?" Padme asked calmly, as if she were asking a traumatized stranger for their testimony in a major case.

"Well, first of all...He said that it was a _man_ who attacked you, not Ventress." Wait, what? "Second, he said after he shot you, the man fled your house, and he actually _saw_ you die." Mara paused, looking at Anakin for a moment, as if debating whether to go on.

Padme glanced at Anakin in alarm. "Maybe he just _thought_ I had died?" Padme suggested, "He _was_ so young, and I _did_ lose consciousness. With so much blood, it could have been a mistake…"

"No," Mara insisted, firmly shaking her head. "He's _positive_ that you're dead. What's more, he said he _wasn't_ abducted, but rather he _ran away_."

With every word spoken, Anakin was getting more and more upset. Even Obi-Wan seemed deeply troubled by her words, and spoke up to try and clarify some things. "Listen Mara, Luke _wouldn't_ have run away from home. He _never_ would have left Padme like that, even if he _was_ scared out of his mind. Luke was _not_ that sort of child…"

Listening to Obi-Wan, something suddenly flashed in Mara's eyes—anger? Confusion? She looked over at Anakin and said, perhaps, the most flabbergasting thing of all. "No. Luke ran away because _you_ tried to kill him." She said it as if he should remember that, but it was also said with uncertainty.

Anakin was frozen in shock. Padme was just as tense and frozen. Obi-Wan looked floored. Leia just looked pissed.

" _Excuse me?!_ " Leia asked, her voice low and dangerous. "My father wasn't even _there_ that night. I was there, I could feel everything that happened in the Force…"

"Leia is correct. Anakin was with me that night in Corpus Christi, leading the attack on Grievous. There's _no way_ he could have done that." Obi-Wan said, his voice grave. "Furthermore, Anakin would not harm Luke, even if Padme _had_ died from that gunshot. If you'd ever seen Anakin with little Luke, you'd _know_ that. He _adored_ his son...and still does."

"Well, obviously, I didn't," Mara said dryly, but still looking shaken, "And, Luke is under the impression that he wasn't really close to _any_ of you except his mom, so…." She trailed off as

Leia bit out a very bitter, disbelieving laugh. Padme frowned and pulled out her phone and from the corner of Anakin's still shocked gaze, he saw her pulling up the picture app and rapidly start swiping through pictures.

"That is the most _insane_ thing I have _ever_ heard. He's _my_ twin brother, I'm literally closer to him than most people in the whole universe…" Leia was saying, and suddenly Padme found what she wanted and pushed her phone across the table to Mara.

"Look, Mara. Does _that_ look like an unhappy boy to you? Does _that_ look like a father who doesn't love his son?" Padme's voice now shook with fury and confusion. "Tell me, Mara Jade. What does Luke look like to you in those pictures, in those videos? Tell me honestly what _you_ see."

Hesitantly, Mara picked the phone up, taking several long minutes to watch old videos from the twins' infancy and childhood and swiping between the pictures Padme always carried with her. Anakin knew what they would be. He carried the same pictures and videos on his phone, too. Pictures of them as a family. Pictures of each of them holding just Luke or just Leia. Pictures of the Lars' and the Amidala's with the twins. Pictures of him and Luke playing in the yard, tinkering in the garage or his workshop together. Pictures of Luke and Leia getting into _anything_ they could get their hands on. Luke with Artoo or Threepio. Pictures from soccer games, birthdays, school awards. Every July 4th cookout, every Thanksgiving, every Christmas. The last picture was a family portrait Obi-Wan had taken of all five of them in the living room the day they had brought Hayden home from the hospital, Luke sitting proudly on his father's lap, a huge smile on his young face...In every single picture, Anakin knew, Luke _was_ happy, because Luke had _been_ happy. He'd worked so hard as a father to _give_ him that happiness, and now Luke thought…

But the question remained: _Why?_

"How is this _possible?_ " Mara whispered, obviously upset, and Anakin could feel her walls around her emotions dropping. She was extremely confused, but she was also believing of what they had to say, of what she had just been shown—but she also knew that Luke believed what _he'd_ had to say on the matter.

And, suddenly, Anakin had the answer, and it filled him with an equal amount of horror, dread, and frantic worry for his son. He dropped his head into his hands, shook his head, and took a shuddering breath in to try and calm himself, as all eyes turned to him in concern.

"I know...I know how he did it." His voice sounded _way_ more calm than he felt—probably because he was now sure that he was going into shock. His son had believed _all_ of that wretched nonsense for nine years… _nine, awful years_. Because of Palpatine. Because of the Sith. The Dark Side manipulation Palpatine had used on Luke had been worse _\- far, far worse -_ than _anything_ he'd **ever** done to Anakin—at least he'd still allowed Anakin the free will to believe his lies. But, _Luke_ , on the other hand, had been _**forced**_ to believe Palpatine...in the worst way imaginable. And, Anakin knew the pain his son had suffered in that process had been excruciating. Anakin vaguely wondered if he looked as green as he now felt.

Literally, the _entire_ table put their focus solely on him. "Is this something to do with…?" Obi-Wan trailed off, but Anakin knew what he meant. Darth Vader. He silently nodded, and Obi-Wan sighed before closing his eyes and shaking his head sadly.

"Yes. It's certainly a power of the Dark Side," Anakin began slowly, "It's sort of like forcing your way into someone's mind, except normally in that case you're merely an observer to that person's memories. However, with enough power and focus, it _is_ possible to take those memories and _alter_ them, manipulating them to whatever you want the person to remember. It's not a common thing to do, even for the Sith, because _most_ of the time it isn't successful. It _usually_ only works for maybe one fresh memory, or for someone very, very young. Most of the time, it ends up destroying the person's mind, leaving them forever unable to function…" He broke off as a wave of blinding fury finally broke through his shocked state, choking him with its intensity. Underneath the table, his hands clenched into tight fists, and he immediately began going through calming exercises in his mind.

"And, Luke was still young enough to survive." Obi-Wan scowled. Anakin nodded, not trusting himself to speak in that moment. He was afraid that if he opened his mouth, he'd start demanding that Mara tell him immediately where Luke was, and if she refused…well, he was afraid that he'd resort to measures he hadn't used in over twenty years to get the info from her.

Leia, however, beat him to the punch. " _Where_ is he, Mara?" She demanded, her voice firm, sounding so much like her mother. "He _needs_ to come home. He needs our _help._ We don't even _know_ if there are any long-term damaging effects—and with those collapses…"

"Collapses? _What_ collapses?" Padme interrupted, shooting Anakin a concerned, panicked look. He was too frantic with anger and worry to wince under her stare. He hadn't _exactly_ told her that Luke had almost collapsed three times while they'd been at the Inquisitor base. He hadn't wanted to worry her more than she already was.

Mara looked a little green now herself. "I…well, it was never my intention to actually _tell_ you where he is," she began, and when Anakin gave her a sharp, furious look, she visibly winced and quickly added, "I'm not saying I _won't_ help, though. That's why I reached out—because I knew I needed to know the _whole_ story to decide how I could best help him." She let out a shaky breath, swallowing hard. "I just had _no idea_ that it would be _this_ terrible…" She trailed off, and Anakin could feel her conflicting emotions. It took _all_ of his willpower not to reach over and start shaking her for the information, but what sanity he had left was telling him that would not help their case.

What _was_ clear, despite Mara's conflicting feelings, was that she was still primarily loyal to Luke. If she thought that Anakin was a danger to Luke in any way, she would rather die before she gave him up to them. As if on cue, she looked sharply at Anakin, as if suddenly remembering. "When I accused you before of trying to kill him, why didn't you say you didn't?"

Because he'd thought that Luke was remembering his past life, when he actually _had_ been trying to kill him as Darth Vader, Anakin thought wearily. How could he explain that though? He didn't know how much Mara knew about her previous life, if anything. How could he explain…?

But, once again, Leia spoke up first. "I'm _sorry_ about what happened, Mara. If I had known about Ben…if I'd kept him close to me instead of sending him away with Luke…maybe everything would have turned out differently." All of them turned to stare at Leia now, as if she'd just spoken gibberish. It might as well have been, because Anakin had no freakin'

idea _what_ she was talking about.

Mara, on the other hand, seemed to know _exactly_ what Leia was referring to. She took a sharp breath, her eyes turning to steel. "You…remember?" She asked hesitantly, her emerald eyes locked with Leia's brown ones.

Leia nodded slowly, and Anakin could feel her relief through their Force connection. He realized then, that Leia had taken a gamble—she had revealed something about her shared past with Mara, hoping that Mara remembered and would understand it. "I _do_ remember, yes. I know…I know sorry doesn't cut it. Nothing could, but I will do my best to keep that from happening again, Mara."

"Ben?" Obi-Wan frowned, pointing to himself. "What Ben? Me, Ben?"

Leia shook her head, clearing her throat uncomfortably. "No. No, he…it's a long story." She sighed and rubbed a shaky hand across her brow before dropping her hand back to the table and fiddling with her now empty coffee cup.

"Do you remember?" Anakin asked, slowly, hesitantly, bringing the subject back on track. "Do you know who…what I was?" He eyed Mara warily, concerned about her reaction.

Mara met his eyes determinedly, and though he could feel her surprise and her wonder through the Force, she maintained her cool. "Darth Vader. You and I were not exactly on _friendly_ terms."

Beside him, Leia tensed, and Anakin had to keep from flinching. Force, he needed to talk to Leia about all of this…

"To be honest," Anakin remarked dryly, "I wasn't on good terms with _anyone_ as Darth Vader."

"True." Mara agreed with a smirk that quickly faded away. "Let me guess...You thought I was referring to your deeds as Darth Vader. You thought Luke remembered some of his…other life. Correct?"

"I did." Anakin replied gravely, nodding his head, "Because there is _no way_ I would **ever** do something like that to him. He _saved_ me, Mara. Luke saved me from the Dark Side. _He_ made all of this," He gestured around at their table, "Possible. Luke is _my_ Hero with No Fear. I know that might be hard for you to believe…"

"Actually," Mara interrupted, "It's not."

Anakin blinked in surprise. "Really?" He asked, confusion evident in his voice. "But why? You know…"

Mara rolled her eyes. "You have obviously _never_ sat through one of Luke's 'lectures' about how _you_ had returned to the Light and had become Anakin Skywalker again, and how Anakin Skywalker was a good man and a great Jedi. Seriously, that man could go on for _hours_ , if you let him. Anakin Skywalker was _his_ hero." She gestured to him. "When this world's Luke told me what he's apparently been forced into thinking I was very confused…but I also wasn't sure what frame of mind _you_ were in, either. I mean...Were you _secretly_ still Darth Vader? Or, were you truly Anakin Skywalker? Luke seems to genuinely believe what I now know to be Palpatine's lie so fervently though, that I figured you _must_ have still been secretly Darth Vader. But obviously," She waved a hand in the air, "you're _not_ a Sith Lord. You really _are_ Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Master. Luke… _my_ Luke…he believed you were a good man. Luke isn't a bad judge of character. _Usually_."

This meeting was just _full_ of surprises. If you'd asked him before this meeting if he _ever_ thought Mara Jade would _ever_ call him a good man, he would have laughed, straight up. Hysterically so. Hearing how Luke had talked about him in their old galaxy, though…it _warmed_ him inside. It proved just how _good_ at heart Luke really was—he could look at a man most of a galaxy rightfully hated and find that one spark of goodness in him...and use that spark to spread the Light. Not only that, but he had apparently talked about it so often, that he'd gotten at least Mara to believe it. He wondered how Leia had ended her life perceiving him…

That was a discussion for a later time. Back to business.

He wondered if he should mention that he knew of Mara's…relationship with his son. Her _previous_ relationship. Even if she did at least believe he _was_ good, he highly doubted that she liked him enough to talk about that yet. Honestly, he still didn't want to believe it, and talking to Mara about it would only confirm its truthfulness. And, he'd rather remain in the dark, no pun intended, about _that_ than be... _enlightened_ by any details. At least for the moment.

"So, what happens now, Mara?" Padme asked, setting her elbows on the table and crossing her arms as she leaned forward slightly. It was patently obvious that Mara had shocked Anakin into silence. "I _need_ to talk to my son."

Mara shook her head and snorted. "You need a whole lot _more_ than just talking to him, that's for sure. You gotta understand, Mrs. Skywalker...Luke _believes_ Palpatine's lie so completely, so thoroughly, I think he would _only_ believe that you were alive if he actually saw you and spoke with you in person." Mara frowned for a moment, trying to think. "You know…Luke isn't home right now. He said he had some errands to run." Anakin opened his mouth to ask what _exactly_ those errands were, but Mara continued, "He'll come back home probably by tonight. You could all wait there for him."

" _Please_ , Mara," Padme breathed out in relief, her lips trembling and tears springing to her eyes.

"He might sense Anakin miles away." Obi-Wan pointed out. "He has a _way_ stronger Force signature than all of us combined. It might scare Luke off." He leaned back in his seat, caution in his tone as he pointed out a possible glitch in this plan.

"I could try hiding it." Anakin offered, though he had never been all that good at it. Anakin was not the type of Jedi to hide himself. He hadn't lived a life where he'd felt like he _needed_ to shield himself...either in their old galaxy or in this one. Leia and Luke were good at it probably because they had previously lived in a galaxy where being discovered as a Force Sensitive was usually a death sentence. In _this_ world, they had continued to shield themselves whenever they were doing something that they didn't want to be caught doing, which Anakin and Obi-Wan had quickly picked up as a red flag and had usually landed the offending siblings in trouble. Still, if they could do it, why couldn't he?

He _was_ the Chosen One, after all.

"You could _try_ ," Leia mused, though he could feel her amused skepticism through their connection. She knew that he wasn't _exactly_ subtle. He turned a wry glance toward his daughter, and she smirked in response.

 _Sorry, Daddy._

 _Brat._

 _I could teach you._

 _Princess, I'm warning you…_

Obi-Wan and Leia burst out laughing at this Force exchange while Anakin just rolled his eyes. Padme shook her head and sighed, clearly used to missing out on this type of commentary. At least the momentary spark of humor broke the rising tension at the table, allowing them to refocus.

"Well, it's the best plan we've got," Padme agreed, clearing her throat and leaning back in her seat before glancing sideways at her husband with a smirk, "Ani, shields up." Anakin whipped his head round at his wife's teasing, about to retort, but Mara chose that moment to speak.

"Alright. So, it's settled. Just _don't_ screw anything up in my home." Mara gave Anakin a sharp look, jabbing her finger at him. "And _don't_ blow anything up either."

"It's not my intention to do so, but no promises." Anakin rolled his eyes as he followed Padme out of the booth.

"Lead the way, Jade. We're right behind you."

* * *

"Like I said, _don't_ screw anything up." Mara retorted as she dropped her wallet on the kitchen counter. They had followed her here, to this seemingly empty office building on the far outskirts of London. Nothing about the outside of it would have ever made Padme guess that _this_ was where her son had been living. It had looked empty, slightly rundown, and with the exception of the landing pad outside of it, it had looked rather normal. Perhaps _that_ was why Luke had chosen to live with Han Solo and his friends here.

 _Or maybe_ , she thought, glancing over at Mara, who was now checking her phone, _just maybe there were_ _ **other**_ _reasons for Luke's choice of residence._ Leia's warning about Mara having been Luke's wife in their previous life echoed in her head every time she looked at the beautiful flame-haired girl. She didn't know very much about her, other than that she and Darth Vader had known one another during their time serving under Palpatine in their old galaxy. As a result, Anakin had made it clear to her on the ride over here, based on his reaction to Leia's news, that he was _not_ a big fan of Mara's sort being their daughter-in-law.

Padme considered the young woman.

Anakin didn't like her one bit, but Mara didn't _seem_ evil to Padme. Brash and cocky, yeah, but she didn't act like a servant of Palpatine's either. And, her eyes held no trace of Sith yellow. They were a clear emerald green. Besides, she seemed like she genuinely cared for Luke, and wanted to support her son in his endeavors. So, though Padme wasn't sure yet how _she_ felt about the girl, she did respect her for that. She had a gut feeling Luke would have been in a _much_ worse place had it not been for Mara.

Anakin and Obi-Wan stood in what Padme guessed was supposed to be the living room—what it actually looked like, however, was a room meant for office space, with the wall knocked out to expand into the little makeshift kitchen area. The kitchen, though small, had almost everything, except for a stove and a dishwasher. Sure enough, glancing at the trash can, Padme could tell that Luke and his friends mostly ate takeout or had refrigerated meals heated up in the microwave. While Obi-Wan and Anakin conversed quietly, Leia had approached the television center, looking at the rows upon rows of video games and movies that were stacked in the shelves of the entertainment center. Even at this distance, Padme could tell they were mostly made up of _Indiana Jones_ movies, _Marvel_ movies, and _Batman_ movies.

"When will Luke be home?" Padme asked softly.

Mara hesitated, so quickly that Padme almost didn't notice it. _Almost._ "He said he'd be taking a cab home. I just texted him though and offered to give him a ride."

Padme just wanted to see her son _now_ , to show him, _prove_ to him that she was indeed alive. It hurt her heart deeply to think that her son had spent the last nine years thinking he'd killed her. Not only that, but he'd been _forced_ into thinking his father had turned on him. It made her sick just to think about it. "Could I go with you to pick him up?"

Mara gave her a pointed look. "I may have brought you back to my house, but I _really_ don't think him finding out on my relatively small ship would be such a great idea."

"Why not?" Padme demanded, and she realized that her voice was sharper than she meant it to be. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Soon, she would see her son again. She'd hold him in her arms, or she hoped to, at least. That desire, coupled with what she had learned from Mara, had her a bit on edge, understandably.

Mara didn't seem offended though. In fact, she seemed like she barely noticed it. "Because if seeing you triggers one of his…blackouts, I want to make sure that he's in a safe, stable location."

Well, she had a point, and Padme's maternal instincts kicked in.

" _Why_ do you think he's having these blackouts?" Padme asked softly, worry for her son practically choking her. To try and steady herself, she wrapped her arms around her waist.

Mara watched Padme for a moment before she looked back at her phone, a distant worry flashing across her own startlingly green eyes. "I don't know." She said softly. There was _something_ in her voice that told Padme that she wasn't going to elaborate further, so reluctantly Padme let the subject drop.

As Mara glanced down at her phone again, Padme left the little kitchen area and entered the 'living room,' where Obi-Wan now sat on the couch, outwardly relaxed, but from the hand positioned next to his lightsaber, Padme knew he was anything but that. Anakin had disappeared off into the back of the building, exploring the back rooms, and Leia stood in front of the entertainment center, looking at the display. "What are you looking at, Leia?" Padme asked softly, as she approached her daughter. She longed to ask Leia about her memories—memories she clearly had. Now wasn't the time, however. The moment that they were alone together as a family at the hotel, they would talk.

Leia glanced back at her mom, pausing a moment to _really_ look at her. "I was…looking at the movies. I thought it might give me a chance to get an idea of what Luke….of what he likes now in this world."

That actually _wasn't_ a bad idea come to think of it. Padme glanced at the movies herself—they had every single _Marvel_ movie, _Batman_ movie, and _Indiana Jones_ movie. There were also a lot of other movies that dealt with Space— _Star Trek_ , _Interstellar_ , _Galaxy Quest_ , _Treasure Planet_ , _Gravity_ , _Alien_ ….there were so many, Padme herself hadn't even seen all of them. She didn't have to be a Jedi to know that those were probably all Luke's. "You're… _different_ than I imagined you." Leia suddenly said, drawing Padme's attention back to her daughter.

"I'm what?" Padme frowned, and then realized what Leia was referring to, and immediately sobered. "I know. It was never my intention that…"

Leia held up a hand. "Dad explained." She said softly, the look in her eyes distant. She glanced at Mara, who was frowning down at her phone. "We can talk about it more when we aren't so… _tense_."

Padme's heart ached for her only daughter. It must have been so strange to Leia to have been raised in this world by _both_ of her parents, and then suddenly to remember a whole different life that was full of sadness, and empty and void of her biological parents' love and devotion. She reached out tentatively and touched her daughter's cheek. "I know." She said softly, "But know this—I have _always_ loved you, Leia, and I'm _so happy_ to have had a second chance myself to raise and love you. Your dad wasn't the _only_ one given that chance, y'know."

A strange expression passed through Leia's eyes, and she nodded. "I love you too, Mom." She said, "And…"

The front door to the little home opened up then. Both Leia and Padme whirled to it, their breath caught in their throats, hoping to see Luke walk in the door.

But, it wasn't Luke.

Han Solo stood there, the front door wide open. Behind him was someone else Padme didn't recognize, someone who towered over the other man, and had so much hair, Padme could barely make out a face underneath all of it. The two men stood in the door, staring at Padme, Leia, and Obi-Wan, and Padme couldn't help but notice that Han's hand had instinctively gone to his side, where a gun was holstered on his belt. "Mara, what the _hell_ …?" Han began, but he didn't get to finish.

Leia had quickly recovered from her shock at seeing Han instead of Luke, and a pained cry tore from her lips. Before Padme could process what was going on, Leia had left her side and had closed the distance between her and Han in a flash, where she _threw_ herself into his rather bewildered arms, wrapping her own arms around his neck. " _Han!_ " Leia cried, her voice so full of _agony_ and _longing_ that it almost took Padme's breath away. She had _never_ heard her daughter sound so agonized other than when she spoke of Luke, and she'd never seen her daughter react that way to anyone…

And, then Leia fisted her hands in his hair and pulled his face down to hers and kissed him.

The man behind Han dropped his jaw in shock. Obi-Wan had launched to his feet, raising a half-stretched hand towards Leia. "Um," Obi-Wan began, unsure what to do. " _Leia_ …"

"Well." Mara muttered absently from where she was still fiddling with her phone in the kitchen, "That escalated quickly."

Standing still in shock at first, Padme belatedly remembered the stories Anakin had told her of their old life after her death. In that life, the last Anakin remembered, Leia and Han had _clearly_ been in love and were _very_ loyal to one another. And, Anakin had also made no secret of the fact that he was _just_ as displeased with Leia's choice of partner as he was with Mara.

 _Oh, Force. I hope they let go of each other before Ani walks in and sees that,_ She thought before her heart swelled with understanding—and sadness. She _knew_ what that was like—to live a life not remembering the love of her life, and then suddenly remembering…and Anakin had been forced to stay quiet about his memories for _months_ before she'd remembered...and if she _hadn't_ have remembered, they likely would not have married in this world. Oh yeah, she _knew_ that anguish. But, from the pain in Leia's voice when she'd said Han's name...somehow, Padme had a feeling that their other life hadn't ended so well, at least relationship-wise.

And, from Han's shocked look and wide eyes, Padme guessed that Han _didn't_ remember any of that either.

Leia finally pulled away, grasping Han's upper arms. "Han, how I've _missed_ you! So, _so_ much…" Leia began, looking up into Han's dazed expression…and her whole body tensed as she realized that Han didn't remember. As if she'd been burned, she suddenly pulled away, putting distance between her and the man she clearly loved. "I…I'm sorry, I...I thought you w-were…someone else." Leia's voice was thick with emotion, but she didn't turn away from Han.

Han just stared at her, his mouth slightly open as he studied her as if he were _really_ seeing her for the first time. "Huh." He said, but although Padme _hated_ how much it clearly hurt Leia to know that Han didn't remember her, at least Han's hand had left his gun. "Huh." He said again, tilting his head a little. "Mara," He didn't pull his eyes away from Leia, though. " _Why_ is Luke's sister _here_ with…" he glanced at Padme and then Obi-Wan, "Other random people?"

"It's a long story," Mara said absently again, but this time there was an edge to her voice. "Hey, Han, have you…?"

It was at that point that Anakin decided to walk back into the living room from the back of the house. Han immediately sprang into action, drawing his gun…and pushing Leia abruptly behind him. "What the _hell_ ….?!"

" _Relax_ , Han," Mara rolled her eyes, "They're all with me."

"With _you?!_ " Han demanded incredulously, "There'd _better_ be a damn good explanation for this, Mara…"

"There is." Mara assured him.

"Yeah? Then start talking!" He demanded, still not lowering the gun.

"I…" Mara's phone lit up, and she glanced down to look at the message. Instantly, her body tensed, and she bit out a curse. " _ **SITH SPIT!**_ I'm going to bloody well _kill_ him, I swear!"

"Kill _who?_ " Anakin demanded, his voice serious. Throughout the entire exchange, he hadn't so much as gone for his lightsaber. Clearly, Han didn't scare Anakin one bit.

But, Mara didn't answer. Instead, she whirled on Han. "Luke's in trouble."

" _What?!_ " Padme began, starting forward, but Han was already shaking his head.

"What else is new?!" He demanded, "He hasn't wanted our help before. Now, are you going to explain…"

"No, Han, _this_ is different!" Mara shouted, her voice hard but with an edge of panic to it. That stopped Han short, and he listened to her with renewed interest. Mara was apparently _not_ one to panic.

" _What's wrong with Luke?!_ " Anakin's voice was calm, but had the commanding edge that demanded that he be answered. Now.

Mara ran a frustrated hand through her red-gold hair, her green eyes flashing. "We were _supposed_ to go together…DAMMIT, we were supposed to go _together!_ "

"Mara." Anakin stalked over and stood in front of her, crossing his arms over his chest, towering over her, his eyes hard as durasteel, his jaw locked. Mara seemed like the type of person who would rip someone's face off if they got in her personal space like that, but she didn't attack Anakin. Perhaps, she knew better.

"I'll ask you again, Mara... _What has happened to Luke?!_ "

Mara stared up at him, swallowing a lump in her throat, but she didn't dare to _not_ answer this time.

"He's going to infiltrate the Inquisitor main base—alone." Everyone looked grim. Though Padme didn't know as much about the Inquisitors as Anakin, Leia, and Obi-Wan did, even _she_ knew how incredibly dangerous...and _foolish_ that idea was. At Mara's next words, the room went still, and a pin could literally have been heard if dropped.

"It's a suicide mission. If we don't get to him in time…Luke will get himself killed."

* * *

 **Sorry for the late update. I was on a business trip and couldn't really write. I've got a few weeks before I'm back on another trip, so hopefully I'll be able to update more. I'm already working on the next chapter, so let's hope. Luke will be with his family again very soon.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	66. Luke Vs The Inquisitors

" _Three….two….one…_ " Luke whispered to himself, watching the countdown on his cell phone. Right on cue, a massive explosion rocked the mountain side, and he watched from his hidden perch in the rocks just above the base as the tremor shook the snow-capped mountain ledges above…and sent an avalanche careening down in a flood of white destruction over most of the complex below him. The roar of the tumbling snowpack was deafening on top of the ringing still in his ears from the bomb blast. He felt the deaths of a few unlucky Inquisitors, their lifeforce joining instantly with the Force, and he could also feel the sudden frantic frenzy as alarms began to blare loudly across the valley. He grinned grimly, and though he had no phone service up here on this remote mountain top in the Swiss Alps, when he closed out his timer app, he couldn't help but notice the frantic text messages from Mara on his screen.

He frowned, feeling a surge of guilt twinge through him. When he'd left to go get more explosives for their attack on this base, he hadn't left with the _intention_ of going on the mission by himself. However, as he'd purchased the explosives (under a fake name, of course, and through the Black Market), he mulled over the fact that he was about to put Mara into incredible danger. Yeah. Sure, she had a good idea of _how_ dangerous this mission was…but yet, at the same time, she _didn't_ really know. Luke had spent enough time at this base over the years to _know_ that even this diversion would only last for a short time window. If he were caught and killed… _well_ , at least he could die knowing that Mara was safe. Technically, she knew _where_ he was—he'd given her the coordinates back when they had been planning to go together. However, if she decided to come after him, he would hopefully be done before she could get anywhere near the base.

 _Hopefully._

So, he stole a random ship from some type of docking facility in one of the run down parts of London, loaded the explosives he'd just bought, and took off for Switzerland. He hadn't even planned on telling her he was going at all. But, with each message she'd sent, asking to pick him up, asking _why_ he wasn't responding to her texts…the guilt he felt at leaving her behind increased. So, he'd texted her back, letting her know what he was doing, and apologizing for leaving her behind. That way, if he _didn't_ return, at least she knew _why_. He had then put the phone on airplane mode. He told himself it was to take away the distraction so he could focus, but really, it was because he just didn't want to deal with her likely furious reaction. Was it cowardly? Sure. Did he _care_ at the moment? Absolutely not.

She was safe, and he had bigger things to worry about anyway.

While chaos and confusion rippled throughout the top-secret, hidden Inquisitor compound, Luke used that moment to quickly move from his hiding spot and move towards the south entrance, far away from the devastation his planted explosives and the avalanche had caused to the north end of the massive complex. Unfortunately, his last-minute decision to come alone hadn't _exactly_ prepared him for the frigid temperatures with the biting-cold snow storm, but he'd scrounged around in the storage bins in the back of the ship and found some spare gloves in one of the ship's compartments. So now, thanks to the gloves, as he gripped his lightsaber in one hand and his gun in the other, he didn't feel like his fingers were going to fall off. His face, on the other hand, was a different story—his cheeks had _long_ ago gone numb.

He reached the door of the south entrance, igniting his lightsaber and digging it into the panel where the locking mechanism was, using the blade to slice it completely out of the wall. It took a bit of time, time that he really didn't have, but he finally managed to cut through, and then used the Force to push the door open. A blast of warm air hit his face, and he couldn't help but sigh a bit in relief, as he sprinted through the well remembered halls towards the information center of the complex. If all went as planned, he wouldn't have time to thaw out and warm up.

The halls were basically deserted. A good thing. Luke knew that most of the Inquisitors had gone to dig out the north side of their base, but he also knew that he hadn't taken out the security cameras. The only way to do _that_ was to shut down the information center, and he wasn't ready to do that. If anyone was monitoring the cameras (which they were), he would be up against other Inquisitors in no time flat.

He was right.

Soon, three Inquisitors skidded around the corner, half dressed in snow gear, red lightsabers blazing in their hands. "Oi!" One of them growled into his radio, as Luken ignited his own lightsaber with the familiar snap-hiss and moved to engage them, "We found Starkiller! He's…"

Luke silenced him with a quick stab to the gut, then ripping his saber free before ducking as the other two Inquisitors swung their lightsabers at him, the _whoosh_ of their movements ruffling his hair as he ducked and spun. _Shit._ He didn't have time for _this._ Before the other two could recover and swing again, he quickly stood, reaching his arm out toward them and stretched out with the Force, grabbing hold of their necks and squeezing _hard_ until their throats were crushed, listening impassively to the gurgling noises they emitted as they struggled momentarily against his choke hold, and then fell limply to the floor, dead, when he opened his hand and released them.

He pushed forward, the internal alarms blaring in his ears, drowning out all other sound. He was almost there. He turned the last corner, seeing the double doors ahead that led to the information center, and picked up his pace. His lungs were burning with the need for air, but he didn't dare slow down. He didn't stop until he'd slammed into the locked doors, driving his lightsaber through the metal of the door, already moving to cut open a hole big enough for him to move through. These doors were thinner than the outer doors had been, and it didn't take him long to get it open. He used the Force to push the metal inward, hearing it clatter on the floor in the room, and just as he was about to step through…gunshots rang out through the hole, barely missing him, the bullets peppering the concrete wall opposite him, sending chunks of debris flying.

Luke rolled his eyes and gritted his teeth in frustration, ducking to the side of the door in a squat, bracing his back along the wall, before he reached a hand out tentatively through the hole and used the Force to send a massive _push_ throughout the room. He heard yelps of surprise, followed by bodies hitting against the far wall. He paused for a second, reaching out to sense the others in the room—unconscious. Good. He climbed through the hole and found himself facing a table of instruments and computer screens. On one wall was the surveillance system, and though he knew it didn't do him much good now, he slashed his lightsaber blade across that particular computer, disabling the camera feed entirely. The whole base already knew he was here, but at least they'd have to drag another computer up the mountain now if they wanted to fix it. He smirked, stepping over crumpled unconscious bodies and approached the computer he needed.

As he stared at the computer before him, he suddenly realized that his login wouldn't work anymore. _Damn!_ In fact, trying to input it would probably lock the whole system down, and then he'd _never_ get the info he needed from the blasted machine. Luke cursed and raked his hands through his hair in frustration. _Why_ hadn't he thought of that? Had he decided to stay with Mara and continue to plan out their attack, she certainly would have reminded him that he needed a different way into the computer. But, like an _idiot_ , he hadn't stayed, and he didn't have any sort of encryption to get the computer open. Ok. Time for Plan B.

He'd have to settle for the hard drive.

Scowling, Luke quickly knelt down beneath the desk, finding the computer tower and turning it over. He had been taught how to do this through the Inquisitor program, of course, but somehow, as he nimbly opened the computer case, found what he was looking for, and carefully began to extract it, it seemed… _natural_ , somehow. It had always been that way, he remembered. Machines and technology came as naturally to him as breathing. As he worked, his mind briefly flashed back to when he'd stolen the airship to get to his destination. He'd read all about flying, had watched Mara and Han and Chewie fly extensively, but _he_ had never actually flown anything himself. Yet, when he'd entered the cockpit, his body had moved almost without prompting from him, as if he'd done this all before. He'd settled in the pilot's chair and flown that ship as if he'd been flying since the day he was born. Perhaps flying was like his affinity with machines. After all, the ship _technically_ was a machine.

 _Got it!_

He extracted the hard drive, and he carefully put it in his jacket pocket. He didn't waste time in straightening back up and bolting for the door again, lightsaber in hand, climbing through the hole…Where he came face to face with a whole _troop_ of Inquisitors, lightsabers blazing, staining the hall blood red with their light. Luke instinctively ignited his own, moving into a defensive stance, his eyes darting side to side to try to find some sort of an escape route, _anything_ …

"Don't even try it." A cultured voice tsked, and a tall, bald-headed man stepped forward. He had golden eyes, with his teeth all sharpened into points, giving him the look of a serpent. He grinned maliciously at Luke, malevolence filling his yellow gaze. "Welcome home, _Starkiller_." The Grand Inquisitor said. "Surrender. There is no escape for you now."

Luke glared back, his pride swelling with defiance. He would fight to the _death_ —he wouldn't allow himself the humiliation of being captured! He was _Starkiller_ , after all, and he _never_ gave up...Suddenly, Mara flashed through his mind, followed by the promise he'd made her. When this was over, they would leave this life behind them _together_. Luke had long ago given up hope that his life would be filled with anything _but_ this seemingly never-ending war between the Jedi and the Sith, but with Mara…

There was hope. If he fought to the death, that hope died with him.

Hesitantly, Luke disengaged his lightsaber, dropping it to the floor at his feet with a _clang_ that rang in his ears like a death knell. There was something akin to disappointment in the Grand Inquisitor's eyes, as if he'd been _hoping_ for Luke to put up a fight so he could outright kill him, but the look was fleeting. "You're going to _wish_ that you'd **never** even thought about betraying us, Starkiller." He growled with malice dripping off every word, motioning to some of the Inquisitors with him. "Arrest him."

* * *

Luke was strapped to a stainless steel upright table. He knew what was coming. He'd watched _plenty_ of interrogations during his time as an Inquisitor…he'd even conducted a few himself. He knew that the metal binds that had him strapped firmly to the cold table were controlled electronically. There would be no key for him to lift off a guard using the Force. His vision swirled, the room seeming to spin and whirl around him. Of course, the moment he'd been strapped down, the guards had injected him with _just enough_ of the Force inhibiting drugs to keep him from effectively using the Force. He had been trained to combat against being drugged, but it took time, and with limited use of the Force, it took quite a bit of effort. Luke had no doubt that his guards knew that he would work himself free of the drug's effects eventually; so, he knew they'd soon be back to inject more into his system. However, unlike _most_ Inquisitors, Luke was unordinarily _strong_ in the Force, undoubtedly a gift he'd inherited from the Skywalker genepool. If he could somehow force the Force to work quick enough in combating the drug's effects, _maybe_ …

Sure enough, at that moment, the door to his windowless cell slid open, and in walked the Grand Inquisitor, flanked by two guards. He smiled thinly, humorlessly, as he studied Luke. "You've given us _quite_ a bit of trouble, Starkiller."

Luke glared back defiantly. "I'm not interested in your little organization. You're _all_ pawns in Palpatine's games. Frankly, the fact that he's sent _your_ weakling Inquisitors after me instead of his top agents says that he really couldn't care two shits if they live or die."

If Luke's words affected the Grand Inquisitor in any way, the man didn't show it. He remained stone faced and impassive, a picture of calm. The older man, the man who had grilled, trained, instructed, and _punished_ their Order for as long as Luke could remember, stared at him with a mixture of disdain and mild amusement…which honestly wasn't that different from how he'd looked at Luke _before_ he'd defected. "I assure you," he sniffed, "That _won't_ be an issue any longer."

"Y'know, if you're going to kill me," Luke glared, "Just do it." Honestly, he was actually _surprised_ that they hadn't killed him yet.

Again, that thin, humorless smile. "All in due time." And yet _this_ time, Luke caught the barest flicker in the older man's eyes, and suddenly, Luke realized the reason why they were keeping him alive—because _Palpatine_ had commanded it. His stomach twisted uncomfortably at the thought. Even now, Palpatine was toying with him. Even now, Luke's fate was not fully his own. Now that he was trapped, with no ideas on how he could get out and was basically captured with little hope of rescue, Palpatine was not concerned with killing him _immediately_. Oh, _eventually_ he would, yes. Of _that,_ Luke had no doubt, but sick, twisted bastard that he was, Palpatine enjoyed other people's misery—especially that of his enemies. And given that Luke was _supposed_ to be his Sith Apprentice, and had instead, in Palpatine's mind, _betrayed him_ , the Dark Lord would now make Luke suffer _greatly_ before he killed him. The Grand Inquisitor continued on before Luke could voice those suspicions. "Care to tell me _why_ you were looking for this?"

Luke didn't need to see it to know what he was pulling out of his pocket. The hard drive. Of course, the first thing they'd done when they'd captured him was to search him. As a result, they'd found the hard drive he'd come there specifically to get. Still, Luke decided to downplay it as much as he could. If, by some miracle, he _was_ able to escape, he still wanted to have at least _some_ chance to get what he'd originally came for. "Who says I was looking for that?" Luke did his best to shrug, but with the restraints, he didn't think it achieved the nonchalance that he wanted it to.

If the Grand Inquisitor had been the type of man to roll his eyes, he would have. "Come now, Starkiller. It's _obvious_ , isn't it? After all, you went straight for the Information Center. Other than the destroyed video surveillance systems, _this,"_ He held up the hard drive for Luke to see, "was the _only_ other part missing. Honestly, I expected better from our previous star pupil. So, I'll ask you again, _what_ data were you hoping to find on this?"

 _Shit._

The man had a point. He _should_ have planted false leads. He _knew_ better, and he _wasn't_ normally that sloppy…but he'd been so concerned with just getting out, he hadn't thought about hiding his trail. Until now. But still, he wasn't about to just _tell_ the bastard what information he was looking for. That would likely only get him killed _faster_. So, instead, Luke just glared at him, silent as a stone. When it became apparent that Luke _wasn't_ going to answer him, the Grand Inquisitor sighed. "Are we _really_ going to have to go through this?" He asked, as one of the guards behind him headed over to the panel embedded in the wall. Luke tensed involuntarily, knowing _exactly_ what was about to happen, but even then, he didn't say anything. Besides, he knew this would happen anyway, no matter what he did or didn't do. Even if he gave them _everything_ he knew, they would _still t_ orture him until he was dead. A long, painful death.

Still, even with that knowledge, even as he watched the guard power up the control panel, even as he prepared himself as mentally as he could, that was _nothing_ compared to the waves of white hot, excruciating pain that seized his body as high voltage electric currents surged into his body, coursing torturously along every nerve ending in his body. He had told himself that he wouldn't yell. He'd be stronger than that. But, he hadn't _ever_ expected it to hurt so much; so, he couldn't help but scream out in pain.

When the electric current stopped, Luke wheezed in deep gulps of air. Instinctively, he tried to use the Force to push the pain away, but it was still slow to respond to his call. He still hadn't effectively combated the drugs in his system enough to do so. "I'll ask again," The Grand Inquisitor's voice was icy. "What information were you hoping to find?"

Slowly, Luke opened his eyes, his gaze locking with the older man's. "Go…to...Hell." He hissed between clenched teeth.

The Grand Inquisitor wasn't offended in the least. In fact, Luke saw a glimmer of _anticipation_ in his eyes. He was going to _enjoy_ hurting him. "How _very_ disappointing." The man said, tilting his head a little towards the guard. The signal to continue.

Luke lost count of how much time passed as the Grand Inquisitor interrogated him. It could have been minutes. It could have been hours. All Luke knew was incredible pain was ripping him apart, unlike _anything_ he'd ever experienced before. Each time it stopped, the question was always the same. And, each time, Luke refused to answer, despite _all_ of his natural instincts screaming at him to just _give up_ the information already. It was only Luke's sheer will of rebellion and years of training that kept him from doing so. He simply _wasn't_ going to give this asshole the satisfaction.

But Force, it _hurt_. It hurt _so_ much.

But then, it stopped. He didn't know _why_ it stopped. One moment he was wracked with pain, screaming through a now hoarse throat, and the next it just stopped, and he was left lying limply on the table in exhaustion, sweat dripping onto the table from his now damp curls plastered to his forehead and neck, as the Grand Inquisitor snapped, "Watch him! And, don't begin again without me!"

Luke opened his eyes just enough to watch the Grand Inquisitor turn to leave…then stop short at the door, turning back to Luke. Meeting Luke's gaze, the man lifted up the hard drive so that Luke could see it, and then dropped it to the floor. Before Luke could even muster the energy to protest, the man slammed his heel down on the little piece of machinery, shattering it into hundreds of pieces. "It was all a waste, Starkiller. One way or another, I _will_ get my answers from you. When I come back, you'll find I'm _just_ getting started." With that promise blistering the air, the Grand Inquisitor left the room, all but one Inquisitor following after him.

Was it for nothing? Was it a waste? Wracked with pain, and too exhausted to think his way out of this one any longer, Luke hung his head dejectedly, trying to use whatever period of rest he had to steel himself for the next round of torture. Suddenly, it all _felt_ like a waste. The future suddenly looked very short, very painful, and very bleak. The one thing he'd come for…destroyed. Just like that. He saw now how _stupid_ he was to have come here alone, unprepared, and without any backup. In his own arrogance, he had overestimated his abilities. Mara had been right. He _couldn't_ do this by himself—do _any_ of this by himself. He saw that now. If he couldn't even get in and out of the main Inquisitor base in one piece, how could he _ever_ hope to reach Palpatine, who would surely be even _more_ well guarded in his little safe-haven?

Instinctively, he tried to reach out to the Force, and he felt it respond, though not as much as he would have liked. Still, he used what he could access to start trying to push the pain away, to clear his foggy brain. As he did so, he began to wonder why the Grand Inquisitor had suddenly stopped the interrogation, and wondered when he would be back. Perhaps, they had finished cleaning up after the avalanche he had caused, and the Grand Inquisitor was simply going to inspect the damage. Considering that he didn't know exactly how long he'd been down in that holding cell, it was possible. After all, being this high in the Alps, they _did_ have the necessary equipment on base to handle massive amounts of snow. So, if that _was_ the case, he wouldn't have long before the electrified torture began again and…

Another vision hit him then. It was brief, but it was _so_ real, it was as if Luke could _feel_ the pain from the vision. He was in a darkened room, sprawled out on cold, metal flooring. A very shriveled version of Palpatine stood over him, clothed in a black robe, his shriveled hands outstretched. Blue lightning sizzled from his fingertips, hitting Luke, who screamed and writhed in agony on the floor. Briefly, Luke caught sight of another figure looming in the background, a huge semblance of a man in a black suit, with a black, plastic looking mask/helmet thing over his entire head. Distantly, over his own screams, he could hear what sounded like some sort of mechanical breathing apparatus. " _Father!_ " Luke cried out towards the man, " _Please!_ "

The vision ended as soon as it had started, the old familiar pain slamming into Luke's head, making everything in his vision blurry—but this time he cried out not from that, but from how _real_ the pain in the vision had been. He realized that he'd actually screamed, out loud, here and now, and the guard left with him was shifting nervously over his erratic behavior, clearly wondering if he should radio for backup, as if Luke had the ability to fight back through his restraints.

He wanted it to stop. He wanted to somehow build a time machine and go back 24 hours to stop himself from embarking on this insane suicide mission. He wanted the visions in his head to stop. He wanted to go _home_ , back to Mara, back to…

Suddenly, a dull _boom_ from a distant explosion reached his ears, muffled by the walls of the compound, followed shortly by the rumbling of the building as it shuddered and shook, and then…

Darkness.

Abruptly, everything went pitch black, like an inky abyss. Luke blinked, using the Force to absorb some of his pain as he confirmed that _yes_ , the power really _had_ just gone out. It wasn't just him suddenly going blind. Interesting. _Very_ interesting. He heard the other Inquisitor try to radio someone…but all that could be heard was static. Luke's heart began to fill with hope—he wasn't sure _what_ was going on, but as he tested his restraints and found them now useless without the electrical power to hold them in place, he felt hopeful for the first time since being captured. Even in as much pain as he was in, he could make this work. He would _have_ to make this work. He was going to escape, and this time _no one_ would stop him. Feeling refortified, determination flooded his veins, pulsing through him with a clear purpose…

Get the hell outta here. _Now._

The other Inquisitor ignited his lightsaber, illuminating the darkness with the eerie red glow. "What the _hell_ is…?" He never finished. Using what Force he could access, Luke ripped free of the restraints, using a Force push to knock the other boy into the wall as hard as he could. The boy hadn't realized yet that Luke was free; so, there was no resistance as he hit the wall and crumpled to the floor, knocked unconscious. A split second later, his lightsaber snapped off, leaving Luke alone in the darkness until he used the Force to call the weapon to his hand, igniting it once more. Given that his own lightsaber had been taken somewhere else in the complex when he was captured, he would have to use _this_ one…even if it felt strangely alien and out of place in his hand.

He cut out the locking mechanism of the cell door, using his free hand to slide it open just enough so that he could squeeze out into the pitch-black hallway. He frowned, looking up at what he knew to be emergency lights in the ceiling. Had the whole complex entirely lost power? If so, that meant that whatever explosion had happened, it had _completely_ destroyed all the generators. That was no small feat—because of how high up the complex was in the mountains, those generators were specifically built to withstand extreme conditions, and each one had fail-safes just in case parts of it failed. As Luke considered this, he heard the sound of anti-aircraft guns being fired outside, their sound booming in the eerie silence of the hallway.

 _Anti-aircraft guns?_ "What the _hell?_ " Luke muttered softly. He wanted to reach out with the Force to figure out what was going on, but he could barely keep himself upright with the Force ability he had gained back. Was there an attack on the base? No,that was impossible. The _only_ person he had told of this location was Mara, but there wasn't any reason to use anti-aircraft guns on a lone attacker. That was overkill, and Mara's ship wasn't _exactly_ built for heavy combat. He highly doubted she'd use it to attack the base.

The Millennium Falcon could easily attack the base—and avoid the anti-aircraft guns. This he might have considered, but Han had made it clear that he wanted _nothing_ to do with Luke's crazy schemes anymore. He doubted even Mara could convince him to help, and she wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hell of stealing the Falcon. That ship was Han's baby. So...Who, then? _Of course!_ There was only _one_ possibility, only _one_ other logical answer.

His father and the Jedi.

Luke scowled at the thought, and turned away from the continuing explosions to painfully limp down the corridor opposite of the noise. His father was stubborn. Especially after lashing out at him like he had, he was _sure_ his father would track him down to finish him off…and given the state that Luke was in, he had no doubt that _this time_ , his father would kill him. He didn't know _how_ his father had tracked him, but Anakin Skywalker wasn't a Grand Master of the Jedi Order because he was stupid and incompetent. Now that he'd tracked Luke not once, but _twice_ in the last week and a half, Luke doubted he'd stop hunting him until one of them was dead.

And, Luke had no interest in dying today.

Using the red glow from the absconded lightsaber, Luke made his way down through the winding maze of corridors. Despite the fact that each step he took was agonizing and really only served to exhaust him further, he forced himself to remain on high alert, stretching out with the Force as much as he could. The hallways were empty, but judging by the ongoing explosions and the occasional building shudder, he figured that the Inquisitors were a bit busy at the moment trying to hold off his father and whoever else he'd brought with him. Possibly the entire Jedi Order from the sounds of it. That was just fine with Luke, but he didn't trust it to last long.

Sure enough, as Luke rounded the last corner to the hallway that would lead him to one of the exit doors leading outside and to freedom, there stood two Inquisitors, lightsabers already blazing. From the look of surprise on their faces when they saw him, Luke figured that they hadn't been waiting for _him_ , merely guarding that door from whoever was attacking. "Starkiller!" One of them hissed, moving forward to engage him. Inwardly, Luke groaned—he was _so_ tired, he didn't know if he would last in a fight. It was taking his _entire_ concentration just to stand upright. A lightsaber duel…

The thought didn't have time to compute. Suddenly, there was a massive _**BOOM**_ that sounded like a bomb had just dropped right on top of them—it felt like it, too. Part of the wall blew inwards from the side, a wave of heat and cold slicing through the crater all at once. Luke was thrown against the wall by the blast, momentarily losing his grip on the Force (and everything else, too), his knees buckling from under him as he slid down the wall, landing in a heap on the floor. Over the near deafening roar, he heard more loud bangs, reverberations, and screams resonating from the other Inquisitors, and he felt rather than saw (for the dust kicked up from the explosion practically blinded him) something come crashing down ahead of him. Luke gritted his teeth, covering his head with his arms, waiting and praying to the Force that he _wouldn't_ get killed by whatever had just dropped on them. He felt stray stones graze over him, a few scratching and nicking his bare skin. But soon it was over. At first, Luke lay there, uncertain whether this was truly over or not, but eventually, he hesitantly pulled his arms off of his head, shaking off the dust and debris, to look up.

Almost the entire middle section of the hallway had been blown apart. Completely. To the left hand side was where, he assumed, the projectile or bomb or whatever it was that had hit, had exploded. A fire was still blazing there, black smoke filling the narrow space, causing him to cough and splutter, his eyes beginning to sting and water from the strong vapors. The ceiling had also caved in, the tiles were shredded and hanging haphazardly, threatening to rain down on him with the slightest provocation, and the _only_ part still standing was the right wall, which was cracked and looking ready to topple over as well. The Inquisitors, who had been standing there only moments before, were nowhere to be seen…likely crushed under the falling rubble.

He couldn't hear anything over the ringing in his ears…everything was muffled. He could sort of make out the sounds of more gunfire, of more explosions, but nothing that told him if the battle was coming back _this_ way. He had to get out of there before the whole building came down on top of him. Slowly, he worked the Force back into his limbs, giving him the strength to pull himself back onto his feet. The moment he'd gotten his feet under him, dust started falling off of him in a cascade that made him cough more, and he hesitantly began to make his way towards the pile of rubble before him. He couldn't get out the hole, where the fire was still blazing unchecked, but he _could_ climb over the rubble and make his way down the rest of the still-intact hallway down towards the door to freedom. Then, he'd figure out where he was and hope that the battle wasn't raging in the direction of where he'd left the stolen ship so he could get the hell out of here and figure out his next move from there.

It took him much longer than he would have liked to reach the rubble pile, as every blast he heard made the structure around him shudder and shake, and he stopped for a moment to visually plan the safest way to climb over the rubble to get to the other side. Frigid cold air stung his cheeks, but when he took a deep breath in, all he smelled was smoke from the fire. He found his way and began to carefully climb, using his hands to occasionally steady himself.

He reached the top of the rubble pile, looking down…and found himself staring at the half-buried form of one of the Inquisitors. Although Luke had seen plenty of death over the last nine years, this was still a sight that unnerved him. At first, the boy…a boy, Luke thought, that he had seen in passing but had never bothered to get to know, looked like he was dead. The lower half of his body was buried under the rubble, his upper torso covered in dust, giving him a pale white appearance. One hand was clenched around something—a rock maybe, Luke assumed. Luke could see his eyes staring at him, blood pooling at the corners of his lips. Luke shuddered, briefly imagining what it would have been like to die that way. It would have been a horrible death.

But then, the boy coughed, spitting blood out, and Luke's heart sank further. So, not dead then. Still alive, but dying very slowly. That was worse than being instantly crushed to death, Luke thought. "Star….killer…." The boy coughed, spitting out more blood. Luke suppressed another shudder—for whatever reason, though he knew that he _should_ ignore him and leave like he usually did, he felt…he felt as if he _shouldn't_ leave the boy in his final moments. Luke didn't understand the feeling. He would have killed him had they gotten into a lightsaber duel. He had killed plenty of other Inquisitors without a second thought. They were the enemy, after all. And yet….

"It'll be alright," Luke found himself saying, reaching out with the Force to comfort the boy. Pain flooded back into his senses, but he found that he didn't care. Not right then. Instead, he focused on the boy's feelings, trying to send what comfort he could to him… _not_ that Luke was very good at that. He sensed the boy's fear of death, fear of the unknown…and confusion at what Luke was doing. It was not the Inquisitor way…but then again, Luke was no longer an Inquisitor. "Death is just…a part of the journey we all must take _._ " He didn't know where those words were coming from. From what Gandalf said in that one _Lord of the Rings_ movie? Probably. They were nice words…still, Luke found himself almost believing them.

Something changed in the boy's emotions. It went from fear…to almost grim determination. "Then I won't….make the journey….alone!" Luke frowned—the boy certainly wasn't in _any_ position to attack him. But, then the boy unclenched his fist, the fist that Luke had assumed held a rock. It was no rock.

It was a grenade. And, the pin had been pulled.

" _Shi…!_ " Luke stood rapidly, eyes widening in shock, trying to call the Force up to shield himself from the imminent blast, trying to scramble backwards, away from the grenade…The explosion knocked him into the last remaining wall, bringing it down with him, tumbling over and over out into the freezing snow. He hit the ground, _HARD_ , the breath completely knocked out of him. Other than the ringing in his ears, he could hear his own shallow breathing. Mentally, he cursed himself. How could he have been so damn _stupid_ , so _foolish_ , so _weak?!_ Dammit! He should have left the kid to die! And _now_ ….!

The numbness of being blasted essentially through a wall wore off, and with it, incredible pain flooded through him, like nothing he had ever felt before. Not even the electrical torture he'd just endured. He opened his mouth, tried to make his voice work to cry out in pain, but no sound came out. He felt as if his whole body were being stabbed with fiery darts or needles, as if…Despite the freezing cold temperatures, his chest was rapidly warming up. Irrationally, he thought he _might_ have been on fire…but no. It couldn't have been _that._ So what was it? Taking a hesitantly deep, painful, shuddering breath, he craned his neck around to look down at himself.

Blood. Everywhere. His blood.

With a chill, he realized that though he may have escaped the worst of the blast, he _hadn't_ escaped the shrapnel, and he was now losing blood. Fast.

Now his _own death_ was apparently imminent. Even if he _did_ somehow manage to drag himself back to the stolen ship, there was _no way_ he was going to be able to fly that thing home, let alone to the nearest hospital. He was alone, surrounded by enemies, on top of a frozen remote mountain. Truly, he had been very, _very stupid_ to come alone, and now he was going to die for it.

The ultimate price for stupidity.

But, he wasn't _ready_ to die. He had so much to _do_ still! He needed to get back to Mara. He needed to defeat Palpatine. He needed…he needed…His parents suddenly popped into his head. It was a fleeting image—one of them still together, and very happy. His mother was smiling up at as his father, her eyes shining with love, as he wrapped his arms snugly around her waist from behind, kissing her cheek lovingly. As soon as the image was there, it was gone, and he was back on that mountain, alone and staring up at the night sky, stone and snow all around him as blood seeped from his body out on the frozen ground around him, staining the snow crimson.

How he wished it could have stayed like that. How he wished things hadn't happened the way they did. It occurred to him to call out to his father, but…why? His father would have killed him anyway.

 _Leia._

Another vision, fleeting. This time, there was no pain, perhaps because he was already dying. He was hanging upside down, his right hand cut off. Below him loomed a vast nothingness—no ground in sight. " _Leia_ ," he whispered in the vision, " _hear me!_ "

The vision ended and once more he was back in reality, though his vision was dimming. It was a stupid idea. He didn't even know if she was there with their father. If she was, she literally had no reason to help him. He'd killed their mother. He'd tried to kill their father right in front of her. They'd never been close. And yet….

" _Leia,_ " Luke said, pushing out through the Force with the very last of his strength, as his vision began to go black, " _Hear me!_ "

The moment those words left his lips, he slipped into a dreamless darkness.

* * *

 **Sorry for the late update. This would have been done sooner, but I got sick and I tend to write really weird things when I get sick. But I'm better now, just in time for the holidays! Let's hope it stays that way *knocks on all the wood in the house.***

 **I plan on pumping out the next chapter quick, so let's hope for another update soon. However, it is the holidays, so although I may be a loner who has nothing better to do during Thanksgiving, that doesn't mean my Beta doesn't have plans with her family (I love you SW!) so...we shall see when this cliffie gets resolved.**

 **The Grand Inquisitor, for those wondering, is THE Grand Inquisitor from Star Wars: Rebels Season 1. He doesn't have a name that I could find other than the Grand Inquisitor, so I tried to allude to his identity as much as I could.**

 **Happy thanksgiving! Other than the cliffie, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter...it's basically played over and over in my head for like a year now. As a result, there were multiple songs that inspired this chapter:**

 **The Imperial March-John Williams**

 **Last Resort-Papa Roach**

 **You're Not Getting Out of Here-From The Scorch Trials**

 **Fearful Odds-From Oblivion (this is the song that inspired the ending of this chapter heavily).**

 **Lastly, if you're still upset about the Mara-Luke thing...as I said before. It stays. I'm not explaining again. To quote Mark Hammil: "Judge Luke by his character, not who he loves." Honestly, I think that applies to most characters in any saga. Way to go Mark, you wonderful man.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	67. Reunited

The Force coursed through him at full power. It wasn't the Dark Side, or even the Light—it was just _the Force_.

His son was in pain.

Anakin could sense it the moment Solo had brought the Falcon within miles of the hidden mountain base. He stopped wondering at how strange it was to actually be _on_ the Falcon without being the enemy. He stopped worrying about the strange feelings that were suddenly illuminating from both Solo and Leia. He stopped trying to talk battle strategy with Obi-Wan. And, he didn't _dare_ tell Padme what he was feeling. He didn't want to frighten her. This was hard enough on his wife as it was.

Luke was in terrible, _terrible_ pain. His stunt, like Mara had predicted, had not gone well, and now Luke was suffering for it. Horribly.

It was only his careful training over two lifetimes that kept him from getting raging angry, but that didn't stop him from harnessing the Force to its full extent. The other Force Sensitives on the Falcon could feel Luke's pain, too. Obi-Wan was trying to meditate, but his countenance was grim from the ripples of pain he sensed in the Force, and while Leia sobered more than she already had since their coffee house meeting, Mara had gone tense and defensive as a wildcat ready to launch itself at an attacker. When she _insisted_ on going with Anakin, Leia, and Obi-Wan to launch a ground assault, Anakin didn't bother arguing. She'd likely drive Solo crazy, and Solo was going to be busy leading the other Jedi in the air raid on the base.

Which also, hadn't been _his_ idea.

He'd called _all_ available Jedi around Switzerland, France, and Germany to help in the assault, but it was _Obi-Wan_ who had suggested that Solo lead the air assault. "Han proved to be a cunning warrior in our old galaxy. He _was_ a general in the Rebellion and one good pilot," Obi-Wan reminded him calmly when Anakin had first objected.

"But, he doesn't _remember_ that past." Leia put in, and Anakin didn't miss the sour note in her voice. He made a mental note to have a firm _talk_ with his daughter about Solo later...once Luke was home safe.

"Maybe not," Obi-Wan agreed with a shrug, "But he also has the best ship. _That_ even Anakin can't deny." Oh, Anakin _wanted_ to deny it alright, but unlike Anakin, who had a ship at home in Texas that rivaled...maybe even _surpassed_...the Falcon's capabilities, both Jedi Grand Masters _knew_ full well that the Jedi only had standard order ships. Solo's heavily modified ship was the perfect vehicle for the air offensive on the base. Like it or not, Anakin couldn't deny it...

Even the Jedi needed all the help they could get on _this_ mission.

Still, he'd _hoped_ that when they presented the idea to Solo, that the man would flat out refuse. Everyone in their old galaxy knew how much Solo _loved_ his ship. _This_ Solo wasn't any different in that regard. However, Solo just rolled his eyes, said, "Why did I _ever_ think it was a good idea to get involved with a bunch of crazy Force-wielding wizards?" and then agreed to lead the attack. From the look Solo had shot Leia when he'd agreed, Anakin had a very unsettling feeling that his agreement had nothing to do with the man actually wanting to lead an attack.

Anakin was glad of _one_ thing. At least, _Padme_ had agreed to stay on the ship, manning the guns in the Falcon and hadn't _insisted_ on joining the ground assault into the base. Being the loving protective husband that he was, he would have _preferred_ that she stay in London and stay out of the battle altogether, but it was _her_ son down there too, just as much as his, so he knew better than to ask her to stay out of the fight to rescue Luke. And, he knew she was still one hell of a crack shot...be it with bullets or blasters.

As the Jedi's air forces amassed near the crest of the mountain base, Anakin jerked his internal musings back to the present, looking around at Obi-Wan, Mara, Leia, and Padme. From the cockpit, Solo hollered out, 'One Minute! Prepare for assault!" The group looked from one to the other, nodding in understanding, and Obi-Wan, Leia, and Mara walked toward the ramp door, leaving Anakin and Padme behind.

Anakin walked over and hugged his wife tight. This was it. The time they had waited for, for nine agonizing years...Today, they would finally bring their son home. Gently taking his wife's face in his hands, Anakin leaned down and tenderly kissed her then bent his forehead to hers. At the same time, they both said, "Be safe." Pulling back, they both smirked, and Anakin's voice boomed out the order they'd been waiting for…

"Let's do this!"

* * *

Now, he was on the ground, inside of the base. Half of the complex had obviously been nearly demolished by an avalanche of snow, so it hadn't been hard to determine which door Luke had broken into (the cutout, melted metal sort of gave it away). Including the Falcon, there were ten ships who began to rain down bullets on the base, destroying whatever seemed vital. For a moment, as the sound of impacting bullets tearing through metal, glass, and concrete filtered into the hallway they entered, Anakin felt a brief surge of fear that Padme might get hurt if any anti-aircraft fire was returned, but he shook it off. He knew his wife could handle herself in such situations. And, if all went as planned, they'd rescue Luke, capture as many of the Inquisitors alive as possible to take them to the Jedi sanctuaries across Europe for rehabilitation and medical care, and destroy this cursed Sith base before leaving...There were ten more Jedi Knights who had joined the ground assault from their European sanctuaries. " _Don't_ kill if you don't have to," Anakin ordered them all as they entered the base, "These are all kids like Luke who have been captured and brainwashed into practically worshiping Palpatine. Our quarrel is _not_ with them, but with their leaders. Got it?"

"Yes, Master," each muttered before they split into groups, lightsabers ignited and blazing as they spread out to search various corridors.

"You realize that might be an impossible order," Mara pointed out, igniting her own lightsaber. It was a violet blade, like Mace Windu's had been, and somehow the color seemed to…fit her. She seemed like she was totally comfortable with using it as well, and as they made their way down the corridor, she strode with the confidence not only of a warrior, but of a fully-trained Jedi. Anakin frowned at that, but chose not to ask about it. Perhaps, they could have that discussion at a later time.

First things first. Find Luke.

"We can still try." Obi-Wan answered from Anakin's side. He too had his lightsaber ignited already. Anakin hadn't even bothered to ignite his lightsaber yet. He'd meant it when he said to try not to kill the Inquisitors. They were Luke's age, or even younger. He _didn't_ want to kill children if he didn't have to...He'd done that once as Vader and had sworn in this world _never_ to repeat that episode, and he didn't plan on doing so today.

"Leia, can you sense where Luke is?" he asked. Despite being able to feel his son's pain, Luke's Force signature was dulled and distorted, and he couldn't get a clear read on where it was coming from. Even with half of the facility buried under snow, it was _still_ a massive base. Perhaps Leia, being his twin, would sense more.

"No, Dad," She frowned, and he could feel her reaching out with the Force. "It feels like your presence did when you were drugged in Namibia."

Anakin held himself back from cursing out loud in front of his daughter (hey, he was _still_ a dad—he had to at least _try_ to set a good example), settling instead for cursing in Huttese in his mind, and as he did, a troop of about ten Inquisitors rounded the corner, just ahead of them, lightsabers blazing, charging at full speed towards them. Mara and Leia moved into a defensive stance, lightsabers ablaze, bracing themselves to engage, but Anakin stepped forward. "I've got this. Stand down," He said grimly, reaching out with both of his hands as he stretched out with the Force…and lifted every single one of them up off of the ground.

Clearly, the Inquisitors hadn't expected this, and there was panic in their ranks as he did so. They flailed around like wet noodles in the air, shouting at him furiously in various languages, but he got the message: They wanted down. But, he wasn't about to do that... _yet_.

"Nice trick," Mara mused, "But now what?"

"Oh, Force," Obi-Wan muttered, rolling his eyes, "You're _not_ about to do what I _think_ you're going to do, are you?"

"To save their lives?" Anakin acknowledged, "Yes. It isn't a Dark Side power if used for the right reasons." As he said this, he used the Force and reached into their minds, softly using the Force to almost lull them into a deep sleep. Once every Inquisitor was knocked out, he gently placed them back on the floor. "There. Now, there's no need to kill any of them. Leia, comm Blue Leader and tell him to dispatch his crew to this location to pick up this group of Inquisitors. He should be arriving with the transports for the prisoners in," He checked his watch on his wrist, "five minutes." Having said that, he didn't wait for their response, and began stepping over the unconscious bodies, as Leia comm'ed their incoming transports.

"You need to be careful with that one, Anakin." Obi-Wan reminded him wearily, but Anakin could feel that Obi-Wan had relaxed a little. Obi-Wan didn't want to kill any of these kids any more than Anakin did.

"Is that…. _normally_ a Dark Side power?" Leia asked slowly, as they followed Anakin and Obi-Wan through the deserted corridors.

To his surprise, it was Mara who spoke up. "Normally, yes, but only because it becomes very easy to twist someone's mind and take away their will. It isn't something that should _ever_ be abused…though I've never seen it done in mass like that, which was incredible to watch. Kudos, Skywalker." There was a hint of wonder in her voice, but she did well to hide most of it.

 _Most_ of it.

Anakin glanced back over his shoulder to look at the woman who he had spent most of his time as Vader disliking. The woman who was apparently his daughter-in-law. "You seem to know more about the Force than the average Padawan, Mara." He commented dryly, eyebrow cocked in an unspoken question.

Something defiant flashed in Mara's brilliant green eyes. "I had a good teacher, Skywalker."

Before Anakin could even ask, there was a massive _BOOM_ , and the four Force Wielders had to use the walls to brace themselves as the building shuddered violently around them…and the lights went black. _Please, NOT Padme,_ Anakin couldn't help but think.

For a moment, the group was silent, the only light being the three lightsaber blades still ignited, which emitted a pastel glow of blue, green, and violet, like a rainbow, in the hallway. "I have a bad feeling about this," Obi-Wan muttered, as Anakin finally pulled out his own lightsaber and ignited it for extra light, the snap-hiss seeming to echo in the stillness around them. Anakin couldn't help but agree—he'd stopped feeling his son in pain, but he felt a sudden pulse from the Force, as if something much worse were about to happen.

They needed to find Luke. Now.

As if on cue, an Inquisitor rounded the corner in a flat out run—a boy, really. He couldn't have been older than twelve. When he saw the four Force users before him, he yelped in panic, fumbled at his belt for his lightsaber, stumbling backward…but was stopped before he could go any further. In a few quick strides, Mara had closed the distance between them, her lightsaber suddenly at the kid's throat. The boy's eyes widened in horror, and he began to shake in his shoes. Literally. Clearly, he was still just a student.

"Tell me where Luke is, and you won't get hurt." She warned darkly. Anakin was already moving forward, opening his mouth to order her to stand down. He would _not_ tolerate torturing a youngling, and given Mara's past, he had no doubt that she would do so if she felt it necessary.

"Wh-who is L-Luke?" The boy stammered in heavily accented English, and Anakin could feel his panic at not knowing who she was talking about.

"Stand down, Mara." Anakin snapped the order when he was close enough, but Mara ignored him.

"Fine. Where is _Starkiller?_ I know your people have him! Where **is** he, boy?!" The young boy's demeanor changed with recognition, and Anakin paused. The boy knew….or at least he knew that Starkiller was in custody.

"I….I don't…." he began, and Mara pressed the humming blade closer to his throat.

"Mara!" Anakin snapped again, raising his own blade to stop her. He wanted to find his son too, but this was _not_ the way to do it. They _weren't_ going to stoop to the level of a Sith! As a Jedi Grand Master, Anakin wouldn't allow this.

"Shut it, Skywalker," Mara growled, "I'm not going to kill him." She paused, looking the boy over. "But, he doesn't need those fingers. What do you say, kid? I start slicing fingers for every second you don't…"

"NO!" The kid screamed in terror, and Anakin used the Force to literally pull Mara away from the boy, his own fury sparking. The kid dropped to his knees before the four of them, shaking violently, but not running away. He probably knew that he wouldn't get away from four powerful Force Wielders by himself.

"I warned you, Mara! We are _**not**_ going to harm these children!" Anakin snarled through clenched teeth. What he _really_ wanted to do was yell at her, take her lightsaber away, and lock her up somewhere where she wouldn't do any damage, but he had a strong feeling that wouldn't earn him any points with Luke. So, he settled for the less... _aggressive_...tactic.

Mara's eyes flashed with anger at having been interrupted, and she whirled on Anakin. "Look, just because _you_ don't have what it takes to rescue Luke, doesn't mean that _I_ …"

Anakin's temper spiked again, and as they argued, none but perhaps Obi-Wan noticed Leia quietly crouch down in front of the terrified boy, reaching a hand out gently to brush the boy's hair out of his face. " _Anakin!_ " Obi-Wan snapped, effectively cutting Anakin's scathing retort short, " _Mara!_ Be quiet and let Leia handle this." He motioned toward Leia with his head.

Anakin and Mara reluctantly looked away from one another to stare down at Leia, who was speaking softly to the boy. "…he's my brother, you see. All I want is to take him home. If you tell us where he is, we'll leave. All of us. You can live. But, if we don't know where he is, the longer my friends and I will stay, fighting to find him, and you might not live." A bomb suddenly exploded from somewhere far away, shaking the building anew, and the boy winced. "I know you're scared, little one. But, _you_ have the power to make this attack stop. Just tell me where I can find him." Leia's voice was so soothing as she continued to softly stroke the boy's hair, like a mother soothing a frightened child. A tactic Padme would have used. _So like her mother,_ Anakin thought with a burst of paternal pride.

For a moment though, Anakin wasn't sure if the boy would tell them. If he was an older Inquisitor, he probably wouldn't. But, the boy proved him wrong. "The detention cells...I don't know which one exactly, but I can tell you where they are."

Mara made a little noise of surprise, but Leia only smiled grimly, as the boy told her where to go. "Thank you." She said softly, standing and backing out of the boy's personal space. "Go. May the Force be with you."

The boy looked at her in confusion…and got up and bolted off down the hallway away from them. "See?" Leia said, lifting her eyebrows knowingly, already moving to follow the boy's directions. "All you have to do is ask nicely. Usually."

"Suuuuure," Mara said grudgingly, shooting a glare at Anakin before following after her.

Anakin sighed, glancing at Obi-Wan. " _Why_ did it have to be Mara freakin' Jade, Obi-Wan?! _Why?_ Out of ALL the women on this planet... _Why her?!_ " He grumbled, already trying to imagine living the rest of his life trying to be cordial with the infernal flame-haired girl that had apparently captured his son's heart. " _Why_ couldn't Luke have married someone else? Like…I'd be _totally_ happy if he decided to marry a rock."

"A rock?!" Obi-Wan raised his eyebrow, the corners of his lips twitching with amusement. "Come now, Anakin...I think that's taking it a bit _too_ far, don't you think? I mean, you're a romantic kind of guy...Would _you_ prefer curling up in bed next to a rock every night instead of Padme?!" The older Jedi's eyes danced with mirth.

"Alright, alright! I see your point," Anakin huffed and turned away to follow Mara's receding back, clearly scowling, "But, at least a rock wouldn't be so…so…blasted infuriating!"

"Yes...Sounds like someone else I know." Obi-Wan commented, and Anakin gritted his teeth to keep from replying to that, which made Obi-Wan smirk in quiet amusement.

* * *

It didn't take them long to reach the detention cells, thanks to the boy's directions. By now, there were bombs and anti aircraft guns going off outside every minute or so, sending repetitive shudders throughout the structure, increasing the risk of collapse with every shake. "We _have_ to hurry," Anakin said into the darkness, "It sounds really bad out there." He didn't like the idea of his Jedi being out there with just Solo to lead them…and Solo had his beloved wife on board his ship, too...and _she_ was manning a gun turret firing off some of those rounds! If Solo messed up and the Falcon got hit… _No_ , he didn't want to think of his wife getting hit with any more bullets. Once in a lifetime was _more_ than enough!

The sooner they could find Luke and _all_ of them get out of here to safety, the better.

From up ahead, Leia abruptly stopped, moving her lightsaber closer to one of the doors. "Umm...Dad? Uncle Ben? Come look at this." From beside her Mara cursed, muttering something about stupid, heroic, runaway Jedi. Anakin pointedly ignored her and he and Obi-Wan joined them….and Anakin cursed out loud this time when he saw what Leia was looking at. Clearly, this was the cell Luke had been in. The door had been pushed open to a space about Luke's size, with melted metal around what had been the locking mechanism. Anakin peered into the darkness of the cell with his blue lightsaber and saw the crumpled figure of an unconscious Inquisitor and a metal torture table with its electrically charged restraints released.

"He sure has a knack for escaping, doesn't he?" Obi-Wan commented dryly.

Anakin flashed back to all those times when he'd hunted Luke across the galaxy as Darth Vader. Literally, the _only_ reason Vader had been able to bring Luke to Palpatine in the first place was because Luke turned himself in with the sole purpose of rescuing _him_.

"You have _nooo_ idea," Anakin said sourly. "Now what? Any ideas?"

"Well," Leia began, frowning at the gap, "We _could_ begin searching the halls around here. He might not have gone…." She didn't finish. Suddenly, Leia paled, straightening up, her eyes widening in horror, as she stared at almost nothing.

"Leia?" Anakin asked, concern mixing with his frustration at not having found Luke yet. He reached out, touching her shoulder hesitantly, gently, and the moment he did, she snapped out of it with a gasp, whirling on him.

"Daddy, I _know_ where Luke is!" There was _such_ conviction in her voice, that Anakin was momentarily stunned. Leia didn't wait though. She turned on her heel and began to run flat out down the corridor away from them. "Luke's in trouble!" She yelled over her shoulder into the darkness.

"Leia! Wait!" Anakin called, starting out after her. Dimly, he could feel Obi-Wan and Mara begin running after them both. "What's going...?"

"No time to explain!" Leia hollered, picking up speed with the help of the Force, as she darted around corner after corner until…she abruptly stopped. Anakin almost crashed right into her, and it was only years of training that kept him from doing so. Obi-Wan and Mara pulled up short and stopped as well, and all four of them stood and stared in utter shock at the mess before them.

They stood facing a long, narrow hallway…or rather what was _left_ of one. The middle section had been blown completely apart, the smoke just beginning to clear. To the left, there were still flames licking at the ground, but it was dying down to the point that Anakin could tell that it had not been a bomb, but instead was what little was left of a crashed ship. Heart sinking, Anakin began to make his way over to the wreckage to check to see if it was one of their Jedi or one of the Inquisitors (although so little was left, he doubted he'd be able to tell just by looking, as the impact had practically obliterated the craft), but Leia had already recovered and was making her way towards the collapsed rubble. It looked like the right wall had been blown apart as well.

Force, he _hoped_ Luke wasn't…

"LUKE!" Leia's shrill shriek brought reality crashing down on Anakin. She suddenly bolted through the right side of the wreckage and into the frigid cold outside. Suddenly, it became very hard to stand. Anakin was almost afraid to go after her, afraid of what he'd see. Was he too late? Had Luke been caught up in the blast? No…he'd have sensed Luke's death, wouldn't he? He hadn't been connected like that to Luke in a very long time, but Luke was _still_ his son. He could hear Leia comm'ing someone, her voice distant, the tone frantic, but though Anakin couldn't see her any longer, he could hear her panic…

And that was enough to propel him forward in a rush.

What he saw made him almost lose it. Crumbled chunks of the splintered wall were scattered about, but the snow was drenched crimson red with blood. _Luke's blood._ Force! There was so much of it, Anakin was _sure_ that Luke was dead. He _had_ to be to have lost that much blood. He forced himself to keep going, feeling as if he were stumbling around on numb legs, barely able to breathe—he _couldn't_ fall apart, as much as he wanted to. Luke needed him. Leia needed him. Padme needed him. The Jedi needed him. He was the Chosen One, after all. He _couldn't_ lose it now, he just couldn't….In an instant, he was at Luke's other side, falling to his knees.

Shrapnel.

There were countless jagged shrapnel pieces from some sort of explosion embedded in his son, mostly in his legs and his chest. With shaking hands, Anakin reached down and gently felt Luke's neck for a pulse. For a heartbeat, he didn't feel anything, but then… _.There!_ It was weak, but it was there.

Luke was still alive….for now.

He realized that Obi-Wan was also there, trying to get his attention. "…kin! Anakin!" When Anakin lifted his head and met his friend's eyes, Obi-Wan continued urgently, "We need to get him into a healing trance! _**Now!**_ _"_ His voice was firm, no-nonsense, the voice of a Jedi Grand Master and General. Leia was still on the comm, speaking to someone, her voice shaking and on the verge of hysterics, but Anakin couldn't pull his focus away from his son to help her. He had to help Luke, and though he wasn't ever very good at healing trances (not because he didn't have the ability to learn, but because it just had never been his focus of study), he would do what he had to in order to save his son.

He wasn't going to lose him. The Force wouldn't take Luke from him, not this time.

Anakin reached out, placing a hand on Luke's forehead, brushing blonde curls so like his own away as he did so. Sensing that Anakin would need help in this, Obi-Wan reached out to support him, placing his own hand on the side of Luke's face, and closed his eyes. Anakin closed his eyes as well, willing himself to calm, reaching out with the Force to his son. Despite being on the verge of death, Luke's presence in the Force was surprisingly strong, and it didn't take long for Anakin to make contact with Luke's presence. Even years later, after all of the twisting and warping Palpatine had done to Luke's mind, after all of the darkness that Luke had been forced to endure at the Sith Lord's evil hand, Anakin was able to push past all of that straight to the core of Luke's soul—straight to who Luke _really_ was. Even though there was certainly darkness there (as there still was to a degree with Anakin), Luke was, at his core, _good_. It shone brightly, though the light was dimming, and as Anakin's presence touched that very essential part of who Luke was, Luke's presence responded.

The very core of Luke's presence knew Anakin. It _knew_ that Anakin was his father, and it latched onto Anakin's presence like a starving child to food. It knocked Anakin breathless with its intensity, it's desperation to never let go again, reminding Anakin of how Luke had called out to him so desperately before he'd left for Mars when Luke was but a year old…" _Da!_ ," _It cried out_...and as it did so, something clicked into place, something that Anakin had missed for nine, tortuous, awful years.

Their bond.

Immediately, Anakin felt as if he'd found a missing part of himself. He felt _whole_ , and yet with that came the overwhelming knowledge that beyond the fact that his son was currently dying, there was something fundamentally broken in his son. Anakin could _feel_ something like a barrier, a wall of some sort in Luke's mind, a barrier stronger than any durasteel, so strong that it could not be shattered by anyone but Luke, a barrier that was holding back Luke's true memories…and it tore Anakin up inside.

Yes, as a former Sith Lord, he'd understood _exactly_ what had happened to his son in Palpatine's clutches when Mara had described it to him, but now that he was faced with the undeniable proof….it made him want to hide Luke away from _anything_ that could hurt him again, and never let him go.

 _Anakin,_ Obi-Wan's voice in his mind brought him back to the task at hand, _The healing trance? Quickly!_

Right. Anakin pressed into his renewed bond with his son, sending calming, soothing waves and his love into his son's mind, as he coaxed it into less of an unconscious state and more into a healing-coma-trance-like state. Given how weak Luke was, it wasn't hard, and soon Luke was falling deep into the healing trance, which would buy them some time to get him to a proper medical facility. As Anakin began to withdraw, he sent one last, clear thought into Luke's mind: _I'm right here, Luke. I love you, Son. I won't leave you…so don't you dare leave me._

He couldn't tell if Luke actually heard those words, but Anakin meant it all the same. He pulled away, coming back to reality, opening his eyes. Obi-Wan was still on Luke's other side and opening his eyes as well. Anakin turned to visually find Leia, to see her and Mara a bit away, waving their arms as the Falcon was preparing to land. Anakin realized then that Leia must have comm'ed Padme, who must have directed Solo where to find them. "We need to get Luke on the ship," Anakin found himself saying. His voice was way calmer than he was feeling. Maybe that was a good thing. He didn't need Padme freaking out at this point because _he_ was. He carefully began to move Luke, putting one of his son's arms over his shoulders, wrapping his other arm around his son's waist, as Obi-Wan put Luke's other arm over his, and also braced an arm around Luke's middle. As the Falcon landed in the snow, the ramp lowering, Anakin and Obi-Wan began to carry Luke gently, but hurriedly, towards the ship.

As the ramp lowered, Padme appeared at the top, looking like she was going to run down to meet them, but she froze at the sight of Luke, her skin paling, mouth dropping into a horrified 'oh,' as her eyes widened. "Padme," Anakin grunted as they began to head up the ramp, "I need you to get Solo to show you where the medical supplies are." He didn't bother telling her it was going to be fine—he wasn't sure of that himself, and Luke obviously didn't _look_ like it was going to be fine.

Padme was a woman of action, something Anakin had _always_ admired about her, and her husband's words to her had their intended effect—it got her to move again. Although he could see the terror in her dark brown eyes, could feel her worry for their son rolling off of her in waves, she steeled herself and nodded, glancing once last time at Luke before she rushed off to do as he asked.

"Daddy…" Leia's voice from behind him was soft and shaking. "Is Luke going to…?"

He didn't know. He didn't _want_ to know. "Princess, I _need_ you to focus right now. Give Solo the location coordinates of the Swiss Jedi Sanctuary. We need to get Luke to a medical facility and a Jedi Healer, now!"

Leia, like her mother, was a woman of action. As they entered the Falcon, she hurried off to do just that, leaving Anakin and Obi-Wan to carry Luke to the tiny medical bay in the back of the Falcon. Laying Luke gently down on the bed mounted to the wall, they strapped him to the bed to keep him from rolling off, and Anakin brushed his fingers gently across his son's brow, his eyes tearing up. After nine horrendous years of pain and anguish that only a parent can imagine, his son was _finally_ where he belonged.

On his way home.

* * *

 _I'm right here, Luke. I love you, Son. I won't leave you…so don't you dare leave me._

The words penetrated the darkness Luke was lying in, and he frowned. Was that…his father? It _sounded_ like his voice, but the words...they didn't match anything his father would _ever_ say to Luke, though. But suddenly, Luke didn't feel so alone in that darkness anymore. He wasn't cold anymore either—he felt warm, even. He could still feel that his body was weak, that it was dying, but it seemed…slower, somehow. Luke didn't understand what had changed, but lying in that darkness, he didn't care. All he cared about was that the pain wasn't as bad, and he didn't feel alone anymore.

He didn't know how long he lay in that darkness. Minutes. Hours. Days. Years. It didn't really matter. But eventually, the darkness began to recede, to brighten, just a little, until he was staring up at the stars. He felt a gentle breeze brush across his face, a warm breeze. Beneath him was hard stone. When he turned his head to try to get his bearings, he could see the dim lights of a city in the distance. In an instant, he knew where he was, though he wasn't sure _how_ he'd ended up there.

Egypt. On top of the Pyramid of Giza.

It was a dream, he knew that, and yet it felt so real. His fingertips could even feel grains of sand that had been blown there probably by one of the sandstorms. He'd been there once before, had climbed that pyramid (not legally of course) in the middle of the night with…Fingertips brushed his, and his heart pounded in his ears. He was almost afraid to turn his head, afraid of what he would see. "Luke." Her voice reached him, tearing his soul apart. It was as kind and gentle as he remembered it, much _too_ kind for an Inquisitor. Slowly, he forced himself to turn his head to look to his other side, where she'd lain before when they'd done this in real life. There she was, exactly as he remembered, and yet even in the dream, he could _feel_ that she wasn't the same. "Luke." She said softly, and he could see her blue eyes alight with emotion even in the dimness. "Go back, Luke. It's not your time yet."

Luke frowned, opened his mouth to speak, and at first no words came out. It took him a few tries, but he eventually managed to say, "I'm so sorry, Talia."

She gave a little sigh, rolling over so that she was on her side, facing him. Her dark hair fell around her face like a waterfall. He knew what it would feel like if he reached out and touched it. Thick. Soft as silk. He refrained from doing so. "None of this is your fault." She told him, and there was conviction in her voice. "It was _never_ your fault."

"How can you say that?" Luke demanded, but he couldn't bring himself to actually be upset. Still, she knew what he did. She'd seen with her own eyes what he'd done right before she'd died. She knew that her death was his fault. If he'd just…

"Because, I made my choice, Luke." She replied softly, "There are things you don't know about me. Things I never got to tell you. Things I was going to tell you that night…" She trailed off, her gaze unfocusing for a brief moment before she shook her head. "You have to go back. There are people who love you who are waiting for you, Luke. You _have_ to go home now."

Luke frowned, his mind flashing to Mara. He refrained from asking about that though—he didn't know what the protocol was exactly for talking to your dead girlfriend, but he assumed bringing up your living girlfriend wasn't a good idea. Still, she said people…as in plural. Han and Chewie, maybe? "I'm pretty sure I've screwed up most of my relationships with all those people." He remarked dryly. "I guess the Inquisitor-training runs deep."

Talia rolled her eyes. "Please, you and I both know that neither of us were really destined to be good Inquisitors." Luke frowned. They'd joked about that a few times when they'd started dating, but he didn't think she'd ever been serious about it. As far as he knew, she wanted nothing more than to become Palpatine's apprentice, and when she had gone to become just that, she'd been betrayed. He didn't get the chance to ask though. She continued, "Your relationships aren't what you _think_ they are."

"Well." He said, "That's not cryptic at all." He rolled his eyes, and quirked an eyebrow at her.

She smiled a little, a smile that he never thought he'd see again. It was just as beautiful now as it had been before. "I think that's part of the job description when you become a Force Ghost."

"A what?"

She shook her head. "Nevermind. The point is this….Do you remember _why_ I asked you to come to the base in Namibia?"

Of course he did. "You said you'd found out important information. You said it was something I needed to know, something that could only be said in person. You asked me to come so that you could tell me a truth that needed to be revealed." He frowned. "I think you're just good at being cryptic."

"Right." She said, and he assumed she meant for both the answer to her question and his own comment on her personality. "When you wake up, Luke, you're going to find out what it was that I was going to tell you. Someone you know, someone you love very much is waiting there to tell you." She placed a hand on his cheek, and though he could feel her touch, it wasn't warm. Another reminder that she was dead, and part of his past, never his future. "I want you to remember that, even though things are about to change for you in ways that you may find hard to believe at first, you _are_ where you're meant to be. When you feel like running…don't. Rely on those who love you, Luke. You can't defeat Palpatine alone." She paused then, a strange look in her eyes. "Don't do what I did."

Wait, _what?_

But before he could ask, the edges of his vision became hazy. "It's time, Luke. Go home." Talia smiled then, a real smile. "Be happy. Live, Luke...Live and enjoy life. That's _all_ I want from you."

There was still so much he wanted to say, still so much he needed to know…but he had a feeling that wasn't important, and nothing he could say would adequately make up for what happened. "You be happy, too. Wherever you are."

Her gaze softened, and as the vision began to fade, she reached out and touched his chest, right over his heart. "I am never far, Luke. I'll _always_ be with you. Always."

The vision faded, and for a moment there was only darkness. Moments passed, each one bringing more and more heaviness to his body. He began to feel…not the pain of sustained injuries, but an ache of old injuries, the ache of not having moved for a very long time. There was a strange taste in his mouth, a strange smell that filled his nostrils. It was almost like a really strong aloe vera gel, and he felt as if it had covered him completely at some point, and it now just left a dry itchy residue all over him. He was exhausted, too. Unbelievably exhausted. He was tempted to sleep forever, and yet Talia's words echoed in his head.

Go back. Wake up. Go home.

Slowly, he forced himself to open his heavy eyelids. It took a few tries, but eventually, they opened, and he winced as light flooded his vision suddenly, blinding him. Soon, though, his eyes adjusted, and he frowned in confusion at his surroundings. He wasn't lying in a pool of blood on top of a Swiss mountain, surrounded by freezing snow. He was in what looked like a very comfortable bedroom with some medical equipment next to the bed. It was definitely not a hospital, and yet he also suspected that it was some sort of medical treatment center. The sheets he was under were a dark grayish-blue, and on the wall directly in front of him was mounted a flat screen TV, with a few plush chairs in random areas, and…He froze, his eyes catching sight of someone he thought he'd never see again.

 _His mom._

She was sitting in a chair right by his side, one hand holding onto his. Her head was bowed, her eyes closed, her hair pulled back into a messy braid. She was leaning on the mattress, her forehead resting against his right leg. If he wasn't mistaken, there were dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep…but he _had_ to be mistaken. His mother was dead. And, angels didn't have dark circles under their eyes.

So, then, he wasn't alive either. It certainly _felt_ like he was alive, and Talia had certainly suggested that it wasn't his time yet. Had he died anyway? Was death just a copy of real life, except without the living in it? But…he was breathing. He felt warm. And, honestly, waking up dead in a relatively cozy yet unimpressive bedroom with medical equipment was sort of anticlimactic. And, yet there was no other explanation for what he was seeing.

Padme Skywalker was dead.

He'd seen it with his own eyes! He could feel the necklace he'd taken from her still around his neck like a weight. His mind whirled with confusion and the knowledge that he really had died, and…It didn't matter. His mom was sitting there, and he didn't care if she was asleep or not (did dead people need sleep? What was the point of being dead if it was just like life?). He _needed_ his mom, just like he'd needed her for so many years. " _Mom_ ," His voice was rough and raspy from not using it in he didn't know how long. Yet another thing he hadn't expected to happen when he was dead. "Mom!"

His mother suddenly jerked awake, gasping, her brown eyes wide, her head shooting up…the same soft, loving eyes he'd dreamed about for so many years. Her gaze settled on him, staring as if she couldn't comprehend that Luke was dead with her now. But the realization hit her, and tears filled her eyes. " _Luke!_ " She gasped, moving from her chair to sit on his bed. Then he was in her arms. She was holding him much like she had when he was little, kissing his forehead, rubbing her hands tenderly over his hair and down his back, crying, saying things he couldn't understand, words jumbled together and babbling like water in a brook.

He didn't mind though. In fact, it was a relief. He wrapped his arms around her, marveling at how _warm_ she was. Maybe dead people were warm to each other. She was smaller than he was now, which was also something he didn't remember, and yet she still fit perfectly in his arms. He closed his eyes, noticing that his own face was wet with tears. He breathed in her familiar vanilla scent, the same scent he remembered as a child, and for the first time in nine years, he felt at peace. Even though he was dead, he was _home_. He could _finally_ apologize to his beloved mother, do whatever it took to make up for ending her life so tragically. "I've missed you so much Mom," He whispered, his words muffled because his face was buried against her neck. "I'm so, _so_ sorry. This is all my fault."

His mom froze then, as if realizing something. Then, much to his dismay, she pulled away from him…though she didn't let him go. She only pulled away enough to meet his eyes. "You aren't dead, Luke."

Luke frowned, staring at her, unable to comprehend those words. "Of course I am." He said it matter-of-factly. "It's the only explanation."

"No, Luke," She said his name so reverently, "I never died, Son." He still stared at her. uncomprehendingly. Maybe _she_ didn't know she was dead. Obviously, she could tell that he still didn't believe her. Gently, she took his hand, putting his fingers at her wrist. "Can you feel that, Luke?" Reluctantly, he pulled his eyes away from her face to look at their hands. Sure enough, he could feel a pulse, beating strong and true. But….dead people didn't have pulses. "Use the Force, Luke. Stretch out with your feelings. See for yourself. I'm alive, Son."

The Force. The last time he'd tried to use that, it had been suppressed because of a drug. Yet when he called upon it now, it easily responded, and he stretched out with it towards his mother and…

Yes! She was indeed alive!

His cerulean blue gaze jolted back to hers, suddenly feeling sick. She stared back with love shining in her warm brown eyes, waiting patiently for him to process this. She was alive. Memories of that horrible night rose up, swirling in his mind contradicting what he was clearly seeing for himself. She was alive. But he'd...he'd _killed_ her! His father had tried to kill _him_ because of that. There had been so much blood….

"Luke, listen to me. Palpatine is _evil_ to the core. He used the Dark Side of the Force to twist your mind." His mom began to explain when Luke was unable to form the questions he desperately needed answered. "The memories you have of before you were taken from us…those aren't _real_. They're what Palpatine wanted you to remember, thoughts that he implanted in your mind. It's a Sith trick that could have killed you had you been any older than you were." More tears fell down his mother's face. She stroked his hair gently, and yet he couldn't feel any of it. His entire focus was on her, on what she was saying. "You are _so_ loved, Luke. Your father and I moved to Texas to protect you and your sister. We thought Palpatine couldn't hurt you anymore there. We were wrong. Horribly, horribly wrong. We let our guard down. The night you were taken, your father went to hunt down Grievous in Corpus Christi with the other Jedi. I stayed home with you, Leia, and your baby brother Hayden." She closed her eyes, as if remembering something, and then opened them again, remembered pain filling her gaze. "Asajj Ventress was the one who attacked us that night. Ventress is the one who took you away from us. Not some random guy."

Her words made sense. It was something Luke _should_ have realized long ago. Only a Force-Sensitive could have breached the Jedi Temple's defenses, even if most of the Jedi were gone on a mission. He'd also always _hated_ Ventress, had felt like he needed to protect himself from her whenever she was around. He'd never understood it…Until now.

His mother kept explaining. "You were just trying to protect me, Sweetie. I want you to know that neither your father or I blame you for that. Your father says he should have pushed to train you at a younger age so that you would have at least had a lightsaber…" she sighed, shaking her head. "But that's an old debate that no one can do anything about now. Anyway, after…after I was shot, I lost consciousness, but I _didn't_ die. I won't lie to you and say that I didn't come close to death, because I did. But I _didn't_ die." She stroked his cheek softly. "Your father didn't even get there until long after you'd been taken, but even if I _had_ died…well, your father wouldn't have been in a good place, true, but make no mistake, Luke..." She looked him straight in the eye, with so much conviction Luke couldn't help but believe her. "Your father would **never,** and I mean _NEVER,_ have hurt you. Your father _**loves**_ you, has _always_ loved you. From the moment we found out we were having you and Leia, he was loved you totally and completely. He would _never_ have tried to kill you, Son."

There were still those memories that made Luke want to protest. He opened his mouth to do so, but…the proof was literally sitting right there before him. "We _never_ gave up looking for you, Luke. We have searched every continent, all over the globe to try and find you and bring you home to us." His mom said softly, "And, then your father _did_ find you down in Rio, and we didn't understand why…we didn't understand _why_ you were so resistant and so hostile to him until Mara reached out…"

"Mara?" Luke interrupted, his mind practically whirling with the unexpected mention of Mara. Mara had contacted his parents? _When? How?_

His mother nodded. "She wanted to help you, but she wanted both sides of the story. She called your father's office at NASA while we were in London, and she told us she wanted to meet up, expecting to only meet up with your father, of course,…but I was also with your father, as was Uncle Ben and Leia, all of us looking for you, so I went, too. To say she was shocked to find out that I was alive is an understatement."

Yeah, no kidding. He knew the feeling.

"When she explained your side of things and how you believed I was dead and how you believed your father had tried to kill you, and how she knew you _believed_ what you'd told her thoroughly, your father figured out what Palpatine had done to you. We were _hoping_ that you'd come back to your…home in London so that I could show you the truth in less….stressful circumstances, but you'd already gone off on your own to Switzerland. We had to try to stop you. Mara convinced Han to help us rescue you, and your father and Uncle Ben called in all Jedi in the area available to help. We attacked the mountain base…"

He remembered now. The noises of anti-aircraft guns, the sounds of bombs going off, the power going out, the initial explosion that had destroyed the hallway…. "Well, we destroyed it really, took as many Inquisitors as possible back to our European Jedi bases to be treated and rehabilitated...And we found _you_ when you reached out to Leia. We rushed you to the nearest Jedi Sanctuary, here in Switzerland, where Master Lily, one of Vokara's old students, was able to extract the shrapnel and get you into a Bacta tank." His mother sighed, running a hand through his hair in wonder. "Five days later, and here we are."

For a moment, they just stared at one another. Clearly, his mom was waiting for him to say something, but all he could do was just stare. Her words ran through his mind over and over again until he began to fully realize their implications. _So_ many things that hadn't made sense before began to click into place, like puzzle pieces put together…and yet, the memories he'd believed for so long stayed firmly rooted in his brain. "You're not dead." He finally said.

His mom shook her head. "No."

"And father never tried to….to kill me."

"Force, no! We _both_ love you very much! All we've wanted all these years is for you to come home." There was so much pain in her voice…

He simply….stared. "So, my whole remembered life," he said softly, "Has been a lie."

She didn't say anything for a long moment. "Most of it, I think. I'm not completely sure what it is you remember and what you don't. We'll have to talk through all that," She leaned forward. "That _doesn't_ mean that you _can't_ get those memories back. I mean….I'm not a doctor, or a Jedi, but…it _might_ be possible, especially with a Jedi Healer who specializes in healing the mind, and if it is, and you _want_ to remember the truth, well…I'll help however I can, Son. Because I love you."

He suddenly felt very, _very_ sick. He'd thought Palpatine killing Talia had been enough of a betrayal, but _this_ …he'd trusted him! At one point, he'd wanted nothing more than to please him and he…Oh Force, that man had been manipulating him for his own gain way more than Luke had realized. He had spent nine years of his life being Palpatine's puppet, his slave, and had falsely hated his father and thought his mother was dead and…all because Palpatine wished it!

The image of himself attacking his father on the rooftop in Rio entered his mind, followed by the image of him Force-choking his father in Namibia….oh Force, what had he _done?!_

"Luke," he felt his mother's hands on his face, forcing him to look at her. " _None_ of this is your fault. Do you understand? You didn't know. You didn't…"

"I'm so sorry," he suddenly said, and he realized that tears were flowing freely now. "Mom, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" He couldn't stop repeating that phrase. He couldn't even begin to figure out how to express how much guilt he felt, how sickened he was to understand the implications of what had happened to him, to their family. Apologizing over and over again seemed like a good place to start, even if it was irrational.

"Luke!" his mother, his sweet, very much alive mother, said, cutting him off, "I know. None of us blame you, but also, none of us think this is going to be something that will be easy for you to heal from either. It will take time, Son." When Luke still seemed like he was on the verge of a break down (because he was), his mother sighed. "Why don't I call your father? He and Leia went to go get some food about an hour ago…Maybe it's time that we all just...figure this out together. As a family."

A stab of guilt hit him. "No!" he hastily said with conviction, startling his mom. If he didn't even know where to begin to make amends with his _mother_ , how in the world could he possibly even begin to make amends to his _father?_ He never did anything intentionally to his mother, but he'd literally tried to kill his father not once, but twice, not realizing that his father was just trying to bring him home. "I mean," he started when his mom looked deeply concerned for him, "Not…not yet. I just…." He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Can you just…hold me for a while, please? Like you used to, Mom?"

Most parents probably would have thought it strange that their seventeen-year-old son had asked to be held, but he hadn't expected to feel her love, much less her embrace, ever again. Now he could, and with his path now clouded with confusion and uncertainty and guilt, being held by her seemed like a good place to start. His mother's expression softened. "Of course, Luke." She said, and she wrapped her arms around him again. He buried his face against her, breathing her scent in, reaching out in the Force to take comfort from her presence, and though he was still in turmoil and he knew he had a long way to go, in just that one moment he felt…soothed. Just for a little while. And, he knew Talia had been right…

It was time to go home.

* * *

 **Reunited! Hurray! Hopefully, you all like the chapter!**

 **Also, since it was Thanksgiving in the United States, I just wanted to say thank you to all of you. You guys are the best. You motivate me to keep going even when it gets hard to write. Whether you post reviews or are my "lurker" readers, I am grateful for all of your support.**

 **The songs for this chapter are: Clash of Lightsabers By John Williams (for some reason I just kind of listened to the whole Empire Strikes Back soundtrack while writing this), and Valley of the Shadow by Thomas Newman.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	68. The Long Road Ahead

Anakin tapped the table impatiently with his right index finger, as they waited for their food order. He was anxious to get the food, and head back to the Jedi Sanctuary. Obi-Wan was still there, working with and directing the Jedi who were helping the captured Inquisitors from the destroyed Sith mountain base start the rehabilitation process (easier said than done), and Padme was still with Luke in the Healer's wing, their son having yet to wake up. He could feel, however, through his renewed Force bond with his oldest son, that Luke would wake soon, and he wanted to be there when he did. He'd tried not to leave his son's side over the last five days, but Padme had _insisted_ that he needed to take a break, and he knew his wife was right. She usually was. When he looked at himself in a mirror, he couldn't help but see _why_ she had insisted—he looked like a mess. He had a scruffy beard growing, his hair was disheveled where he'd kept raking his hands through it, his eyes looked slightly bloodshot, and he had bags under his eyes from lack of sleep. He smirked as he rubbed his other hand over his stubbled jaw. Only her focus on Luke had kept his wife from teasing him by calling him Obi-Wan.

Leia came back at that moment with their drinks in a gray cardboard drink-holder. "The rest of the food should be out shortly, Dad," she told him at his pointed look. She smiled wryly. She looked exhausted, too, with large dark half-moons under her brown eyes. He doubted she'd slept much the last few days either. She slid into the booth bench opposite of him, her eyes drifting to his tapping finger. "Aren't Jedi supposed to be the pinnacle of patience?" Her gaze was mildly amused.

Anakin snorted and rolled his eyes. "If I had a penny for every time I've heard that, I could quit my day job and live comfortably for the rest of my life." Technically, he _could_ do that anyway, what with their droid business now one of the highest ranked on the _Fortune 500_ list, not to mention his income from his job at NASA, but he didn't bring that up. He had no wish to do so. He enjoyed what he did, with NASA, with the droid business, and with the Jedi. Besides, it took his mind off of other problems. "But yes, to answer your question, a Jedi _should_ be more patient than I am currently being." His retorted dryly with a raised brow before he shook his head.

Leia smiled just a bit…and then it faded. Suddenly, it occurred to Anakin that _this_ was the first time since she'd revealed that she remembered most of her past life that he'd had a chance to be alone with her. Anakin swallowed hard. "Leia…we need to talk."

Leia's eyes were serious as she met his gaze. "Yes, Daddy, we do," She agreed, "We've needed to talk for ages." He had a feeling that she didn't mean the fact that he and her mother hadn't told her the truth in this life until now. He suspected she meant her previous life.

"Leia," Anakin began, his voice tight. "I know sorry doesn't cover it, but…I _am_ sorry. So, so very sorry. For _everything_ , not just how I, as Vader, treated you and your brother, but for how I ruined the _whole_ galaxy and…"

Leia held up a hand, cutting him off. For a moment, Anakin was worried she was doing that to tell him she didn't care, that nothing he could _ever_ do would make up for it—that was one of his biggest fears, honestly. It always had been with his daughter. He had tried so hard to be there for her the way he should have been in their old galaxy, because he'd always been afraid if she remembered the past, she'd hate him. He should have known though that that _wasn't_ Leia's intention. "I _know_ , Daddy. I mean…I _didn't_ know that in my previous life. I'll be honest, I hated you." Her mouth quirked up on one side as her eyes widened, and she gave him a pointed look.

Well, no surprise there, but he didn't exactly like _hearing_ it…even if he _did_ deserve it.

"When Luke told me that the three of us were related - and _how_ , I was disgusted…and terrified. Even though I learned to accept my blood heritage, I always worried that if I wasn't careful, I'd be… _well_ …."

"Like me." Anakin said with a wince, glancing down at his still tapping finger.

Hesitantly, Leia breathed out slowly and nodded. "Yeah. I never could come to terms with you redeeming yourself in the end on the Death Star like that. I always believed Luke, of course, but he got the closure I always wanted, so I couldn't quite see you the same way he did. Most of the time, I just tried to forget about you. I didn't even tell my son about his true heritage, let alone anyone outside of Luke, Han and Chewie…."

" _Son? You had a son?!_ " Anakin blanched, blurting out the words on a squeak without thinking, his eyes bugging out as he stared at her, the idea of his daughter doing... _that..._ momentarily freaking him out, and then immediately reddened like a lobster. After all...sure, he'd _assumed_ that his daughter had… _wellll..._ After all, Leia and Han _had_ clearly been close. The entire galaxy knew that. When he'd died, however, they'd just been that—close. They hadn't...well, not that _he_ knew of, anyway. Force, this was embarrassing. "Was he, uh… _Han's_ son?" he asked hesitantly, clearing his throat awkwardly, half hopeful the answer would be ' _No._ "

Her expression said it all. _Yeah._ _Han's_. He tried not to wince.

Something dark flashed in Leia's eyes, her presence suddenly uneasy and sorrowful. _Uh oh_. "I should have told him." She said softly, regret shimmering in her doe eyes. "I should have been honest with him from the start." She sighed. "I married Han Solo shortly after The Battle of Endor, yes. Our son was named Ben, after Ben Kenobi." At Anakin's frown of confusion, Leia explained, "The transmission I sent before you captured me didn't _just_ include the Death Star plans. They included a message, a plea for help really, for the man I knew as Obi-Wan Kenobi. At the time, he was my _only_ hope. Luke always called him Ben, so...When Ben was born…" she trailed off.

"...He was your only hope." Anakin nodded, understanding that feeling. All too well…and as a father, it was really _weird_ that his seventeen-year-old daughter understood that feeling, too.

Leia nodded, and there was such sorrow in her eyes that Anakin knew, just _knew_ , that this story did **not** have a happy ending. He suddenly wasn't sure he wanted to hear it. He wanted his daughter to be happy, so very happy, even if it _was_ with stupid Han Solo. He didn't want to hear that she'd suffered so much horrific pain even after Vader's death.

"I never told Ben about you. I didn't talk to anyone about you, other than Han and Luke. I was a Galactic Senator for crying out loud, and considered a war hero…but that wasn't _really_ why I didn't tell Ben about his family legacy," she paused and took a deep calming breath before continuing, "I didn't want to tell him, because I didn't want him to suffer knowing that he was related to…well." She broke off, idly waving her hands in front of her, as if she was trying to keep from offending her father.

But, Anakin had expected this, even if he was saddened by it. "That he was related to an evil murderous monster." He said matter-of-factly. "You don't need to shy away from that. It's the truth, after all. I know how I was as Vader, and I agree with you, actually."

"But, you _aren't_ that way anymore, Daddy," Leia pointed out quickly, reaching across the table to place her hand over his and give it a quick comforting squeeze, and he had to admit he was relieved to hear that, even if she _was_ trying to assure him. "Luke was right all along…I _knew_ he was but…" she sighed and shook her head and then continued speaking. "Anyway. Senator Ransolm Casterfo found out who my real father was. He and I had been friends, even if we _were_ on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Darth Vader had harmed his parents, and subjected his people into slavery." Sadly, Anakin didn't remember the exact planet she was talking about. He'd done that to _a lot_ of planets all over the galaxy. He didn't have the heart to ask for more details at the moment.

"So, when he found out _who_ I was, he felt like I'd betrayed him by not telling him. So, he went and revealed it to the _entire_ Senate. My adopted father, Bail Organa of Alderaan, had recorded a message for me that told me the truth about my family roots, a message that _I_ didn't know about until Casterfo was using it as evidence against me in the Senate to prove his claims." Her tone was wry. She turned her head to glance out the window.

Anakin felt his heart drop to the pit of his stomach. It was suddenly very hard to breathe. His daughter…betrayed by her friend in one of the _worst_ , most intimate ways possible. "Ben was training with Luke as a padawan at the time in a remote part of the galaxy. I tried to contact him, but I wasn't able to get through. He had no idea until he found out about it through the news on the Holonet…" she sighed. "Luke had _always_ insisted that we needed to tell Ben the truth.

I mean...He'd told his _own_ son about Vader, so…"

 _Whoaaaa! Hold up!_

" _Luke had a son, too?!_ " Why this was so surprising to him, Anakin had _no_ idea. _Kriff!_ His mind was now reeling! _Of course_ , his children moved on with life after he'd died. They were adults after all. So, if Luke married Mara Jade…Anakin shuddered to think about his son doing...and with _her._..Of course, they'd had a kid. _Nope. Not gonna think about that,_ he gulped, pinching the bridge of his nose, suddenly feeling queasy. He was sure he'd gone green.

"Yes," Leia said patiently, "He was with his mother, Mara, at the time with the rest of the Jedi Academy Luke had started." And, _of course_ Luke would have started a Jedi Academy after his father's death. Luke had pretty much been the _only_ Jedi left in the galaxy after Vader died...all thanks to _him_ , Anakin thought bitterly. Still, if Luke had led that sort of life _before_ …that meant there was still hope for him _now._

"As the First Order rose from practically beneath our noses to restore all the evils the Empire had lost after the Emperor and Vader died, a new Dark Side enemy emerged in the galaxy: Snoke. He used Ben's inner turmoil about his family against him…and turned my son to the Dark Side. Ben renounced his ties to our family and became known as Kylo Ren. He turned on Luke, and destroyed all those in the Jedi Academy who didn't join him in the new Dark Order, The Knights of Ren…he murdered Mara in a saber duel for defending them. I don't know what happened to their son. He disappeared, along with Luke."

 _This_ had been Darth Vader's legacy—both Light, and Dark. A family shredded, torn apart. So, his death hadn't healed his family, like he'd assumed it had. Leia wasn't done. Not by a long shot. He wished she were, but he knew better. He was frozen with dread, but he couldn't stop her from telling the story even though he wanted to. "Everything that happened...It tore my marriage apart. Han and I…we both blamed ourselves. True, our fights had always been epic, but we'd been able to heal that gap every single time. This time, though…with Ben becoming what we'd fought so hard against…we both reverted back to what we were good at. I became the leading General in the Resistance against the First Order, and Han went back to smuggling with Chewie. We barely spoke, let alone saw each other, for years." She paused for a long moment, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. "I _did_ see him again years later. One final time. He went to help us destroy Starkiller Base…a super weapon that was basically like the Death Star except that it _was_ an _entire planet_ with a massive laser in its core that could destroy _multiple_ planets at once with a single blast across great distances. I told him to bring our son home before he left." Again another silence. "The last thing I remember was feeling Han get killed."

There was a heavy silence between them as Anakin struggled to find the right words to say. There wasn't anything he _could_ say to make up for _any_ of what had happened to her. To Luke. Even after his death, his evil Sith legacy had negatively impacted his children. "I admit I never understood why Luke could forgive you, not after everything you did to him, to me, to the entire galaxy. I never understood _why_ he went to save you. I was sure that had you survived, he would have stuck by you until the bitter end. But, when I lost Ben to the Dark Side, even after _all_ of the terrible things he did as Kylo Ren…I started to understand Luke, where he was coming from. I _knew_ there was good in Ben, just as Luke knew there was good in you. Even though I don't remember anything after Han's…Han's death, I would like to think that I kept fighting to bring my son back, just like Luke fought to bring you back." She met his eyes then. "So no. I _don't_ hate you. That realization, combined with the fact that you've been nothing but a _wonderful_ father to me in this life…I don't hate you, Daddy, and I certainly _don't_ want our family to be ripped apart again...especially over things that happened in another lifetime. We have Luke back now, so for now I just want to move forward with whatever the future brings...for all of us."

So many bombshells.

There was _so_ much to say, but right at that moment, he felt his connection with Luke shift—Luke was waking up. He sucked in a sharp breath, worried that Luke was alone…but then he remembered that Padme was there. Considering the shock he felt shortly afterward, he had a feeling she was going to at least keep Luke from trying to run off again (not that he could. Luke was still in no condition for one, and he'd ordered the sanctuary on strict lockdown for another. Luke was being monitored as priority number one). So for now, he settled with, "I love you, Princess. I'm… _I'm sorry._ Not that it means much, but…"

Her smile was sadly tremulous, eyes filling yet again with unshed tears. "No, Daddy. It means more than you know."

At that moment, the number of their order was called. "That's us." Anakin said, standing abruptly. As much as he wanted to sit and talk more with Leia about everything, he also needed to get back to Luke. He could feel Luke's shock morphing into horror and despair at the realization of what all had happened. Luke needed his father and his twin now more than ever. But, as he stood, Leia suddenly stared off into space unseeing and said, "Anakin."

Anakin frowned down at her. She wasn't looking at him, but rather out the window. "Um…" he started. She had never called him that before, mostly because he and Padme would never have allowed it, and it _was_ pretty disrespectful, but at the same time he didn't think she meant _him_.

She looked up at him then, her eyes wide. "Anakin. Luke and Mara named their son Anakin, after you."

Their number was called again, but Anakin just stared at his daughter, processing this information, his heart soaring…and crumbling at the same time. Yes, his relationship with Luke was certainly unique, he'd known that…but even _he_ didn't know the depth of that bond. Now that the bond was renewed…just how much could he use it to bring his son back? It had been a question that he'd pondered a lot over the last five days in earnest, but hearing that his son had named his grandson after him, even after everything he'd done…

There was hope.

Although Luke was currently drowning in despair, Anakin knew there was hope. He wasn't going to give up. He would never, ever give up. After what Luke had done for _him,_ he deserved the same from his father in return.

"Come on. Let's get back to the sanctuary. Luke needs us."

* * *

" _Luke Skywalker!_ " Mara growled the moment she opened the door to his room. His mother still held him close—it might have been an embarrassing moment for Mara to witness, but he didn't particularly care at that moment. There must have been hidden monitors in the room though, because his mom hadn't left his side since he'd asked her to hold him. "What the hell were you thinking?!" Yeah. He was so busted.

Big time.

From the fire in Mara's emerald green eyes and the sheer _fury_ that he could feel emanating from her, Luke could tell she was pissed. A short, harassed-looking woman appeared behind her, followed on the heels by Han and Chewie. "Miss Mara, you _can't_ just barge in here like this, it's family only…"

She must have been a Jedi healer. At least, her presence felt like one. Yet looking at Mara, Han, and Chewie…Luke didn't want them to leave. They'd been his family over the last year and a half, and even if they _were_ clearly upset with him, he needed them there with him. He needed some sort of normalcy to ground him and keep him from totally losing it. "No," He said, his voice croaking, "It's fine. Let them in."

The healer didn't look pleased, and she glanced at his mom for confirmation. "If Luke wants to see them, let them in. It's fine." Padme assured the woman calmly. Reluctantly, the healer nodded and left. She wasn't about to argue with the Jedi Grand Master's wife.

The moment she was gone, Mara strode into the room straight to the foot of Luke's bed, crossing her arms over her chest as she cocked her hip and glared at him. "We were _supposed_ to go together—and even then, it was suicide!"

Han and Chewie stopped at her side. For once, they were silent—in silent agreement with Mara, Luke realized. They weren't wrong. "I know," He said quietly. Dimly, he realized his mother was releasing her hold on him so that it wasn't so awkward, although, she didn't move from her spot on the bed. He was totally fine with this…frankly, he didn't want her to leave his sight ever again, even if that _was_ illogical. "I realized that pretty quickly when I attempted to attack the base. I'm sorry." He hated apologizing, and yet with a wince of guilt, he realized he was going to need to do that for a long while yet. Maybe for the rest of his life. Force, how he'd screwed up…He waited for the next explosion from the fiery red head he knew was coming.

 _Three, two, one..._

"It's _not_ accepted!" Mara snapped, "Do you know how _terrified_ I was for you?! Do you know how terrified we _all_ were?!" She motioned at everyone else in the room. None of them spoke to challenge her. She was only telling the truth. Bluntly so. "When we found you…I—I thought you were going to _die_ , Luke! You _would_ have died had your father and uncle not put you into a healing trance, dammit!" Her beautiful features were contorted in an angry grimace.

Ouch. He had that coming.

Another stab of guilt. After everything he'd done to his father, he'd still done what he had to, to save his son's life. Dimly, Luke remembered hearing his father's voice calling to him in the darkness. At the time he'd thought it must have just been a dream, but now? _"I'm right here, Luke. I love you, Son. I won't leave you...so, don't you dare leave me."_

No. That had been real.

"I know," his voice was tight. He wanted to cry, but he was not about to let himself do that in front of Han and Chewie. He glanced at them. "You were right, Han. I just…didn't want to lose anyone else."

Chewie said something that sounded surprised. Luke guessed he must have said something to the effect of _Well, that's a first._ Luke rarely admitted he was wrong…verbally, at least.

"Did you ever _think_ that we didn't want to lose you either, Kid?" Han said, and surprisingly, his voice was gentle…if not firm. Mara, or someone at any rate, must have filled him in on the gravity of his situation. Luke stretched out with the Force, and sure enough, though there was a little bit of pity there (Force, how Luke _hated_ being pitied), there was mostly understanding and concern, and a deep desire to help. Mara did say once that Han couldn't help but go out of his way to help those in need…even if he would never admit to it. "At least give us the _choice_ to fight with you. If we say we won't, that's one thing, but none of us would ever say no, so that's a moot point."

Mara sighed in frustration, running a hand through her red hair…Luke suddenly had the urge to run his own fingers through her soft, red locks while kissing her senseless. _Not the right time_ , he reminded himself. She was still totally pissed at him….even if she _had_ calmed a little since barging into the room. "I _can't_ lose you, Luke. Not now, not after…" she broke off, and immediately Luke's mind flashed back to their intense kiss…the first one back at the Namibia base, and the first _real_ one alone in his room at the house, and his promise to be with her after all of this was over. "If you _ever_ do something that stupid again," She growled, jabbing a finger at him, and he noticed a furious blush creeping up on her face, "I swear I will _find_ a way to haunt you for the rest of eternity!"

Luke frowned. "But if I died first, _how_ would you…"

"That's not the point!" She hissed through gritted teeth, emerald fire flashing in her gaze.

He couldn't help but grin sheepishly. " _Fine_. I _promise_ to at least _inform_ you before I do something stupid like that, because I'm _sure_ I'll do something stupid again. There. Happy now?" Mara snorted and tossed her head, muttering curses under her breath.

He took that as a _'Yes.'_

There was a moment's silence as Mara flicked her narrowed gaze at his grinning face and seemed to accept this. It was Han who broke it, though. "So, now what, Kid?"

" _Now_ ," Padme suddenly interjected, deciding that it was a good time as any to draw some attention back to the fact that she was still present and awkwardly sitting there listening to her son's…friend? Girlfriend? He didn't know what Mara was to him just yet, but his mom was amusedly listening to her chew her son out. What a way to spend the first few hours of being reunited. "We're taking Luke home. With us. Where he belongs."

"To Texas?" Han frowned at Padme, his hands on his hips. "To that… _Jedi Academy?_ " Clearly, Han was still hesitant. Luke had previously spent literally _hours_ bad-mouthing it, thinking it was the Hell-hole that Palpatine had tricked him into thinking it to be. It would take adjustments for _all_ of them to see it as something good. But suddenly, Luke realized that _he_ might be the only one to struggle through that. Neither Mara nor Han and Chewie had any reason to go with him back to Texas. Well, Mara _might_ , because they were both Force-sensitive, but Han and Chewie weren't. They were smugglers, and even though that _was_ something that could be done from anywhere in the world, especially with a fast ship like the Falcon, they didn't have any reason to leave their home in London...Besides, smuggling was something Luke felt sure both the Jedi and his mother, as an attorney, would frown upon. Mara might stay with them, too—it was them, after all, that she'd originally teamed up with. Luke had just sort of _tagged along_. But, the idea of them leaving sent Luke straight into panic-mode again. The idea of being thrown back into the real world and expected to act like a normal person…that wasn't him. Not at the moment, anyway. Already that thought terrified him to death. To face that alone, without anyone he'd grown to rely on was…

Unthinkable.

"Yes, but we have a very large home right next to it, on the same spread of land actually." His mother continued, oblivious to Luke's panic. Mara, however, locked eyes with him, some of the fire dying down to mere glowing embers as she clearly felt that spike of fear. Instantly, despite the fact that she was still upset with him, he felt her send reassurance to him, offering comfort and strength through the Force. Without really thinking about it, he latched onto it, practically drinking it in like a man dying of thirst, and he began to calm. He sent a grateful thought towards her, and the edges of her lips twitched upward just barely. "You are _all_ more than welcome to come with us. We can help you with visas if you need them," Padme glanced at Chewie as she said this,"The complex is huge, with plenty of living quarters for those who wish to stay at the Academy." His mother finished and smiled at his friends, and he could tell that she meant the sentiment. She wasn't just saying it to be nice.

" _Live_ there?" Han frowned, "But, won't that violate some sort of Jedi code or something? Chewie and I aren't Force-wizards or whatever you call yourselves…although. I guess Mara _technically_ could…"

His mom laughed, and it was a sound that sent Luke's heart soaring. His mom. Laughing. He didn't think he'd _ever_ hear that beautiful sound again. It was as sweet and pure as he remembered it. Her look was amused as she answered Han. "I'm not Force sensitive either. Neither is Obi-Wan's wife, Satine, or Ahsoka's husband, Lux…although, Ahsoka and Lux have their own place a little closer to Houston's city limits, but their two kids are Force sensitive and attend the Academy. Listen, as long as you keep the secret that there's a whole organization of people with extraordinary powers in that building and all around the Earth in other secret Jedi locations like this one here, I think Anakin and Obi-Wan wouldn't object to letting you stay." Luke frowned again at the mention of his father, fighting against the instinctive reaction that those false memories stirred.

Han made a face. "I'm not much into accepting charity." He rolled his head right and glanced at Mara. "What do you think?"

Mara, Han's partner over the last few years, replied faster than Luke had expected. "I'm going to go with Luke." Her voice was confident, as if she didn't have to think twice about the decision, as if she wasn't currently angry because Luke had gone off the rails and ditched her to launch a suicidal assault on an Inquisitor base. "I'll go where Luke goes." There was a hint of challenge in her voice, as if she expected someone to object. No one did. Still, Luke longed to ask her _why_ she was still going with him. A kiss was no obligation to follow him, and his promise to be with her after all of this was over…it wasn't what you could call a binding contract exactly. Even though he _meant_ what he'd said, every word of it, and he _still_ wanted to be with her more than he probably even realized, he knew she had every right to walk away. Yet…she wasn't going to. He smirked. She had made her mind up—and there was _no_ changing Mara's mind once she'd made her mind up. He smiled at her in relief and gratitude.

Han considered it for a moment, flicking a glance over at Chewie who just shrugged…then his eyes lit up with a sudden gleam and his mouth quirked into a half smile. "Soooo, if I do this, you're basically saying I'd have to get to know _all_ of your family, right?" There was a... _strange_ tone to his voice, and Luke furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. What was that supposed to mean?

"I mean, you don't _have_ to," he slowly replied, "But sure, why not?" Luke glanced at his mother, who smiled and nodded her head affirmatively.

At their reassurance, something seemed to click in Han's brain, something that Luke clearly did not understand. "Ok, then. Yeah, I'll move. I mean, business is business, no matter where it's at, right?" Han shrugged nonchalantly, but the half smile spread into a smirk, and his eyes seemed to brighten with...was that _delight_ in their depths?

Well. Luke certainly _wasn't_ expecting that answer...or Han's surprisingly happy reaction either. "Uh, yeah?" He replied, puzzled. He'd felt sure that Han wouldn't want to move halfway across the world just for him and his family, but apparently he was wrong.

Weird.

"Then it's settled." Han seemed satisfied with this turn of events, and clasped his hands in front of himself, rubbing them excitedly together. "I'll probably find my own place, though, given that I'm not a Jedi or whatever, but it should be an interesting adventure. We're game. Right, Chewie?" He glanced at his enormous co-pilot, who made a strange sounding noise that passed for a _Yeah._

"Right," Luke looked at his mother to gauge what she thought of Han's sudden decision, but all he gathered from her was amusement…and a little bit of sadness. Before he could ask about that though, he suddenly felt another presence…or rather, _two_. He tensed, his breath catching in his throat. He'd recognize Leia anywhere…

And his father.

Mara suddenly cleared her throat, and from the look on her face, Luke could tell that she had sensed them coming closer as well. "Well, we're not through talking about this, obviously, but right now, we're going to let you rest. Han, why don't we take the Falcon and go back home to start packing up?"

Han frowned at her sudden proposal, but didn't question it. Instead, he looked at Luke. "Do you want us to pack your stuff for you, Kid?"

It was all happening so fast. Almost _too_ fast. Suddenly, everything he thought he knew was crumbling, morphing, transitioning into something that he _never_ dreamed would happen. He was moving back home…with his mother, his twin…and his father. He remembered, dimly, that he also had a younger brother, but he could barely remember anything about the kid. He'd suddenly have to get to know someone much younger than him, and if his father wanted him to become a Jedi…

"Sure," Luke's voice was weak, and he realized that being so close, his father and sister could probably sense his growing panic, but he was too scattered to even think about throwing up a wall to protect those feelings.

 _It's going to be okay, Luke._ Mara's voice suddenly drifted into his head. Unlike her icy exterior, her mental voice was tender, calm, and soothing. _Your family has missed you. They need you, and you need them. I_ _ **promise**_ _we're going to meet you in Texas._

 _I don't know if I can do this Mara,_ Luke confessed back, and the look in her eyes softened further.

 _You're stronger than you know, and you're a good person who has just been thrown into very bad circumstances. Don't let Palpatine win—stay. Do what it takes to heal the rift between you and your family. I promise it will be worth it._ Their eyes stayed locked for just a moment, before Luke nodded, just barely. Mara's shoulders slumped, and they bid goodbye before leaving the room.

"Your father and sister are coming, aren't they." His mom said it as a statement, not a question.

Luke gulped, and when he spoke, he forced himself to sound calmer than he really was. "Yeah. Mara sensed them and decided we should…I guess have family time."

"She's not wrong, y'know." His mom pointed out gently, watching him with concern in her eyes. He felt her touch his chin, and he allowed her to move his gaze to hers. She peered at him intently with her soulful brown eyes, her gaze focused and unwavering, as if she were reading every worried and guilty thought that was rolling through him in that moment. Given the mess he was in, he had no doubt he was currently an open book. He was half tempted to ask her to keep them away until he could maintain some control over himself. "This isn't your fault." She reminded him softly, firmly. "Your father knows that. Your sister knows that. They _both_ love you very much; as do I. We always have, Luke. Give us...give _them_ ," she motioned with her head toward the door, indicating his father and sister, "the chance to show you that love, Son."

Luke winced as Leia's face after he'd tried to Force-choke their father to death popped into his head. Did she _really_ know that? Did his father _really_ know that? Did he himself really know that? He didn't. At that moment, it felt like it was his fault, even if logic told him otherwise.

He didn't get a chance to reply though, because the door to the room suddenly swung open…

And immediately an excited Leia launched herself across the room, barely giving his mom time enough to move out of the way before she practically glomped Luke in a bear hug, her arms wrapping around his neck, practically cutting off his air supply. He also ended up with a mouthful of her hair, making him sputter as he tried to spit her curls out. "Luke!" she cried into his ear, and in addition to the physical attachment, he also felt her Force presence eagerly seeking his, pouring warmth and love into him. There was no revulsion or hatred for what he'd done to their father, just unconditional love and worry for him.

"Leia," He croaked out as he began to see spots in his vision, "I c-can't….breathe…"

"Oh." She immediately relaxed her grip, pulling away just enough to look down into his face. He spat out some more of her hair, and although there were tears shining in her dark brown eyes, there was also some amusement…that was quickly overshadowed by more worry. "Sorry…but you scared us half to death, Luke! We just _barely_ found you, and suddenly, you're off attacking fortresses all by yourself…and sucking at it big time!"

She tried to sound mad, but the relief and worry in her presence told him otherwise. Leia was fiery for sure, but it was suddenly painfully obvious that she mostly just wanted him to come home. _How_ had he been so stupid as to miss that back in Namibia? Except that he _had_ seen that, he realized, but conflicting memories of her had caused him to doubt those feelings, to doubt the inconsistencies that he had felt when she'd been with him. She had never acted like someone who didn't care about what happened to him like he'd been led to believe… Force, he'd been so damn stupid. "Sorry." He grumbled, and he felt her worry increase. She opened her mouth to say something, but a new voice interrupted her, a deep masculine baritone that made him freeze.

"This is _not_ your fault, Luke. None of it."

It took _everything_ in him not to visibly wince. It took everything in him to at least _attempt_ a composed facial expression, as Leia reluctantly moved out of the way to reveal his father now standing behind her. Now that Leia had moved out of his immediate vision, he found that his mom had moved to meet his father at the door. She now held some bags that smelled like it had food in them, but she didn't seem interested in the food. Instead, she looked worriedly between Luke and her husband, as if dreading how Luke would react to being trapped and forced to finally confront his father.

Instinctively, the sight of his father sent a flash of habitual anger coursing unbidden through him…and he forced himself to calm those feelings. His mother was literally right there before him, standing close to her husband, their hands clasped together, both their wedding rings reflecting the overhead fluorescent lighting, living proof that _everything_ he'd believed for so long had been a lie…the surge of anger quickly replaced with guilt and…

Immediately, he felt a different surge...one of fierce protectiveness, but not from himself, instead through someone else. "I know it's going to take time for you to adjust." His father was saying as he crossed the room with his wife, and then moved to sit on the bed next to Luke…and that feeling grew stronger and stronger. With a jolt of clarity, Luke realized that it was coming from his father. It wasn't the same as his connection with other Force-Sensitives like Mara and Leia. This was… _deeper_ , somehow, and something within him practically _clung_ to that bond, strengthening it without Luke's conscious permission. It was something powerful, something Luke didn't understand…but somehow, he'd developed it since the last time he'd seen his father. If it had been there back in Namibia, Luke was certain that he wouldn't have been able to lash out at his father through the Force.

His father was still talking, but Luke was still focused on this strange bond that had seemingly sprung up out of nowhere. "Hold on a sec," Luke stopped him, holding up a hand, needing to know the answer. His father could have been revealing the secrets of the universe, but Luke didn't care in that moment. "What the hell is this?!"

His father frowned at him, and there was such a strong sense of worry and unease coming from his father, that it almost felt as if it were his own. "What is _what?_ " Anakin asked, glancing at his wife to see if _she_ knew what Luke was talking about. His mom shrugged just barely and shook her head no, and he realized that he probably sounded crazy, but Luke didn't bother to pay it any mind.

" _This_ ," He motioned with his hand between him and his father. "That's what. _Why_ do I suddenly feel like _your_ emotions are suffocating my own?! Why do I feel like if you wanted to you could reach into my own mind and get whatever you wanted out of it?!" His words were harsher than he intended, but it was not everyday that he woke up to find that he'd almost been killed, his whole life had been a lie, and that his fabricated enemy suddenly had _way_ more power over him than he would have liked. Even if his father _was_ literally the best father in the world, Luke was not anywhere _near_ ready to share such a private part of himself with his father. Hell, it took _all_ of his strength just to look his dad in the eye…eyes that were so very much like his own eyes, he suddenly realized. In fact, he looked so much like his father it was almost scary.

Immediately, his father knew what Luke was referring to, and he sobered. "Sometimes, Luke, Force Sensitives are able to connect with one another through a very special bond. I have a close special bond with your Uncle Ben, for example." Uncle Ben? Did he mean… _Obi-Wan?_

"I've had a bond with you, Leia, and Hayden since before each of you were born—you are my children, and any parent naturally has a bond with their children. It just happens to be much, much stronger for us because we're all Force-Sensitive…and _very_ powerful ones at that." He sighed, "But, with you and Leia…that bond is a bit more… _intense,_ being twins. You used to have a bond like that with Leia as well, but when Palpatine messed with your memories so forcefully, I think that must have broken our bonds with you. Otherwise, I might have been able to find you much sooner had he not done that. Which is exactly _why_ that bastard did it in the first place, I'm sure." There was bitter anger in his voice, and Luke could feel that fury and hatred from his father's bond. Startled, Luke realized that it ran even _deeper_ than his own hatred for Palpatine—it was an old hatred, so intense that it was almost as if it could span multiple lifetimes, if such a thing were possible. "Our bond reconnected when I put you into a healing trance to keep you alive long enough to get here."

Ahh...So, _that_ explained it.

"Does that mean our bond could reconnect?" Leia suddenly asked, indicating herself and Luke with a motion of her hand, and Luke could hear the eagerness in her voice.

"Whoa, whoa, _whoa_ ," Luke said before they could get all excited and start planning for things that Luke wasn't sure he even _wanted_. "Hold up. What if I don't _want_ to have a bond with anyone? Don't I get a choice in that?!"

There was an awkward silence, and from Leia's carefully controlled expression, he had a feeling that he'd hurt her feelings. Sure enough, there was a little apprehension in his father…Force, he wished he could _stop_ feeling that. "I understand that it's going to be difficult for you, Son," His father was choosing his words _very_ carefully. "I know that you've lived a life the last nine years where it may be difficult for you to open up to others, especially us, but _trust me_ , you _have_ to learn how to open up to others…"

But, Luke didn't want that. He didn't know _what_ he wanted anymore, but he knew that he didn't want to open up. At least not yet. Sure, he'd apologize for the stupid things he'd done, but actually opening up to people? _wasn't_ going to happen any time soon. It would leave him _too_ vulnerable, and he already felt vulnerable enough as it was. "I don't want to talk about it." He said flatly. "That's _my_ business, and I don't appreciate _you_ or anyone else getting into my business without my permission." Luke leaned back against his pillow with a huff, crossing his arms across his chest, the very image of his father in doing so.

Leia and their mom looked at each other worriedly, obviously concerned that this was going to escalate. Maybe it was. Luke didn't necessarily want it to, not only because in his current state he would lose, but also because it would upset his mom, and Luke _never_ wanted to upset his beloved mother again. But, to his utter surprise, his father didn't get angry, or even frustrated with his response, only worried and understanding. That only frustrated Luke more.

"I know." His father's voice was calm, almost soothing. "Right now, it's kind of hard for me _not_ to get into your business, because you haven't done _any_ shielding and you're basically screaming your emotions at me." He shrugged. "But, part of that is also because I tend to be more sensitive to things like that, simply because of how connected to the Force I am."

Except that Luke didn't know _how_ to shield himself from something so personal. He'd never developed anything like this while he was working under Palpatine. He'd had a slight connection with Talia, but it wasn't ever anything _this_ personal, and he hadn't ever worried about shielding himself from Talia anyway. He suspected that the connection he had with Mara could easily be strengthened if he made a move to try to do so, but _this_ …he didn't even know where to begin. The thought occurred to him to ask his father—he _was_ , after all, some big powerful Jedi, but he also didn't want to open that particular discussion up either. Start asking for training on one thing, and the next thing he'd know, he'd be training to become a Jedi. He did not want that either.

His father sighed. "Why don't we try this—what is it that you _do_ want? I'm getting a lot of what you _don't_ want, so why don't we start with one thing you _do_ want, and we'll go from there? Alright?"

Luke hesitated. It sounded simple enough, but…he considered the question for a long time. "It can be anything?" He clarified.

"If it's within our power to do it, sure." His father assured him calmly, not a hint of concern on his face or in the Force. His dad meant it. Again, another nervous look from Leia and their mom. He had a feeling that they were worried he would ask to leave them again.

But, his request surprised even _him_. "I want to apologize without being told it isn't my fault." The words were out of his mouth before he'd even really thought about them, but the moment they were said, he knew it was true. So far, every time he'd apologized or even felt guilty, he'd been told it wasn't his fault, and yet…he felt like it was. Even if it was irrational, he wanted to sincerely apologize and feel like it had been heard and accepted.

"But…" Leia began to say, but she was cut off immediately, as he sensed a warning from their father pulsing through the Force.

"Okay, Luke." His father replied, still very calm. If Luke wasn't connected with him, he might have thought that his father was the perfect picture of the calm Jedi Grand Master…but his father's emotions were mixed and jumbled and almost overwhelming. He wondered if Obi-Wan was also hiding passionate feelings like that, or if his father was just unique.

Luke took a deep breath, his mind looking for the right words. "I'm sorry. I should have thought more before I acted. After Ta….after I left," he was so _not_ talking about Talia with them, "I should have considered more of my options, done more research. I legitimately thought you'd kill me, but I thought about looking Leia up…but I didn't, because I…" he hesitated and forced the words out, "Because I was afraid. So, in the end, I didn't. Had I done so, I might have found out the truth much sooner than now. I might not have tried to kill you…and I'm really sorry about that."

He couldn't even express how very sorry he was for that, how he'd been sorry since he'd done it, but from the understanding he could feel coming from his father, he had a feeling that his father could sense how sorry he was anyway. "But, I guess…thanks for still coming for me." He finished awkwardly, looking down at the sheets of his bed.

"I accept the apology." His father replied immediately, and Luke could feel the truthfulness through their bond…Okay, maybe there were a _few_ useful things about the bond, even if it was still super uncomfortable. His father leaned forward a bit towards him. "But Luke, I will _always_ come for you. _We_ will always come for you." He motioned his head to his mom and sister. "We are a family, Son. And, family never leaves each other behind."

"We love you, Luke." His mom said, stepping over to his father's side, her eyes shining with sincerity, her hand coming to rest on her husband's shoulder. "We just want you to come home, Luke. It hasn't been the same without you. We've all missed you...so much. Please come home." There was such longing in her eyes and in her voice…Luke believed them.

Despite the fact that he was a mess, his family wanted him home and…he realized he _wanted_ to go home, too. Slowly, he reached up, pulling out the necklace that he'd worn under his shirt for nine years—the snippet his father had given his mom, the snippet he'd taken from her after she'd….after he thought she was dead. He slid it over his head and held it out to her. Her eyes widened a bit, a single tear sliding silently down her cheek, dripping onto her shirt, but she didn't seem surprised that he had it. Perhaps she'd already seen it on him while he was unconscious, or perhaps she suspected that he had taken it. "Here, Mom. This is yours. I don't need this anymore." He said, "I have all of you back."

" _Luke_ …" His mom whispered, taking the necklace gingerly in her fingers. "Did you wear this the whole nine years?"

He nodded. "Can I ask for something else?" He asked his father.

"Anything." His father promised sincerely with a small smile.

He took a deep breath. He didn't know what the future was going to bring. He didn't know if he would _ever_ truly repair the rift between he and his father, but he was done with running. Forever.

"I want to go home."

* * *

 **Well at least Luke isn't trying to kill his dad now. Luke and his father are going to need to go through the healing process...but naturally, Palpatine isn't going to like that Luke is back with his family. So...get excited for the coming chapters!**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	69. The Return Home

_Wake up, Luke._

His father's voice echoed through his dreams, as loud as if he were in them. The words shook him out of sleep so quickly, he almost hit his head on the bunk above him. Still weighed down by exhaustion, he didn't recognize where he was at first, and peered wildly around the cramped room, his hands fumbling for the lost lightsaber that used to be at his side…to find Leia quietly sitting in a chair in the corner, hunched over a tablet, concentrating on something on the screen. He exhaled slowly, finally remembering where he was: The living quarters of his mother's ship. Obi-Wan was following them in his dad's ship. He suddenly felt his father's amusement on the other end of their bond, and he scowled, shooting as much annoyance as he could back down the bond at his father. _Stay out of my head!,_ he snapped mentally.

His father was neither offended, nor bothered by the venom in Luke's mental voice, but he could sense the smirk in his mental tone. _We're almost home. Someone had to do it._

 _You could have asked Leia._ Luke pointed out wryly, and this time his father didn't respond as he felt his father's attention shift to beginning the landing process of the ship. Rolling his eyes, Luke slowly sat up with a low groan. He'd spent pretty much the entire trip over from Switzerland sleeping so deeply, that any dreams that had come were merely snippets of random pictures, a jumbled unconnected mixture of time. Apparently, the bacta treatment had done wonders to heal the cuts, bruises, and cleaned shrapnel wounds to the point where it looked like he'd never been injured, but it hadn't done _anything_ to relieve the utter exhaustion he felt in his muscles. He thought back to the electric shock torture that he'd endured, figuring that that was probably the primary culprit of the exhaustion—and felt an intense wave of barely controlled fury from his father.

 _I said stay out of my head._ Luke sent again bitterly, and with some embarrassment. He still didn't want to talk about _any part_ of his past, much less show his father any of it. With some difficulty, he did what he could to put up a barrier, though it didn't block most of the connection. He could feel his father reluctantly respect that desire, though Luke knew that eventually his father would press him about it. In the meantime, though….

"You drool in your sleep." Leia's voice startled him, and when he looked over at her, he realized that she was now openly staring at him, the tablet lying forgotten in her lap.

"I do not." He managed to get out in a hoarse voice. He cleared his throat, but given that he still felt like he could sleep for another ten hours, he doubted it would do him any good.

"You also snore. Loudly." The corners of Leia's mouth twitched into a tired smile. "Although, I already _knew_ that."

For the life of him, he couldn't remember anyone _ever_ telling him that he snored…but then again, Palpatine had messed with his memories, and he doubted any of the other Inquisitors would have had the nerve to tell him that when he was part of them. It wasn't like he filmed himself sleeping, so he supposed it was possible. "I'm sure you do, too." He replied weakly, which only succeeded in making her roll her eyes.

"Mom and Dad are landing the ship." Leia said, getting straight to business. "Then we'll mostly be home."

"Mostly?"

She shrugged. "Well, the landing pad is sort of _behind_ the Jedi Academy. So, it's a bit of a walk back to our house, but at least you'll _finally_ be back on the property." She paused, "Where it's safe."

Safe. That was _not_ a word he ever thought would truly apply to him. He had a hard time believing that now. "Right," He said with a slight nod, trying and failing to sound like he wasn't skeptical.

Leia frowned, turning off the tablet and coming to sit down beside him. She reached up, her fingers brushing against his blonde hair, where he realized that half of it was sticking up in random places. She attempted to smooth it down, but failed, so she soon gave up. "I just want you to know, Luke, that I love you very much, and I missed you so much." She said softly, her dark brown eyes meeting his. Even in the dim light, he could see that she meant the words, that she wasn't saying it to tease him or be sarcastic. She truly meant it. "I know things are awkward between you and Dad," _That's an understatement_ , he thought dryly, "But, I'm here for you if you ever want to talk. I've always been here for you, though you probably don't…" she cut herself off, biting her lip awkwardly, though he knew what she meant. He probably didn't remember. She was right—he _didn't_ remember that. He suddenly _wished_ he did.

"Okay," He said lamely with a small shrug. It was strange, though—he didn't _want_ to talk to her about his past, and yet, he still felt like he _could_ trust her the most out of everyone, as if his relationship with her went beyond their blood ties and deep into the Force…and yet, there was no re-created bond. Why? "What were you doing on your tablet?" He asked tilting his head toward the tablet, changing the subject.

Leia frowned, obviously seeing what he was doing, but she relented. Thankfully. "I was doing homework. I've got quite a bit piled up since I've been chasing after you the past few weeks…but, um…Luke, there's something you should know." Oh great. He just _loved_ it when his family had revelations for him. They _all_ seemed to be totally life altering revelations. He sighed, and motioned for her to continue with his hand. "Both the school and Mom and Dad's work wanted to know where we had gone. Given that Mom and Dad are _both_ in very public positions…the reason spread super fast. Basically, the whole world now knows that you've returned home, and that going after _you_ is where we've been. So…long story short, the gates outside our property are practically bursting with reporters and paparazzi."

Luke stared at her wide eyed. "You're over exaggerating, Leia. The _entire_ world does not know that I'm home."

Leia shook her head solemnly. "When your Dad is the Director of NASA and is the guy who essentially brought the whole world into the age of advanced technology and your Mom is the District Attorney here…. _yeah_. The whole world tends to know about their missing son, and his now safe return." Leia rubbed her hands on her knees and watched her twin closely for his reaction.

Luke was on his feet in an instant, ignoring Leia's protests as he stormed out of the living quarters and towards the cockpit. Through his bond, he could feel his father sense him coming, bracing himself for Luke's confrontation. The moment that he reached the cockpit door, he blurted out, "We have to turn around. _Now._ "

"What?" His mom, busy with the landing sequence, couldn't really turn to look at him, but he could feel her confusion and concern. "But, I thought…"

"We are perfectly safe, Luke." His father assured him calmly, not looking up from the control panel in front of the pilot's seat.

"You don't _know_ that!" Luke insisted, feeling Leia come up behind him. "If Palpatine worked so hard to separate me from you before, he's going to be _beyond_ livid that I'm home again... _with you!_ It might actually make him send _everything_ he's got at you and…"

" _That_ ," his father interrupted, shooting him a half-mad grin over his shoulder, "Is exactly the point." Luke stared at him, stunned into silence. Half of him wanted to tell his father that he was insane, but the other half….

"You actually _intend_ ," Leia said slowly, "To draw Palpatine out of hiding by being super public about the fact that Luke is now home?" There was clear disapproval in her voice.

"Well, that wasn't _originally_ my intent, no. I just wanted Luke home. But, in talking it over with Obi-Wan and your mother, it occurred to me after the news went viral that it _might_ just cause Palpatine to get angry enough to...force his hand, so to speak. Like Luke, I was concerned about that for a moment…but, then I remembered that we've been preparing for an attack on the Academy for _years_. We are _way_ better prepared for Palpatine to come at us again than we were when Luke was taken. Plus…since even _Luke_ had to go to great lengths to find him, why not play into his game? And, if trying to be a _normal_ family makes him play his hand, well…" His father shrugged. "Then fine...All the better. We'll be prepared, and more importantly, you'll still be home and safe."

It actually wasn't a bad idea. Frankly, had Luke known that Palpatine had tried so hard to manipulate him into being enemies with his family, he would have returned home much sooner simply to stick it to the Sith Lord. "I don't know if I like this idea." Leia crossed her arms, scowling at their father who had begun to slow the plane down, flipping switches on the control panel.

This time, it was Luke who responded. "What are we going to do, Leia, _hide_ for the rest of our lives? I'm tired of hiding. Besides, the sooner we get rid of Palpatine, the better. The guy's like a bad case of cockroaches—he never really goes away. And, this plan might actually be the ' _Roach Motel'_ we've all been looking for...Palpatine checks _in_ and _never_ checks out." Luke smirked, liking _that_ thought, and instantly felt his father's equal surge of delight at the idea.

His mom, also flipping some switches on her side of the cockpit, laughed a little. "Now, _that's_ an accurate description." She said, "Now, both of you go strap in—we'll be landing in just a few minutes."

It wasn't long before Luke felt the ship jolt and shudder as it landed on a smooth landing pad. He could hear the _whine_ of the engine dying down slowly, and as he glanced outside through a viewport at the dark world that had once been his Texas home, he felt Leia place her hand on his arm. "You're not alone." She reminded him softly. He forced a smile, but it faded fast, and he turned away from his twin. How could he explain to her that he wasn't afraid of being alone? After all, he'd been trained to embrace loneliness, not fear it. What he was afraid of was _her_ reaction to him once she realized how vastly _different_ they were, how he wasn't _anything_ like the brother she expected or needed him to be. If he mentioned that fact now, she would insist that he was fine the way he was, even though they both knew that wasn't true.

So instead, he unbuckled himself and stood up, heading towards the lowering ramp that would lead to the home he left behind all those years ago. Leia stood and followed after him, keeping close to him, as if afraid he would disappear the moment he left her sight. As they reached the ramp, their parents met them from the cockpit. "Luke," his mom said gently, and the tenseness in her voice made him stop at the top of the ramp and wait for her. He could feel through his stupid bond that his father was tense as well, but not in the danger-sort of way, so Luke ignored him and focused on his mother. "Before you go out there…there's some things we should warn you about."

Luke raised an eyebrow. Frankly, he just wanted to go back to sleep. He was more than a little tired, and he figured he would have to deal with a bunch of exhausting waves of emotion in the coming days; so he wanted as _much_ rest as he could get. He'd need it for sure. If it had been _anyone_ else, he might have brushed them aside or flatly ignored them, but this was his _mother_. And, he didn't have it in him to refuse her…which _may,_ he realized, have been why _she_ was the one telling him this rather than his father. "What? Am I going to walk out there to find a wild party waiting for me or something?" He couldn't help but ask sarcastically…some habits died hard.

His mother didn't seem offended though. Rather, she seemed a bit guilty. "Well, not a _wild_ party…but a welcome home party, yes."

Luke clenched his jaw, pushing back a wave of irritation. "Who?" He forced out, his voice tight.

From behind him, he sensed Leia's surprise—obviously, she didn't know about the welcome home party either. Well, at least he wasn't the only one being ambushed with this.

"Obviously, your baby brother Hayden is there." His mother said, her eyes searching Luke's face for recognition, as if she were worried that he didn't remember Hayden. Luke kept his expression as neutral as possible: He remembered his brother, but only barely, and what little he did remember, it wasn't pleasant. "Your Uncle Ben's family will be there, also, including your Aunt Satine and their daughters, Ella and Rachel, and your Aunt Soka and Galen will be there, too, since they've been keeping an eye on your brother for us, and the Academy while we've been gone." _Shit._ It really _was_ a party. _Aww, jeez._

Already, _everything_ within Luke screamed at him to go back to the cockpit and take off to find some secluded place where he wouldn't be forced to trade niceties and meaningless words with people he _barely_ remembered. "And, your Grandma Shmi—your father's mother, will be there, too. She would have come down with your Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru and your cousin, Kylee, but since Grandpa Clegg died a few years back, Owen has had to take care of the ranch. My parents, Papa Ruwee and Nana Jobal, would have been here, but they're with my sister, your Aunt Sola, in New Zealand for a movie shoot, and your Uncle Darred, Sola's husband, and their daughters, Ryoo and Pooja, couldn't get off work to come...but they'll be here in the coming days."

 _Holy Shit!_ It was a whole freakin' family reunion! He was _so_ not down for that. "Well, that's just _fantastic_ ," Luke couldn't help the sarcasm—frankly, he was outright _pissed_. Had he known that a bunch of near strangers would be coming to smother him with gooey emotions, he would have opted to stay in Switzerland. "Why don't we just invite _the Pope_ while we're at it?"

There was an instant surge in the Force of protectiveness from his father, so strong through their bond that it was almost overwhelming. Immediately, Luke knew his mistake—his father may not have tried to kill him for supposedly 'killing' his mother, but the part about his father being _super protective_ of Luke's mother was _not_ made up by Palpatine. That was no joke. Anakin really _was_ extremely protective of his wife. Luke braced himself, his hands twitching at his sides, wishing he had a lightsaber to protect himself…but his father didn't attack. He didn't even yell. When Anakin spoke, his voice was firm as durasteel and succinct, and yet even and low. "You will _not_ speak to your mother that way, young one. You will address her with proper respect in your tone... _always._ And, _this,"_ his father motioned toward the open ramp door with a flick of his wrist," was not _her_ choice, or even _my_ choice. They are _your family_ , Luke, and they've been worried about you for the last nine years, just like we have. Grandma bought her ticket from Idaho and they all arranged this before we could tell them to hold off a few days...And, what's more, you _will_ treat them all nicely and respectfully when you greet them. Understood?"

It was chastising, yet respectful. Luke locked eyes with his father for a moment, and couldn't help but notice, begrudgingly, that his father's eyes went the same steely blue that his did whenever he was in the midst of an argument he was determined to win, but unlike his own gaze, there was no threat of violence in those eyes. Just a stern determination to get his point across: Do _not_ be sarcastic to your mother. _Ever._ Still, it took a few moments for Luke to fully understand that his father wasn't going to lash out at him, and he forced himself to relax. There was a sting of sadness from his father, accompanied by words in his head; _I'm not going to attack you, Luke. I am not Palpatine or_ _ **any**_ _of his cronies._ And, Luke knew that. Still, old habits died hard. "Sorry, Mom." He said finally, looking back down at his mother. "Guess I've been hanging around Mara and Han for far too long."

At the mention of Mara and Han, his father physically tensed, a wave of rapid emotions flooding through their bond before it was quickly cut off by his father's mental shields. There was another wave of emotion from his sister, but it wasn't as keenly felt as his father's emotions were—still, he felt…Sorrow? _Why_ would Leia be sorry about either Mara or Han? It was a puzzling question Luke didn't have the time to ponder at that moment.

"It's fine, Sweetie." His mom said with a small smile, oblivious to the turmoil her husband and daughter were currently battling at the mere mention of his friends. "Everything's going to be fine, Luke. I'll make sure they don't smother you, okay?"

"Okay," He said cautiously, debating on pressing Leia and his father for answers…but another wave of exhaustion hit him, and he decided now wasn't the time. He'd pester them about it later…well, maybe Leia at any rate. He wasn't sure _what_ he was going to do with his father still. He followed his mother down the ramp.

Sure enough, there was quite a crowd waiting for them. Even though it was the middle of the night, the landing pad was all lit up. Behind his mother's ship was his dad's ship, already comfortably landed and turned off. Obi-Wan was already out talking to some individuals in the crowd. In the distance, he could see the massive complex of the Jedi Academy looming above them, all lit up in the night with lights. To either side of it were two large houses surrounded by cypress trees: One he didn't really recognize, and the other…

"Mom! Dad! Leia!" A young boy's voice called out, bringing Luke's attention back to the waiting crowd. A shorter figure broke free of someone and raced out towards his mom. Luke paused, his hand yet again going to his side where his lightsaber had been…and forced himself to relax. Where he was from, it wasn't normal for someone to run at another person unless they had intentions to harm them, and yet here, he sensed no danger, just happiness and an overwhelming sense of curiosity…aimed at him.

The small figure flung his arms around his mother's waist, hugging her tight, and his mom returned the hug. With a start, Luke realized that this was… "Hayden," His mom said, and he could hear the smile in her voice. Luke froze, wondering if it was too late to turn around and go back to the ship and just sleep there until everyone left…but his mom was already turning around, pulling Hayden off of her to face the older brother he probably didn't remember. "Hayden, this is Luke…your older brother. Luke, this is your baby brother, Hayden."

For a moment, two matching sets of cerulean blue eyes locked, sizing each other up, Luke taking in the younger boy's lanky frame and brown curly hair so like their mother's. Over and over again, Luke replayed the memories implanted into his brain. According to _those_ memories, Hayden had been the son who had been wanted….the few times he'd thought about Hayden over the years, he'd pictured a spoiled brat. However, at first meeting, Hayden didn't _feel_ like a spoiled brat at all. His presence felt like any other normal kid who just happened to be Force Sensitive…although, he could tell that despite being about eight, his powers, though equally strong to his or Leia's, were only sort of developed. _Not for lack of trying,_ His father's amused voice drifted into his head, _He's more his mother's son at this age. He'd rather go to school than pay attention to his Jedi training most days. I expect that to change as he gets older._ Although the information was useful, and it told Luke a great deal about the brother he had never really known, he didn't appreciate his father reading his thoughts like this.

 _Stay out of my head!_ He snapped back.

 _I could teach you to block me, you know._

Luke scowled and ignored his father, focusing back on his little brother who was staring up at Luke in awe. No. He would _not_ be baited into Jedi training. He knew how it would go: First, it would be lessons on mental shielding, and then the next thing knew, he'd be a full-fledged padawan working towards taking the Trials to become a Jedi. No thanks. "Hey, kid," He finally said, using Han's form of endearment. The word sounded weird in his mouth, but it felt weird to just be best friends with a kid practically half his age.

Hayden didn't seem to mind, blinking up at him. "Do you like science?"

"Um. What?" Luke blinked back in surprise. What a random question for an eight-year-old to ask.

"Do you like science?" Hayden repeated, clearly not knowing or caring that his question was super random.

"I…I guess so. Why?" Force, he wished Hayden were a little older...then at least he could identify with the kid. What did kids this age even _like_ anyway? My Little Pony? Xbox? Chocolate? Picking noses? He had no clue.

"I need to do a science project. Do you want to help me?" The question was so innocently asked and randomly normal, Luke didn't even know _how_ to respond. _I told you,_ his father said into his head with some amusement, _He does_ _ **not**_ _get that from me._

"Hayden, your project isn't due for another month, remember?" Another woman suddenly announced, approaching from behind his mother. Whoever she was, she was tall, almost as tall as he was at 5 foot 10, with creamy dark skin, friendly blue eyes, and dark hair that was braided into seemingly a thousand tiny braids with multicolored beads on the end of each braid that made a light _clicking_ sound as she walked. She carried herself with confidence, and it didn't take Luke long to feel the Force wrapping around her presence like a well-worn glove. "It's almost midnight. Now isn't the time to talk about school."

Luke's eyes narrowed, feeling as if he knew her. " _Aunt Soka?"_ The name sprung to his lips before his mind had even conjured up the name, but once it was said, he knew it was correct. He knew she wasn't really related, but considering her close relationship with his parents and their family, she might as well have been.

She grinned a crooked grin and nodded. "Welcome home, Luke." Her voice…it was so familiar, he…An image formed in his brain, unbidden and surprising in hits clarity. It wasn't like the brain-splitting visions that blurred everything else out…it felt like an actual, normal memory, one that had been buried away for years...

 _Aunt Soka was looking down at him. He was surrounded by his toys, lots of mechanical toys that he was currently in the process of taking apart. "You broke all of your toys, Luke," She pointed out the obvious, and there was an exasperated expression on her face._

" _No Aunt Soka," He told her confidently, "I fix them! Like Daddy!"_

 _Ahsoka smiled a little then, and she reached down to ruffle his hair. "Well, maybe I can help….your parents are going to stop letting me watch you if they come home to find all of your toys broken."_

The memory faded, and Luke felt as if he'd found a very tiny piece of himself. He marveled, for this was a memory that Palpatine had left alone. He felt sure of it. He eyed Ahsoka with renewed interest. "Thanks," He mumbled with a small smile, reaching out with the Force to observe her Force presence. It was full of light, and though she shielded most of herself (and therefore, made it impossible for him to get a fully accurate read on her), he could tell that she was very strong in the Force. She was another Jedi Master, he suddenly remembered. It made sense that she would be trusted to watch over one of the Skywalker children…why she had been entrusted to watch over he and Leia when they were little.

He didn't get more time to dwell on that, for an elderly woman walked into view, and once again Luke was struck with the knowledge that he knew her…but unlike Ahsoka, no memories surfaced, leaving Luke feeling disappointed. _They will come in time._ His father's voice assured him, and he sounded so sure of this that Luke considered asking _how_ he knew that…and decided to drop it. He didn't feel like encouraging his father to continue invading his personal space.

The woman was shorter than he was, but not by much. Her hair was long and graying, braided over her shoulder. She had warm, gentle, dark brown eyes, holding years of knowledge. When she looked at Luke, he felt as if she could see straight into his soul, even though he knew that she wasn't Force Sensitive. Still, she was a very special woman, he could tell. "Oh, Luke," She said softly, approaching him, reaching up to place a hand gently on his cheek. Luke stood still, letting her get a closer look at him. She smiled slightly, her eyes tearing up. "You _still_ look so much like your dad."

 _My mother, your Grandma Shmi._ His father explained, and there was so much love and pride for the woman in his mental voice, that Luke truly believed that his father adored the older woman before him. "Hi, Grandma," Luke said, trying to smile for her, and yet, _all_ he could really do was marvel. In the space of just a few days, he'd gotten his mom and his _whole_ family back…and now, that family was growing with both blood relatives, like his grandma, and adopted family, like Aunt Soka and Uncle Ben. Though he still just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep for another twelve hours, if he was honest with himself, it felt…good _, really good,_ to have an actual family again. His grandmother wrapped her arms around him, holding him close. "I'm _so_ happy you're finally home, Dear." She said into his shirt. "My, you've gotten so tall! Just like your dad!" Well, not really. He was still a _little_ bit shorter than his father, though he was several inches taller than Leia and his mom, who were the same height. He was sure hoping Hayden wouldn't pass him up in height one day, but he suspected he might just by how tall he was already at age eight…

Others approached as his grandmother held him. There was a lovely blonde woman who, based on the fact that her hand was entwined in his Uncle Ben's and the fact that she wasn't much younger than Ben, Luke figured was his Aunt Satine, Ben's wife. Two younger teens, both with striking strawberry-blonde hair and blue eyes, stared at him curiously. The older one of the two approached him, grinning. She wasn't much younger than he and Leia. "Hi, Luke. Remember me?" When Luke just stared at her blankly and shook his head no, she grinned even wider. "I'm Ella, Leia's best friend. I used to annoy you when we were little."

Luke frowned. "Not on purpose, I'm sure," He remarked dryly; although, he _did_ have implanted memories that said that Leia cared about this girl more than she cared about him, and had always ignored him in favor of her. But, since everything _else_ was wrong, he figured that had to be wrong, too.

"Nah," Ella's chortled, "It was intentional. Trust me. You were _way_ too much fun to annoy."

From beside him, Leia laughed. "You _did_ blow up our third birthday cake with the Force after all, because you were upset with her," Leia thumbed at Ella,"for grabbing the cake with her hands." There was a surge of amusement through his bond with his father, accompanied by his own father's memory of the incident. He and Leia were yelling at each other across the table, while little baby Ella was happily chomping down on the cake she'd fisted, and the cake suddenly exploded outward over the entire kitchen...and _all_ of their guests. _Half of those guests didn't even_ _ **know**_ _about the Force either. Man, what a mess that was to clean up! You were_ _ **covered**_ _in cake and frosting!_ His father said through the Force, and Luke could practically _hear_ the laughter in his father's mind. Looking over at his dad, Luke saw him smiling and shaking his head at the memory.

So, maybe that implanted memory wasn't really implanted at all _or_ as farfetched as some of the other ones. Obviously, it was exaggerated, but he supposed that if one was going to convince someone to lie, one would need to base it with _just_ enough of the truth to make it believable.

"Huh." He said, not sure how to really respond to that.

There was another man there waiting to say hello. He was about Luke's size, maybe an inch taller, with close-cropped dark hair and dark eyes. He looked as if he were of eastern European descent, and his body was almost buff, muscled and taut but still lean. The man was clearly quite a few years younger than his father, and yet much older than Luke, too. In an instant, another memory, like the one he'd had when he'd seen Ahsoka moments before, sprang to mind…

 _Galen, his father's apprentice, held out his lightsaber for Luke to look at. "Don't turn it on, Luke. You're still too little."_

" _Five isn't little." Luke insisted half-heartedly: Most of his attention was fixed on the lightsaber. It was so different from his father's, and yet it was just as good. Even in Luke's limited experience with lightsabers, he could tell that this was well made, and would serve his friend well. He longed to turn it on, but Galen pulled it away…_

"Galen." Luke couldn't help but smile a little. He'd completely forgotten about his older friend, almost like he had with Ahsoka…perhaps Palpatine didn't care about Ahsoka and Galen as much. Perhaps _that_ was why those memories came easier to Luke, because they weren't suppressed as much.

If Galen was surprised that Luke remembered him, he didn't show it. He just smiled and nodded…but Galen had always been more reserved than Ahsoka, or even the other Padawans, so he didn't say anything other than, "Welcome home, Luke." He had always preferred to stick close to his father when he was around, so Galen was sort of like an older brother rather than an uncle figure like Ben; though, Luke didn't think that his father considered Galen to be a son-figure. But, then again, he'd been so wrong about his father lately, at this point Luke wouldn't be surprised to learn that the great Anakin Skywalker secretly had a stash of pretty-princess Barbie's lying around somewhere either….

 _I do NOT have a stash of pretty-princess Barbie's lying around, thank you very much!_ His father sounded _so_ appalled in his mind at such an idea that Luke couldn't help but smile and begin to laugh, causing those around him to look at him a little funny.

"Sorry," he managed to say with a shake of his head, smiling at the annoyance he could feel still emanating from his father, "I'm just tired."

"Clearly." Obi-Wan sounded _very_ amused, and when Luke looked at him, the older man was smirking at Anakin with a knowing expression. Apparently, Obi-Wan had gotten Luke's mental image of his dad hoarding Barbie's from his father's mind…because Luke was _sure_ that he was closed off to anyone else with the Force….except his father, whose bond stretched far beyond what it should have. "Why don't you go with your family, get some rest, and get settled in, alright?"

Finally, _someone_ who understood what Luke ultimately wanted in that moment. "Yes," Luke said before anyone could even think about protesting, "Let's do that."

* * *

"Good Heavens!" Threepio chirped excitedly as Luke trailed behind his parents into the back door of the house and into the large, white, semi-darkened kitchen. The droid pointed to her son, turning to face Padme and Anakin. "Bless my circuits! Look who it is! Young Master Luke, returned at last!"

Knowing how unintentionally invasive Threepio could be, Padme moved to plant herself between her son and the overbearing droid, but Luke snorted out a laugh, calming Padme's worries. "Oh, I remember _you_ alright,Threepio. I'm not sure _anyone_ could forget about you." Luke's tone was dry and ironic, but the droid didn't take it offensively.

"Why, _thank you_ , Master Luke! It pleases me to hear you say that! Oh, just wait until I tell Artoo about it in the morning! He's in his recharge cycle at the moment. Do you have any bags that I could assist you with?" The golden droid asked, ever eager to help.

"No, I'm good, thanks." Padme watched anxiously with a slight frown on her face, as Luke turned his attention away from the droid to start looking around the kitchen. Not much had changed about their home in terms of style or general layout since he'd been taken from them. Every time they'd thought about changing some things, Padme had never found the enthusiasm to do so, and Anakin had agreed with her. They wanted things to be the way Luke would remember them…and yet from the look on his face, Padme could tell that he didn't really remember anyway. It ripped her heart in two, but she managed to smile just the same.

"Come on, I'll show you to your usual room, Grandma." Leia told Shmi as she walked into the house behind Luke. Threepio, seeing that the older woman had baggage, immediately moved to help. As Leia and Shmi moved past Luke, Leia paused and leaned up to kiss Luke's cheek. "Goodnight, brother."

Luke was quiet as he watched Leia and Shmi walk up the back stairs off the kitchen, his hands shoved into his jeans pockets. Padme could tell that Luke was still exhausted from the dark circles under his eyes. Gently, she touched her son's arm, making him jump a little, but he relaxed when he realized it was just her. "Why don't we hold off the tour of the house for the morning and get you to bed?" She asked softly, and watched as relief flooded her son's clear blue eyes…so much like his father's. Force, Shmi was right—Luke was _every_ inch his father's son, at least physically.

"We have a lot we need to discuss tomorrow." Her husband, who was busy trying to get Hayden upstairs to go to bed, said, "So, get as much sleep as you can."

She watched Luke tense, like he did every time he had to interact with his father, and again Padme's heart cried out for her son. She'd always known Luke's return would be hard on her son. She'd known, bastard that he was, that Palpatine would work hard to twist her son to the point where it would be a long, hard healing process for him should he ever return to them, but to completely _sever_ the relationship between Luke and his family…well, everyone except _her_ relationship with him. That was still very much intact. But, it was so painful to see Luke so tense and hesitant around Anakin, Leia, and Hayden…it _shouldn't_ have been that way, and she couldn't help the wave of white hot fury she felt at Palpatine for that. Somehow, she vowed, she would help Luke fix that. Palpatine would _not_ win. Not this time. "But _Dad,_ " Hayden whined, frowning, "I want to show Luke my room."

Anakin smiled at his youngest son, ruffling his dark brown curls affectionately, bending over and planting a quick kiss on the boy's head. "Your room will _still_ be there in the morning. You can show him then. Now, scoot. Time for bed."

Hayden seemed satisfied with this answer, and headed up the back stairs to his room. Anakin turned to follow, but paused at the bottom of the steps, one hand on the rail, looking back at Luke with a small smile. "I'm going to make sure your brother gets into bed, but if you need me, Luke, I'll know."

"I don't need you." Luke's response was automatic, almost reflexive, and the tone was harsh, but he seemed to remember that his father _wasn't_ the enemy and added in a softer tone, "Right now, at least."

Although Anakin didn't look like Luke's response affected him, Padme _knew_ her husband better than anyone. She knew that Luke's words would be like a dagger to the heart, even though Anakin knew that Luke was still getting used to the idea that he'd been lied to all these years. The younger Anakin from their old galaxy might have responded with offense, but Anakin was older, more mature, and much wiser now, with the finely honed training of a Jedi Grand Master under his belt...not to mention _years_ of fatherhood, as well. Padme was certain that Anakin would maintain as much patience as he could with their wayward son. "Good. I'll see you in the morning. Sleep well, and...Welcome home, Son." With that, he turned and headed up the stairs after Hayden.

For a moment, Luke was silent, watching him go, as if waiting for his father to turn around and start yelling at him. Finally, he relaxed, and as he did, Padme placed a gentle hand on his arm. "Come on." She said, "I'll show you to your room." He met her eyes, relaxing further, and nodded before following her up the stairs. "We didn't change anything about your room, so the bed might be a _little_ smaller than you're used to, and the decorations might be…well, fit for an eight-year-old boy, but you can change it if you want, now that you're home…"

"I'm sure it's fine, Mom." Luke assured her as they reached the top of the stairs. Padme led him down the hallway to the bedroom door that had remained closed for nine long years—she had, of course, occasionally had Threepio clean and vacuum it for any dust, but no one had set foot inside there since Luke had been taken. None of them had the heart to go in—not even Hayden, as curious as he could be, had ever gone in there, to Padme's knowledge. So, Padme wasn't sure _how_ it would look when she opened the door…

But, it looked exactly the same as she remembered.

The walls were the original blue Luke had picked out when the house was built, with the same glow-in-the-dark stars pasted everywhere, stars that had probably lost their glow years ago. A model of the solar system hung from the ceiling, above Luke's twin bed. The bed was made, and was still the same space-themed sheets that Luke had picked out for himself when he'd first gotten his own room. There were toys neatly placed on the shelves, with some of Luke's old "unintentionally" broken toys on the desk where Luke had previously been fixing them, the tools still lying there where Luke had left them, untouched. There was even the practice lightsaber that Anakin had made for the twins using plastic and lights to light the blade up. Suddenly, a strong wave of nostalgia flooded Padme's mind, nearly buckling her knees with its intensity.

 _This_ was the room of her sweet little Luke, the one who loved space and electronics, and fixing things. The little Luke who loved _both_ of his parents, and wanted to be _exactly_ like his dad when he grew up. Padme's eyes teared up as she stared around at it, watching her now almost grown Luke walk into the remnant of his lost past, looking at everything as if he were a stranger looking at someone else's bedroom. How much had Luke changed? How much of her little Luke was still left in this nearly grown man?

"When it happened," Padme began in a shaking voice barely louder than a whisper, "I'd just tucked you into bed after putting your brother down. I had only given birth to Hayden three weeks before, and you were concerned about how having a new baby in the house would change things for us. You were always nervous about changes, but when I explained that having a little brother didn't mean that we didn't love _you_ any less, you seemed okay with that answer, especially after I told you Dad was planning on making pancakes just for you and Leia the next morning…I told you I loved you and said goodnight and went back downstairs. But then, Ventress attacked and…." She trailed off, her eyes glassy from tears. "We never had the heart to change anything in here." She motioned around the room with a wave of her hand.

Luke turned around then, approaching her, his expression soft. He reached up, wiping the tears away from her cheeks as they spilled over. "It's okay, Mom." He assured her, "I'm just happy to be home with somewhere safe to sleep. I might change some things, but it…" he hesitated, "It's just further proof that Palpatine lied to me. Parents who don't care about their kids don't make a room like this for them. I can tell that a lot of thought and love went into this, and I just wish that…" Now, it was _his_ turn to trail off. He didn't need to finish. Padme knew exactly what he meant—he wished that it hadn't happened. He wished that he could remember. He wished that he'd known the truth sooner.

She smiled tremulously for him, hoping that it was enough for now to show him that it was alright, even though her heart was hurting for her son…something that Luke was sure to pick up on. Luke was still in many ways her little Luke, she decided…deep down, underneath all of that confusion and pain, the little boy she and Anakin had raised was still there. He just…needed time and patience and love to come back. If Anakin could come back to her, Luke would, too. "I love you, Luke." She whispered, "I'll see you in the morning." With a gentle kiss on his cheek, Padme smiled and walked out of the room, leaving Luke to settle down for the night.

* * *

Anakin felt the moment when Luke fell asleep, shortly after his son's head hit the pillow. Two thoughts occurred to Anakin then: Luke must have been extremely tired still (no surprise there), and he _really_ needed to teach Luke to shield against their bond….not because he didn't _want_ to feel his son, but knowing what his son was feeling, thinking, and doing at _all_ times was not only invasive to Luke (and himself, because conversely, Luke could also do the same with his father, when Anakin wasn't shielding against him), but would also grow _distracting_ in the future, for them _both_. However, Luke was clear that he didn't want training from Anakin because he had no desire to become a Jedi….which actually stung Anakin more than he cared to admit aloud.

 _I am a Jedi, like my father before me._ Luke had once said, standing over his defeated father on the second Death Star. He _could_ have killed him….frankly, Vader had given him every reason to do it. But, Luke, just like his mother, had stood up for what he believed to be right….He had sided with the goodness in his father. No one, other than Padme, had ever done that before. Vader hadn't expected it…and it had brought him back to the Light, back to this second chance at life.

So yes, it stung to know that Luke had no desire to become a Jedi. He knew that Luke was still very confused and unsure of what to do now that he realized the last nine years of his life had been full of lies, deceit, and manipulation at the hands of Palpatine, but it _still_ hurt. Maybe it would change….he _hoped_ it would change. At the very least, he hoped Luke would let him teach him how to guard himself a bit better, so that he wasn't practically _shouting_ everything in his head at his father, which, truthfully, had begun giving Anakin headaches.

Anakin now sat quietly on the edge of his and Padme's king-size bed, staring down at his clasped hands, mulling all of this over. It wasn't long after he felt Luke fall asleep that the door to their room opened and in stepped Padme, closing the door softly behind her and locking it. In the darkness of their large master suite, they simply stared at one another for a moment, neither one saying anything, neither of them really _needing_ to speak. They _knew._ Finally, Padme whispered, "He's home, Ani." And, despite the fact that they had so far to go, Anakin smiled—truly _smiled_. Luke was home, and that was _much_ better than where he'd been the last nine years. It was a big first step…just the fact that Luke had _asked_ to go home was a major step in itself. Anakin stood up as Padme suddenly rushed at him, flinging herself into his welcoming embrace, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. "We did it, Honey! We brought our boy home!" She laughed through tears that were now bathing his neck.

 _So_ many years of stress and worry seemed to melt off of them both in that moment. Even though things were still bleak, there was now hope and optimism that was actually tangible and possible. Making sure that he was _totally_ closed off to all of his children through the Force, as well as the rest of the Jedi Academy and Obi-Wan and that he'd shielded Padme also (for their privacy), Anakin pulled away from his Angel and kissed her deeply, wantonly, desire for his beloved wife surging hotly in his veins. He'd learned _many_ years ago that if he wanted to have any sort of private ' _alone time_ ' with Padme that involved… _intimate marital activities_ , he would need to make sure he walled off his connection with his children _and_ shield his wife as well. The first time it had happened when the twins were old enough to notice, a three-year-old Leia had openly asked him why he and her mommy were "kissing all night long" at breakfast the morning after. Padme had been mortified, sputtering and spewing coffee across her plate, and Anakin had almost choked on his bacon.

And _oh_ , Anakin _wanted_ to celebrate tonight with his wife, in a way that _only_ he and Padme could celebrate...through the shared love and passion that had _created_ their children to begin with. They had waited for so long…they had gone through so much, and now…now it was almost over.

"Thank you, Anakin." Padme suddenly whispered.

Anakin frowned, trying to think of anything he'd done that would warrant that. "For what, Angel?" He asked when he couldn't think of anything. He pulled away slightly from their embrace, just enough to look into her shining dark eyes.

Padme smiled, and it was full of so much joy that he found that he was smiling back just as much. "For not giving up."

"Of course I wasn't giving up." Anakin laughed, as if it were obvious. He understood what she meant though. The police had long go told them to give up searching for Luke, that he was likely gone forever. Most parents probably would have stopped actively searching…but not Anakin and Padme. "You didn't give up either, may I remind you."

"I know," Padme grinned. "I guess you and I are just too stubborn to know when to stop."

"Well," Anakin agreed with a tilt of his head, leaning his forehead against hers, and his voice dropped, turning soft and husky, "We've never been known to give up on what we want."

Padme closed her eyes and buried her face against his chest, taking a deep breath. "In this case, it was a need that drove us to continue on."

That was true. A complete family had never been a want. For the Skywalker family, it was a _need._ Now that Luke was home, their family was complete. "I love you, Padme." Anakin said, looking down at the woman in his arms.

She looked up, another dazzling smile on her beautiful face. "I love you too, Ani." And, as Anakin leaned down to kiss her once more…Another Force presence unexpectedly arrived near their home, in the direction of the landing pad. Anakin froze, scowling as he recognized Mara Jade's vibrant presence in the Force. "What is it?" Padme asked, confused as to why her husband was suddenly stopping.

"They're here." Anakin grumbled unhappily on a sigh.

"Who?" Padme's voice was tinged with worry, probably thinking it was someone way more dangerous than it actually was….although, Mara Jade was dangerous in the sense that she'd captured Luke's heart...in their old galaxy and in this one. So, maybe it was a good reaction.

"Luke's friends. I can sense Mara all the way from here." She was certainly powerful in the Force, he'd give her that much. That didn't mean he wanted her with his son, though.

"Oh." Padme surprised him by laughing a little bit. "Well, Ani, let them be. Besides, we knew they were coming. Their presence here will help Luke settle in more comfortably, and Mara should probably be trained as a Jedi anyway. Besides, Leia likes having Han around." There was something in her voice that Anakin couldn't put his finger on….but he let it drop.

"That's what I'm afraid of." He scowled.

That only seemed to make Padme laugh more. "Oh, Ani. _We_ were young once…well, _twice_ , actually. Remember? We probably made more reckless decisions with all of our relationships than Luke and Leia combined."

"I don't know about _that_." Anakin's response was half-hearted though. Getting married in secret _had_ been pretty reckless. He didn't regret it, of course, but it _had_ caused complications not only in their relationship, but with their other friends and colleagues as well.

Padme reached up and brushed her hand across his cheek. "Besides, they're only teenagers. The more you order them _not_ to do something, the more they're actually going to _do_ it." She had a point, but somehow, he didn't think Luke and Leia would be convinced enough to _not_ date Mara and Han because he used reverse psychology on them. He didn't get a chance to think about it though, because Padme twined her fingers in his hair at his nape and pulled his face back down so that she could touch her lips to his. "Master Jedi, I don't want to talk about our kids' dating lives right now. I have something else in mind that I'd like to do with you."

He could feel her sly smile against his mouth, causing him to grin ferally, his eyes darkening with desire, before sealing her lips with his own. "As Milady commands."

* * *

Luke didn't know how long he was asleep, but his dreams were dark, imageless, and full of an echoing, deep breathing sound that seemed to follow him wherever he stumbled. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't escape the darkness, or that noise, and then….A hand was on his shoulder, shaking him out of sleep. He jerked awake so quickly, his hand went flying to his side where his lightsaber had been…only to find it gone and Mara standing over him in the darkness, the moonlight making her flame-red hair shimmer like burning embers in the dead of night. He let out a pent up breath. "Dammit, Mara," He whispered, "Hasn't anyone ever told you that sneaking into a boy's room in the middle of the night is not socially acceptable?"

"No, actually." He could hear the dry amusement in Mara's voice, but her expression was serious. "We just landed. I could feel your unease from the Falcon. I thought I would check on you."

He remembered then that he wasn't in England in their make-shift home in the abandoned office building. He was back home in Texas, in his childhood bedroom—the room he didn't remember being quite so… _personable_. He'd remembered just a normal room with plain boring walls. _This_ room…this room wasn't boring or plain, and he didn't feel like he belonged in it. With Mara in the room, he suddenly felt even more out of place. "How did you even get up _here?_ You didn't break into my house, did you?"

"Not exactly." Mara motioned to the open bedroom window, as she sat down on the edge of his bed. "It wasn't that hard, with the Force. And, I didn't break anything, so you can't _technically_ say that I broke in." This time, she grinned, using air quotes to emphasize her words, and despite the fact that he was still exhausted and shaken from his nightmare, he found himself smirking back...until he heard, "Nice room, by the way. It suits you."

The smirk disappeared from his face. "No, it really doesn't."

Mara scoffed. "I beg to differ, Luke. Do you know _how many_ DVD's Han, Chewie and I had to pack up that were space themed? Seriously, do you know? Because we lost count. That doesn't count all of the books on space or spaceship engineering that we packed from your bedroom. It makes total sense that your childhood bedroom would be space-themed. Space isn't your interest—it's part of your very soul."

He opened his mouth to disagree…but found that he couldn't. He had always found space fascinating. "I guess…that's not what I meant. I mean… _this_ is the room of someone normal, of someone innocent, of someone who isn't…" He trailed off. _Me_ , he thought sourly. Palpatine had succeeded in turning him into a monster. How was he supposed to just come back into a normal life and pretend that it didn't happen?

Mara was silent for a moment. "Well," She finally said, "It _is_ a little childish. Maybe you and I could kidnap Han and Chewie and make it a little more adult. But, if you want your room to reflect your mistakes…well that's a bit _dark_ , don't you think?. Everyone makes mistakes, Luke. If I based my room off of my mistakes, it would either be pitch black or dark red." She met his eyes straight on, unflinching. "You aren't the _only_ one who has killed people, y'know."

He knew that. He understood that. Yet, that didn't mean that he didn't feel _awkward_ being in a place that was so obviously innocent and was supposed to be his home. He sighed, running a hand over his face. "I'm sorry, Mara."

"For what?" She asked, her eyebrow lifting, "For running off and almost getting yourself killed? Or for making me pack your underwear?"

Luke felt his face flush red—he hadn't even thought about _that_ when they'd gone back to London to pack everything. "You didn't…"

"You're right. I didn't. Chewie did. But, it _was_ fun to see the look on your face, though." Her grin faded after a moment. "I believed your apology back in Switzerland, Skywalker. You don't need to apologize every time you so much as breathe wrong. Like I said, no one is perfect…even the son of the Grand Master of the Jedi Order."

"I know," He grumbled, "I just…wanted to make sure you knew I was."

"Just don't ditch me again, Skywalker. You had me worried sick with that stunt."

Now, _he_ couldn't help but smile a little. "You? Mara Jade? Worried? I'll believe _that_ when I see it."

"Believe it, Space-boy." She suddenly leaned over, closing the distance between them, kissing him firmly on the lips before pulling away slightly. "I didn't move out here because I wanted to be a Jedi. I moved out here for _you._ Regardless of what happens between us…I want to see where it goes. And, I _don't_ want it to end in one of us dying prematurely because we couldn't trust each other enough to rely on one another in battle."

"I do trust you." He protested, "That's not why I did it. I did it because…because I couldn't lose you." Talia's face flashed in his mind. "I couldn't…I couldn't watch you die."

Mara was quiet. Now that she knew at least some of Talia's story, he had no doubt that she knew what he was referring to. "I can't promise that I _won't,_ just like _you_ can't promise me that _you_ won't. But, we stand better odds together than apart."

"I know that." He said, "I figured that out real quick after starting that mission." He sighed again, before leaning forward and kissing her again, softly, tenderly….

 _What the HELL, Luke?!_

He immediately pulled away, blushing furiously, as he realized that his _father_ could sense everything…and was currently sensing Luke's turbulent emotions as he kissed Mara. _Um. Not what it seems, I promise…._

 _Dammit! It is three in the morning! Get her out of there and GO TO BED! Now!_

"What is it?" Mara asked, confused at the look on Luke's face. "What's wrong?"

Luke looked at her painfully, a blush still staining his cheeks. "Well, my dad knows you're in here…and he knows you and I are, um, kissing. In my room. At three in the morning."

If Mara was embarrassed, she didn't show it. Instead, she just smirked and seemed more amused than anything else. "Oh? I thought you could block him?"

"I used to," He grumbled petulantly, "But _now_ ….it's a long story, Mara. I'll tell you in the morning….but I think…" He hesitated, knowing that once it was said, it could open a door to becoming a Jedi….which he did not want. Still, having his father able to get into his head, all the time, whenever he wanted….it was going to drive him...Ok, them _both..._ insane. "I think I'm going to need to at least get trained on how to block Force-connections."

Leaning in for another kiss, Mara whispered, "The sooner the better, I'd say," and _just_ as their lips met...

 _LUKE, don't make me come in there!_

 _"Damn!"_

* * *

 **Sorry it took so long to update. I was back home for the holidays with all of my siblings and my best friends there...so, writing this was long and slow.**

 **Rogue One was amazing...and I won't give any spoilers, but I will say that I'm super glad that I went with Mara as Luke's love interest in this story. That is why I don't write characters I don't know.**

 **I am also very sad that Carrie died... she was such an inspiration to women everywhere. Not gunna lie, I cried when I found out. At work. It was an awful day.**

 **Anyhow, I shall update sooner now that I'm back on my normal writing schedule. The song for this chapter is "I Was Me" by Imagine Dragons.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	70. The Next Step

" _Dammit! WHERE_ is it?!" Luke hissed in frustration, a scowl on his face, as he haphazardly tossed aside one box before reaching over and going through the other boxes of stuff along the far wall of his room for about the third time.

"Where is _what_ , Kid?" Han asked in confusion. He and Chewie had been helping Luke all morning bring _all_ his stuff they'd brought over from England in the Falcon upstairs into his bedroom and unpacking it, and at the same time, as each box was emptied, Luke was filling the now empty boxes with stuff from his childhood. Toys, mostly. Broken ones. _Lots_ of them. Things that he would certainly no longer use. But, _now_ he was tearing everything apart looking for the _one_ small object that he needed to put a working lightsaber back in his hand. And, it was frustrating the hell out of him that he wasn't finding it.

Surely it was _here_ somewhere.

"It's…" He frowned. He'd never explained much about the Force, or his lightsaber, to Han. He'd given his friend the bare basics, and that was _all_ Han wanted to know about that " _hokey religion_." Still, Han and Chewie _had_ helped Mara pack his stuff up from their place just outside London. If anyone knew where it was, it would be him. "It's a little crystal. It would have been in the top drawer of my dresser. I had it in a little brown paper bag," Luke explained, as he continued rifling through another box.

Han glanced at Chewie, who shrugged and said something Luke didn't understand…like usual. "Nope, sorry, Kid. Neither of us have seen anything like that in your stuff."

Luke stopped digging in the box in front of him, burying his face in his hands, taking deep breaths to calm the sudden panic that was quickly rising to the surface. "Do you think Mara might have packed it?" Mara was currently unpacking her own stuff in her new quarters over in the Jedi Academy.

Chewie said something again, and Han translated. "Chewie packed the stuff from your drawers. I guess it's _possible_ Mara packed it somewhere, but I doubt it." Han shrugged, standing behind Luke with his hands on his hips.

Luke ran his hands through his hair, groaning. "Maybe it's still there in London. We could go back, right? Maybe look for it? I mean, this is important, Han."

"Luke," Han sighed, " _Why_ is this crystal so important? I didn't peg you for the type to get into jewelry." Luke shot his friend an irritated look. Han shrugged again and held up his hands innocently, "What?"

Luke just rolled his eyes and continued to look through the boxes. "That crystal is special, alright? It powers a lightsaber. I need it to build another lightsaber to replace the one I lost in Switzerland."

Han shrugged, bewildered, not understanding what the big deal was. "So, go get another one."

Luke paused, frowning. When he'd gone on that mission to the Crystal Temple in Nepal to steal the red crystal for his lightsaber, he would have said the same thing. It was just a means to an end—a way to power one of his primary weapons. But then, standing in that cave, he'd felt… _drawn_ to the other crystal. It somehow _called_ to him through the Force on a very personal level. He knew that he shouldn't have done it, but he couldn't help himself, and he'd answered that call and grabbed it, and he'd hidden it away this whole time. After he'd deserted Palpatine, there were nights that he could literally _feel_ the crystal calling to him, tugging at him through the Force, almost _enticing_ him to replace the red crystal in his lightsaber with this other one. More than once, he'd taken it out of the drawer to do just that, but…each time he hadn't felt ready. Something deep within him always held him back, left him feeling uncertain. So, he'd put it away again.

Now it was lost, and he felt as if he'd lost part of _himself_. And, it was driving him _crazy_ , like an itch he couldn't scratch. "It's complicated." He muttered sourly, his face set in a frown.

Han and Chewie glanced at each other, and Chewie shrugged as if to say _I have no idea why he's so moody about that._ Han sighed again. "I'm sorry about the rock, Kid. I'm sure it'll turn up." He paused, trying to appear nonchalant, making a show of examining his nails. _"Sooo_ …when does your sister get home from school today?"

Luke scowled at the reminder of where she was. Even though they'd returned home just the night before, things were already busy in the Skywalker household. Leia, who had missed a bunch of school, _insisted_ that she needed to get back to her classes, but given that today was Friday, she would have at least the weekend ahead to spend time with him. He had spent nine years away from his twin, and now that they were back together again, he didn't want to give up any _more_ time with her than was absolutely necessary, but at the same time, he knew she'd just spent the last two weeks traveling the globe helping to look for him. She'd missed a lot of classes because of it…and he _wanted_ her to be successful and knew her education was important to her, just like their younger brother Hayden. "She said she'd be home about four," He replied. "Why?"

Han suddenly found one of his old toy rockets _very_ interesting. "Oh...No reason. Just wondering when you'd see her again. That's all."

Luke stopped digging through boxes, and cast a quizzical look at his friend, suddenly feeling… _uneasy_. "When _I'll_ see her again?" He echoed in disbelief, his clear blue eyes focused sharply on his friend, who was now shifting his stance from foot to foot almost... _guiltily._ "I don't think that's something I have to worry about anymore." His voice was filled with suspicion. "Wait a minute...You aren't _hitting_ on my _sister_ , are you?!"

Han quickly gave him an innocent look, his hands pointing toward his own chest. "What, _me?_ Never."

Luke wasn't buying it. He _knew_ that look. That look was classic 'Han-speak' meaning that he most certainly _was_ hitting on Leia. Luke shook his head in exasperation. "Seriously, Han?! Come _on_ , Man! You're like… _ten years older_ than us! Get real, will ya?! My father will _never_ allow it!"

"I haven't hit on your sister!" Han insisted, and Chewie said something and then sounded like he was laughing hysterically. "Yeah!" Han motioned toward the large Russian man, "Chewie's right. _She_ hit on _me!_ "

"Oh, _right_ ," Luke scowled, "Uh-huh, yeah...somehow I _doubt_ that…."

"Kid, I kid you not," Han interrupted seriously, holding his right hand, palm up, facing Luke,"She literally walked over and laid a _whopper_ of a kiss on me the moment I walked through the door of our house before we left for Switzerland. Your mom was standing right there, too and saw the whole thing! But... _well_ , she's a damn good kisser! Knocked me for a loop! Can you blame me?! "

Luke was stunned, speechless, his eyebrows shooting up to his hairline. He couldn't imagine Leia kissing guys _period_ , let alone random ones she'd never really met before, but his mind lingered on the memory of her briefly meeting Han in the Namibia base. The _look_ that had passed between them had been almost _molten_ …."Gross, Man," Luke groaned, _"You're robbing the cradle!_ Putting the moves _on my sister_ like that!" If Luke hadn't been so upset by this _surprising_ revelation, he'd have laughed outright at the look on Han's face. It was like... _innocently guilty_ , if there was such a thing, and Chewie doubled over, slapping his hands on his thighs, laughing all the harder at this exchange.

"I haven't done anything!"

"But you're _planning_ on it!"

"No…"

" _Ahem_." Both of them stopped,heads whipping round towards the door to Luke's bedroom. Shmi stood there, an amused look on her face, her brown eyes sparkling. Clearly, she'd heard every word of the exchange. "Luke, your parents are back home from the airport with your mom's parents."

Luke had been so busy freaking out about the fact that Leia had been kissing his best friend, that he hadn't noticed his grandmother's appearance in the doorway. "Uh, thanks for the info, Grandma," He grumbled, "We're...Well, _I'm_ just trying to find something I seem to have lost in the move."

"Well, your dad says you _need_ to come down and spend time with your grandparents." When Luke looked like he was about to argue with her, she held up her hands. "Don't shoot the messenger; although, he's right. I would like to spend more time with you, Sweetie, and your Papa and Nana are anxious to see you again after all these years."

Luke gritted his teeth, guilt washing over him…as well as annoyance. He now understood _why_ his father hadn't just come upstairs to get him himself, or send him a message through their stupid Force-link. He could say _no_ to his father, but he _couldn't_ say no to his grandmother. And, his father _knew_ it. Blast him! He stood up slowly, giving Han a pointed look. "Just a warning, but you should probably clear out of here now before my father finds out that Leia kissed you."

"You're _telling_ him?!" Han asked, blanching and clearly appalled. "You're supposed to be my best friend! You're wouldn't rat me out like that, would you?!"

"Oh, I am your best friend," He remarked dryly, "But, I'm also pretty sure that my father has sensed the reason for my…current _displeasure_ already, and I'm kinda surprised he hasn't already come charging up here to shove his lightsaber through you. He's kind've protective of the females in this family that way." Luke smirked watching sweat break out on Han's face.

Han cast a nervous glance towards Shmi, who shrugged. "I'd like to say my son _wouldn't_ do that, but I can't make any guarantees." She winked. "Dads are naturally protective of their children, their little girls..and their _only daughters_ especially." She was still smiling, enjoying Han's sudden discomfort immensely.

" _Right_ ," Han grumbled. "Well, ok then...Chewie, let's you and me get out of here." Chewie started to head for the open window, the same window Mara had climbed through the night before. Luke opened his mouth to stop them and tell them to just use the front door, but shaking his head, he sighed instead, leaving his room in his grandmother's wake to head downstairs. If his friends wanted to be weird and not use a door to get into his room like normal people, he wasn't about to stop them.

When he reached the bottom of the stairs leading to the kitchen, all of that was forgotten, though, as two elderly people he only vaguely recognized suddenly enveloped him in bear hugs, kissing his cheeks, crying, and saying a bunch of blubbered words that he couldn't understand for the life of him. He froze in their arms, stiff as a board, his eyes searching over their heads to look for his parents….only to find them standing in the kitchen, their heads bent together in the midst of a heated, whispered conversation. Oh yeah, he realized, looking at his father's murderous expression and his mother's exasperated one, his father had _definitely_ figured out about Leia's kissing habits...and he was _not_ happy. Not at all.

"T—thanks, guys, I mean...Grandma, Grandpa...it's…uh, really good to see you, too." He managed to squeeze out, feeling like he couldn't breathe with their arms wrapped so tightly around him, and realizing that his parents were not going to save him from their over zealous attention.

That seemed to make them realize that they were smothering him, and they hesitantly let him go, though they stayed in his personal bubble. "Oh, I'm sorry Luke, it's just that…we've missed you _so much,_ Sweetheart _!_ " His grandmother said, reaching up to ruffle his hair. "The last time we saw you, you were just a little boy and now…" tears sprung up in her eyes, and he could sense her anguish at having missed so many years of his life. "Oh, _Luke_ …"

"We're just so happy you're home and safe, Son." His grandfather agreed, patting him on the shoulder, his eyes wandering over him, as though checking for physical injuries. "We'd almost given up hope that you would _ever_ come back home…" His grandfather cleared his throat, obviously choked up at seeing his oldest grandson again.

Luke relaxed a little, peering into their faces, trying to remember them…but all he got was blurry images. "I'm sorry." He said through numb lips, truly meaning it, "I didn't mean to cause so much pain for everyone." He wondered how much they knew of his _situation_ —how he'd literally been forced to believe that no one in his family was missing him. He had told himself for years that it didn't matter, but now…

"It's _not_ your fault, Luke." His grandfather suddenly said bitterly, and to Luke's surprise, he sent a glowering look towards…. _his father?!_ What in the world was _that_ for? "If you weren't…."

"Ruwee!" His grandmother hissed, glaring daggers at her husband. " Stop it! You said that you _wouldn't_ bring that up ever again!"

"I _know,_ Jobal, but it's _true!_ They took him from us because of _who_ he is! Because of _who_ his father is! It's not fair to Luke…" Luke stared at his grandparents in shock, his mouth dropping wide open, as he realized just _what_ his grandfather was suggesting. _All_ of this happened because Luke was Force Sensitive, because he was the son of Anakin Skywalker. And, technically, his grandfather had a point…but Luke couldn't change his parentage, his genetics, or who he was. His mother had _chosen_ to be with his father, knowing the risks involved with such a choice. He opened his mouth, about to interrupt his grandparents, to try to change the very awkward subject, but as he did…

Another memory hit him. Short, and yet it spoke volumes.

 _He was four and floating a toy space ship over his hands with the Force, frozen, watching as his dad argued with his grandpa. "You will_ _ **not**_ _tell my son not to use his powers!" His dad was trying to keep his voice down, trying to keep from scaring Luke, but Luke could nevertheless feel his father's total frustration with his father-in-law._

" _It's dangerous!" His grandpa hissed, "What if he uses that power when he starts going to school? Most children can't levitate objects." A frustrated sigh erupted from his grandpa. "Against my better judgment, I've tried to keep you and your world hidden from the prying eyes of the government, for my daughter's and my grandchildren's sakes, but if your twins start showing off their powers in public…" He paused, looking worriedly over at Luke. "Maybe you should home school them."_

 _There was a spike of fury in the Force from his father, and Luke watched his dad open his mouth to make a scathing retort… "Daddy," Luke's voice was young, full of innocence. The toy rocket fell to the floor. "I'm sorry. Don't…don't be mad at Papa. I won't do it again."_

 _His dad turned then, and Luke could see the effort his father was making to keep the fury off of his expression as he faced his son. His blue eyes looked at the rocket, and then at Luke, before he knelt down so that he and his son were face to face. The rocket levitated, this time by his father's will, floating gently back into Luke's hands. Once it had landed in his tiny hands, his dad reached up and ruffled Luke's hair affectionately. "Your grandpa is just worried for you, Luke. You shouldn't use this power you have in front of people who aren't…like us. But here at home, or with other Jedi, like Uncle Ben and Aunt Soka and Galen, I want you to use it as much as possible." Luke met his father's eyes, and he could hear his grandpa sigh in frustration before walking into their kitchen to find Leia or his mom. "Don't_ _ **ever**_ _be ashamed of who you are, Luke."_

The vision ended as quickly as it came, and when Luke jolted back to reality, he realized that his grandparents were all staring at him in concern, Shmi having walked over to stand with Ruwee and Jobal. He realized that he was staring off into space like a fool, and his face flushed hot in embarrassment. "Are you okay, Luke?" His Nana asked. He also realized that his parents had gone silent in the kitchen as well, and he could feel his father reaching out to him with concern through their bond.

"I'm…fine. Sorry." He offered a sheepish smile. "I think I'm going to grab a bite to eat. I haven't had lunch yet, so…we'll, uh, talk once you're all settled in. Is that cool?"

His grandparents all looked at one another, obviously concerned by his behavior. He had a feeling people would be looking like that a lot around him as he struggled to adjust to everything. He tried not to let it bother him, even though part of him hissed that he wasn't some invalid who needed watching every moment of every day. "Sure, Luke." His grandfather said, offering an apologetic smile. "I didn't mean to offend you…"

But, Luke was already moving toward the kitchen, hearing Threepio approach his grandparents to offer his assistance. As he entered the kitchen, his parents watched him, glancing at one another, silently communicating. Luke ignored them, going straight for the fridge. As he opened it, Artoo, who had been at his father's side, rolled over and gently bumped his leg affectionately, tootling a greeting, his optical sensor gazing up at Luke. "Hey, Artoo," He muttered, reaching down to pat the droid's dome affectionately. He had re-met the little droid that morning at breakfast before Leia had gone to school, and he felt an odd sense of…attachment to the astromech.

"I'm sorry, Luke. My parents mean well," His mom suddenly said, her tone apologetic. "They didn't find out about your father's powers until after I became pregnant with you and Leia. My dad, especially, has a _hard time_ with it. He doesn't really understand it, and he just sees it as a danger...especially after everything that's happened with Palpatine."

Luke pulled out some left-over lasagna and a can of Dr. Pepper, shrugging his shoulders. "No big deal." He said, "They aren't _completely_ wrong."

He felt his father tense through their bond, but there was no outright disagreement. Padme frowned, but didn't comment on it. Instead, she said, "Before your grandparents come back downstairs, we wanted to talk to you about something."

He plopped a plate of lasagna into the microwave, covered it, and turned it on to heat his food, then popped the top of the can to take a swig of soda. "Sure." He said noncommittally. Artoo still followed him, beeping something at him. He supposed he could lean down and check the translation on the droid, or install the app for droids like this on his phone, but he was more concerned with what it was his parents wanted to talk to him about. It felt… _strange_. He'd spent so long on his own taking care of himself without having to have "parent talks" that it was both uncomfortable and intense at the same time, wondering what it was they wanted to talk about.

There was another shared glance between his parents. His mom was practically coated with apprehension, but steely determination, while his father still seemed… _tense_ over finding out about Leia's kissing habits and hearing his in-laws go off about their Force abilities. Luke began to take another sip of the bubbly drink. "Luke, we believe it would be best if you went back to school." His mom finally said, getting straight to the point.

He took a sharp breath, forgetting that he was still drinking the soda, and began to cough violently, managing to set the soda can down on the counter while he sputtered. His mom moved toward him to help, but he waved her off, finally managing to take in a deep breath. "I'm sorry, but what did you say?" He managed to croak, his voice raw, staring incredulously between his parents.

Although she was clearly nervous about his reaction to this insane idea, he could see in her dark eyes that she was determined and resolved nonetheless. "As much as we want you to never leave our sight again, we also want you to live as healthy and normal a life as you can, Luke…physically, mentally, emotionally, _and_ socially. Part of that process is getting an education so that you can go to college and achieve whatever it is that you want to achieve in life, as well as interacting with other kids your age." Kid. He hadn't thought of himself as a 'kid' in so long…the term didn't feel right. He'd done more in his seventeen years of life than most adults _ever_ did in their lifetime. The idea of him actually going to a _school_ , interacting with normal, innocent people who had _no idea_ of the dangers that were out there on this planet, dangers that he constantly had faced almost daily…

"I got an education." Luke informed her, trying not to lose his temper. His sarcasm with his mother the day before, and his father's reaction to it, replayed in his mind. More than that, he didn't want to be mad at his mother...which was _exactly_ why his father was not the one telling him this. "I didn't just learn how to kill people, you know."

His mom flinched, just barely, but he still caught it and winced internally. The reminder that he was _a killer_ … "Do you have any school transcripts to prove that?" He was silent. Of course he didn't, but he'd spent those years focusing on not only learning to fight and kill, but also survival skills, and even the essential subjects like reading, writing, mathematics, science, and history. In fact, they were rather vigorous programs, so much so that he had struggled with that the most…well, not math and science. Those subjects came as naturally as breathing to him. _Maybe I can help Hayden with his science project after all_ , the sudden thought crossed his mind, before he shook his head to focus on...what was it again? Oh, yeah. School. Transcripts. Right...But, he realized, considering that the Inquisitor program was off of _any_ official record a normal government would have, Luke knew that there was no way he could produce transcripts.

He kept silent. "I thought not." His mom paused, looking him over. "What do you _want_ to do, Luke?"

It was a good question. One Luke didn't really have the answer to. Honestly, he hadn't thought past killing Palpatine...He knew he wanted Mara in his life. He knew he wanted Han and Chewie around…and he _supposed_ that he wanted to get to know the family he'd been taken from better. Those weren't _financial_ desires, though. To live, he needed money to afford shelter, food, necessities and comforts for himself and whoever was with him. "I guess…I figured I'd just help Han and Chewie." He didn't say the word smuggling, but his parents clearly understood what he was getting at, and he could feel the sharp disapproval radiate through his bond with his father, though his father's expression was still intently focused on listening. It was true, though. Han made good money, and if he kept bounty hunting, he would have a good profit. But, it wasn't a stable lifestyle, and frankly, now that he _really_ thought about it, he couldn't see himself doing it for the rest of his life either. But, what then…? "What did I want to be when I was little?" He'd posed the question before he could stop himself.

Surprised, his parents exchanged a look. "You wanted to build spaceships," His father spoke, a small smile on his face, "You wanted to be in outer space."

"Like your dad." His mom added with a smile, her gaze far away, remembering his youth.

Luke's mind flashed to the ship he'd been drawing and perfecting for years. He remembered Mara's observation that space wasn't just an interest for him, it was part of his very _soul._ The idea of him flying that ship through space…now _that_ appealed to him. Not because his father was the director of NASA. Not because his father was the first person to set foot on Mars. Not because his father built ships like they were no more complicated than a Lego toy spaceship. It appealed to him because _something_ in his very blood cried out for it, something drove him to want to fly, to be out among the stars, exploring…

When he didn't respond, his father calmly pointed out, "If you still want to do that, you need at least a Master's degree."

And, to get that Master's degree, he would need to get into college. A good college. To get into college, he would need transcripts proving that he'd been to school. "So, what...are they going to make me go through everything I've missed?" Luke asked, his voice dry at the thought. All that work…. It would take _years_ to finish. He would be thirty-something by the time he graduated friggin' high school. Maybe he would just stick to smuggling and bounty hunting…

"We've already contacted the school district this morning. They… _understand_ at least the basic situation. They're willing to give you a comprehensive test to evaluate your skill level, and based on the results of that test, they'll place you into the appropriate grade level in high school." His mother responded.

Some of his tension relaxed. That wasn't _completely_ unmanageable. But, the idea of going to school, surrounded by curious, gossiping, _normal_ teenagers…he shuddered. He hadn't even gone outside his family's private grounds yet, where the reporters were still camped out at the gates, trying to get a look at him. What if the reporters found out that he was going to school? He didn't feel like getting swarmed…but worse, what if _Palpatine_ decided to strike him there? He didn't even have his lightsaber to protect him now. What if…

 _Leia will be with you._ His father's voice drifted into his mind, reading his fears. _There are other Jedi there, too…including some of your old friends. They are aware of the danger, and are prepared should an attack happen._ He hesitated, still not sure…but he couldn't keep hiding forever. He would go mad anyway, being stuck in one confined place. Mara was right—his place was out among the stars. To get there, he would _need_ to go back to school…even if he hated the idea of it. So, standing taller, he shoved his hands in his pockets and bit the bullet...

"When do I start?"

* * *

 **Sorry for the late update. My cat died, I got sick, and then for some reason, my word program wouldn't let me do anything in it for like a week, so I didn't get this finished earlier than now. It's been a pretty weird few weeks. But it's up!**

 **I also started a third story. This is still my primary story, but I enjoy writing Star Wars fanfic, so... why not?**

 **Review! You guys are the best!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	71. One Small Step for Luke

_Plop_

Watching the smooth stone hit the water and sink out of sight, Luke scowled at the stream gurgling by from his spot on the banks and drew his legs up, hugging his knees to his chest. _He doesn't get it, dammit!_ He _wasn't_ normal. He would _never_ _be_ normal. He didn't fully understand _why_ his grandpa wouldn't - or _couldn't_ \- seem to get that through his thick skull. The whole week Grandpa and Nanna Amidala had been visiting, it was like a constant, neverending silent battle of wills. While his Nanna and Grandma Shmi were more… _cautious_ around him, they still showed interest in what Luke had learned while he'd been…gone. They avoided speaking about the fact that he'd been forcibly _taken_ —in fact, they acted like it was almost like he'd gone on an extended leave to some type of hidden boarding school for special kids, and frankly, he was totally okay that they avoided the _real_ reason why he knew all that he did about the Force and survival skills like hunting, fishing, shelter building, etc. He was _more_ than happy to pretend that he was just abnormally _gifted_ in those particular subjects—and he was quite content to pretend that those skills hadn't come at a _very_ steep cost, a cost that made him…

He dropped that thought instantly. _Nope. Not going there._

His father didn't agree with his decision to try to just pretend the whole thing didn't happen the way it did. Luke could feel his father urging him through the Force to open up to…if not _him,_ then the Force itself, to begin the process of sorting out his feelings about what all had happened to him, to _all_ of them. Luke pursed his lips and shook his head. Not happening. He was _done_ with that. He didn't _want_ to open that door, because if he did, he would release a torrent and be swept away by it and drown. Though Luke was getting pretty good at burying those feelings deep into a dark pit inside of himself, he had a feeling that his father saw right through him—and it drove him crazy. He still hadn't asked for training to block his father out. _Skywalkers_ , Mara said, when he told her all of this the day before, _are too stubborn for their own good_.

She was probably right.

His mom seemed to quietly agree with his father, but he had a feeling that they were both waiting for their company to leave before they began to _really_ push him in earnest to either open up or—he shuddered at the thought—go see a therapist. They hadn't said as much, but isn't that where cases like his usually ended up in the end? So, in the meantime, his mom was the perfect mom (in his eyes at least), being a wonderful hostess to his grandparents, laughing at jokes his father told her despite the strain she was obviously under, listening to Hayden and Leia talk about their days at school, discussing upcoming court cases and other litigation with Satine on the phone…she was as perfect as he remembered her. He just wished that he could make her worry go away—without having to go to a therapist over it.

But _Force_ , his grandfather was something else!…Luke's jaw tightened. It wasn't that he was acting the way he was just to be mean. Luke truly felt that his grandfather meant well. As his parents had warned him a week ago, the man was overly worried and concerned about the powers Luke had inherited from his father. Or, maybe, he was acting like a normal, concerned father and grandfather would be after finding out that his family was involved in a lifestyle that was...at _times_...very dangerous. Luke wouldn't know though, since he'd always…well, ever since _he_ could remember, he had always been surrounded by the Force. And in his case, his grandfather had been right.

Though Luke understood this, his patience was running very thin by this point. His grandfather was civil enough, but _every time_ he talked to Luke, he almost pretended that Luke was normal. As if Luke would, from this day forward, live the life of a 'normal teenager.' He acted like being normal was a conscious _choice_ Luke could just decide to make, and yet in reality, that had _never_ been a choice for Luke, or for Leia and Hayden for that matter. It was _genetics_ , plain and simple. They were Skywalkers. They were Force sensitive. End of discussion. And, to top it off, they were the children of _**the**_ most powerful Jedi Grand Master _ever_ ….a Jedi Grand Master who, by the way, just so happened to have an arch nemesis in Sidious, one of the most powerful Sith Lords ever.

So, yeah. He was _so_ not destined for normal.

And Luke….despite it all, didn't _want_ to be normal. The Force was his constant companion. It was his lifeline. It was what had kept him going in the darkest of times over the years. It guided him. Comforted him. Strengthened him. He wasn't about to give that up just to please his worried relative. So, when his grandfather was showing Luke different colleges earlier that evening, and accidentally slipped out that Stanford was not only closeby to his mother's family, but was also _'free of Jedi_ ,' Luke had snapped. One second, he was humoring his grandfather and looking at online brochures of different colleges in his parents' living room, and the next… _Well..._ He didn't yell, thankfully. However, his whole body tensed up immediately, and his grandfather must have felt it, because he paused. "I mean, that's not the reason you should go—your parents went to that college, after all, and…"

"What if I _want_ to be a Jedi?" His voice was hard, firm. He didn't know _what_ possessed him to say that, since he certainly didn't _want_ to be a Jedi, but, at the same time, he didn't want _anyone_ to make decisions like this for him. Not anymore.

His grandfather hesitated. "If—if that's what you want, then of course." He slid a glance towards the kitchen, where his parents were talking with his Nanna and Grandma about the test scores he'd gotten back earlier that day, and the finalized plans he'd made with the school district for school. His grandfather's voice lowered as if he were afraid of his father overhearing him. "I just thought….after what happened, of course…..well, that you'd want to be done with…with those powers and not use them anymore."

Luke abruptly pushed the laptop off of his lap and stood up, his jaw tightening, his lips flattening in a thin line. "No. I'm _not_ done with those powers. Nor will I be." Luke didn't bother to keep his own voice low, and he vaguely noticed that all conversation in the kitchen had stopped. He heard Threepio sigh from the kitchen as if to say _Oh, dear. Not another fight._ "Those 'powers,' as you call them...It's part of who I _am._ If I want to be a Jedi, I'll be one. If I don't, I won't. That's _my_ decision to make. But, even if I don't, I'm _not_ going to be normal. Not _ever._ Furthermore, I'm _not_ going to pretend like I don't have them! I'm not about to have people tell me what I can and can't do with my own damn powers! They're as much a part of me as the blood in my veins!"

His grandfather's face flushed red. "Now, you listen here young man," He began, and Luke could tell that he was upset. But, in that moment, Luke didn't give a shit. He turned to make a break for the back door, to get some fresh air, to distance himself from his grandfather before he _really_ lost his temper and…his father was standing right there.

Luke flinched, expecting his father to get upset with _him_ for disrespecting his grandfather…but no. Anakin wasn't even looking at Luke. He was glaring at his father-in-law, his lips thinned into a hard line, his blue eyes narrowed and stormy under furrowed brows. Luke could feel the pure fury - controlled though it was - emitting through the Force from his father, and it made Luke back up a step. "I've had enough." His father's voice was calm, and yet firm. Anakin's full attention was on his father-in-law.

Even though he couldn't feel his father's anger like Luke could, his grandfather faltered. "I'm only trying to help—those powers have gotten this family into _nothing_ but trouble from the start, and…"

"And, it's _**not**_ something that we can just turn off and on, like a water faucet, when we feel like it!" Anakin interrupted, his voice clipped and jaw tight. Behind his father, his mom appeared, looking worriedly between her dad and her husband. His grandmothers were right behind _her,_ and Luke sensed that what was coming next…Well, it wouldn't be pretty. This was a fight a _long_ time coming, and it didn't _really_ have anything to do with Luke himself—but he seemed to be the catalyst for it. No, this was strictly between Ruwee and Anakin.

And, frankly, Luke wasn't interested in being involved any further. Though his mom called after him, Luke bolted out the back door and into the late afternoon sweltering heat, heading for _anywhere_ that wasn't around his family—around anyone, really. He needed to calm down. He needed to think. He needed to be alone.

So here he was. Deep in the woods behind his house. Staring at a crystal clear stream that he vaguely seemed to remember, breathing in the fresh scent of pine and cedar. The sun was beginning to set in the distance, but he just didn't have it in him to get up and head back to the house to see the damage the fight had done. The sticky heat of the afternoon had melted away, and a cool breeze was now starting to pick up—at least, as cool as East Texas ever got. The rage on the other end of his bond with his father had simmered down to mere annoyance at his grandfather, coupled with concern for Luke. _Come home, Luke. It's okay._ His father's voice echoed down the bond, _It's getting late._

He pointedly ignored the voice, managing to erect a weak barrier between him and his father. He knew his father could break through it with little thought, but he didn't. He sensed the wall in Luke's mind, and withdrew…but only a little. But Luke wasn't alone for long. From behind him, he heard a whistle, whirring, and several beeps and boops. He craned his neck around to find Artoo slowly rolling his way towards him, his domed head and optic sensor swiveling all around to look for any obstacles that would stop his progress over the uneven ground. When Artoo was close enough for Luke to read his translation panel, Luke bitterly asked, "Did my father send you?"

A low moaning squawk sounded that didn't need translation, but it popped up on the screen anyway. _No._

Luke relaxed a little bit and sighed, running his hands over his face. "Was the fight bad in there after I left?"

More droid speak that translated seamlessly for him. _Master Anakin basically told your grandfather to either accept you and your siblings for who you are, or to get out of his house and don't come back again until he does. It was quite epic. Too bad you missed it._

Luke winced. He didn't blame this one on himself. Clearly, this was a fight a long time brewing. It was bound to happen sooner or later. Still, he felt bad for his parents. His mother especially as it was _her_ dad that was causing such a ruckus. "Well, they're all going home tomorrow anyway. Maybe a little space is what's needed now."

 _A little space is always good for Master Anakin and your grandfather._ If Artoo could speak, Luke imagined his voice being rather dry in that moment, and he smiled at the thought.

And…there it was again. That odd feeling that he somehow _knew_ Artoo, knew him better than almost anyone else. As if they were destined to be together. "Artoo…do we know each other?"

If Artoo could have snorted, Luke was _sure_ he would have. _What kind of question is that? Of course, we know each other._

Yes, even with his tampered memories, he remembered Artoo being there, but… "No. I mean more than just…before the incident. I mean…" He paused, trying to come up with the right words. "I don't know. I just feel like you and I have known each other across lifetimes." His cheeks reddened. He knew he sounded insane. And yet…

 _I was created and built by Master Anakin while he was in college. I have no memory of another lifetime. If it existed, my memory bank must have been wiped clean._

It was such an innocent answer, and Luke was grateful the droid hadn't called him crazy. Still, Like stared at the blue and white droid, his eyes narrowing slightly, trying to place it…and as he did so, a picture began to form in his mind of Artoo projecting an image of his sister dressed in a strange white dress with her hair looking weird done up like cinnamon rolls, and pain suddenly began to throb in his head again, threatening to become unbearable if he went further. He winced and gritted his teeth and immediately stopped trying to place where he knew the droid from, and the pain receded slowly and reluctantly.

A concerned whistle. _Are you alright, Master Luke?_

Luke smiled softly. "I'm fine, Artoo. Thanks for…"

"You talk to droids just as much as dad does." Luke whirled sharply, finding Leia carefully picking her way over to the stream bed. She wore a light blue cardigan over a soft pink blouse, dark blue jeans and a pair of white sandals. Not exactly the right footwear to be picking her way through the woods to find him.

"Artoo is good company." He patted the droid's dome affectionately, and Artoo made a chuffing noise of approval.

Leia smiled wistfully. "Yes. You can say that again." She sat down beside Luke and sighed. "So. I came home to find Dad and Grandpa getting into it. Mom said you'd gotten upset with Grandpa about the Force, and Dad defended you."

"Does that make you upset?" Luke asked, looking at his little sister. Not that she was _that_ much younger (hey, ten minutes younger was _still_ younger)—frankly, he sometimes thought she acted like she was years older than him, as if she'd lived a whole lifetime already. And then, _sometimes_ she totally acted her age—like a few days ago when she'd come storming out of the house mad as fire while he and Han and Chewie were working on the Falcon and began pelting Han with Nerf gun foam bullets, yelling at the top of her voice about how he was still a _"scruffy-looking Nerf Herder."_ Shocked - after all, what the _hell_ was a _'Nerf herder,'_ anyway?- both Han and Luke had dove for cover (while Chewie just roared with laughter watching the events unfold)… only to find Mara with her own Nerf gun joining Leia in the assault, _her_ foam bullets hitting Luke left, right, and center. Luke and Han later found out from Mara that Leia had started the one-sided fight because their dad had chewed her out royally about kissing Han, and it was her 'revenge' for them telling Anakin in the first place. Mara, Leia said, had joined the ruckus just because she "couldn't pass up an opportunity to see the look on Luke's face when she hit him with foam bullets."

"Not really. Frankly, I'm surprised Dad hasn't snapped at Grandpa before now. I think he's held back all these years for Mom's sake." She shrugged. "It is sad though. Sad, but understandable that Grandpa is like this, working for the government as he does. He's always been stiff-necked about government protocols and 'doing the right thing to protect the public.' Still, they'll all be gone tomorrow." She grinned. "Then, it's just us, and you'll be going back to school."

Luke made a face. He'd taken the test to be placed in a grade level yesterday. He was supposed to get his results back tonight, and his dad wanted to help him pick out his classes based on the results. "That's…great." He said, turning away from her.

Leia was silent for a while. "I'm worried about you, Luke." She finally said, her voice soft.

Luke tensed, but still didn't look at her. "There's nothing to worry about." He muttered, but he didn't bother to try to make it sound convincing. He didn't buy it himself, and he knew his twin didn't either.

"You know that's a lie." He felt her hand on his shoulder. "And, it's understandable, given…what happened, y'know. But…you've _always_ liked going off on your own to figure out your own problems."

Luke didn't disagree with that, but for Leia to know that…. "Was I like that as a kid, too?" He asked, and this time he did risk a glance at her.

Leia raised her eyebrows and snorted. "Luke. Trust me on this. You have _always_ done that, even at very inopportune moments. It's like…you seem to think that you need to take on the whole universe's problems alone, and if you pull away from other people, you'll somehow keep them safe." Her eyes narrowed. "Don't get me wrong. It's very noble, of course, but also very untrue."

Luke frowned. She knew him so well, _too well,_ really, and yet, he barely had a legitimate memory of her. "I'm still here, aren't I?"

"Yes, but you're still a million miles away...in here." Leia pointed to his head and then to his heart before turning away from him, staring at the stream. "You know…we used to play in this stream all the time when we were little. You, me, Ella, and Ezra would spend _hours_ out here."

"Really?" Luke looked back at the water, as if by doing so he could find his lost memories hidden underneath the surface. He reached out a hand and touched the cool water. "It doesn't seem like it's deep enough to play in."

"Now it doesn't, because we're older and bigger. But when we were little, it was the perfect size for us." Leia laughed a little. "Mom used to get _so mad_ at us when we came trudging in and dragged water and mud through the house. Threepio used to grumble while he cleaned it all up."

Despite not being able to remember it, Luke began to smile, as if he too could remember those happier times. "We must have been a handful for Mom then."

"Oh, yeah! And, Dad, too. Poor Dad sometimes didn't even know what to do with us, especially when we argued." Luke had a mental image of his dad just watching in horror as he and Leia blew up at one another. He could imagine them unintentionally using the Force to emphasize their distress…like an exploded cake…

"Leia," Luke frowned. "I think….I think I sort of remember the cake incident. Ella grabbed a piece of our cake with her hands and…" He frowned, trying to remember. "I got upset, and _you_ were upset that _I_ was upset with Ella…and then we were yelling at each other across the table, and I accidently blew the cake up with the Force."

Leia chuckled. "Yeah. You sure did. You _still_ owe me a birthday cake, Brother." She nudged him playfully in the ribs with her elbow, and Luke broke out into a wide toothy grin. "I'm kind of in the mood for cake now. Thanks for that."

"You're welcome." He said, relieved that he'd actually remembered the incident. "Sometimes I remember scenes from the past. But, they're brief and random. Just quick flashes really."

Leia sighed. "It'll come back, Luke. Slowly, but surely. Y'know, if I was a really _mean_ sister, I'd totally make things up. Like say…you promised to buy me a Ferrari when we turned sixteen." She looked at him expectantly. "Where's my Ferrari, Luke? You're almost two years overdue here."

Luke started to laugh. Really laugh. And, it felt…good. Better than good. It felt _great!_ "Even _**I**_ know that I wouldn't ever promise anyone something like that, Little Sister. Besides, who needs cars anyway when we have way cooler speeders?"

"Nope. You're getting me a Ferrari. It's official." Leia insisted dramatically. "You also promised to buy me the moon once." Leia pursed her lips and nodded her head slowly, watching the stream.

"Our father is the director of NASA. He's been to Mars. He's _way_ more capable of getting you that than I am." But, Luke was still laughing, rolling his eyes at his sister. Clearly, she was trying to make him feel less stressed out—and it was working. And suddenly, Luke was feeling…spontaneous. Without thinking of the consequences (typical Skywalker trait, of course), he reached out in the Force and used it to pick up two globs of water, suspending them in the air before them, where he then shaped one into the shape of a Ferrari and the other the shape of the moon.

Leia stared at it for a moment, then rolled her eyes. "Show off." She said.

Luke grinned…and promptly squirted both the water Ferrari and the water moon….right into Leia's face, dousing her with the water. "There. As you asked for. There's your moon and your Ferrari, just as promised." He laughed as Leia shrieked, the water drenching her hair and face.

When she was done wiping the water from her eyes, she glared at Luke. "So, _that's_ how you want to play, huh?"

Luke grinned, and Artoo began to back up, making concerned beeps, his dome rotating rapidly left and right. "Whatcha gonna do about it, Little Sister? Huh?"

Despite the glare, his challenge sparked a fire in her brown eyes, and she grinned. "Oh. Oh, it's _on_ now _,_ Big Brother."

* * *

"Mr. Skywalker, Luke's scores are, frankly, above and beyond what a normal high school student would score...in any category." The superintendent said over the phone. Anakin listened intently, trying to pretend that he hadn't just snapped at his father-in-law (who was now in the guest bedroom with Padme's mother, probably ranting away about his 'disrespectful son-in-law'). Thankfully, Padme had backed him up wholeheartedly, because she too was tired of her father's obstinate response to her Force-sensitive family, but Anakin could still tell she was stressed about the whole situation. She still loved her parents very much, despite her father's bull-headedness. He would have tried to soothe her worries then and there, but he'd gotten the call they'd been waiting for about Luke's scores, and his own mother assured him that she would take care of Padme until he was done on the phone.

"Well, that's pleasing news." Anakin said, feeling pride swell up in his chest for his son. He _knew_ Luke was smart—he'd _always_ known Luke was smart. Luke wouldn't have been able to escape him as Vader if he hadn't been. He'd gotten his brilliant intellect from _both_ his parents, Padme's intelligence being superb as well. Still, given how little Anakin knew about Luke's education the last nine years, he wasn't sure where he would be academically. He wanted his son to succeed. He wanted him to do whatever he put his mind to—and not be held back by not having a documented education. "So, what does that mean for Luke in practical terms?"

"It means, technically, he could take the GED and be done with school completely." The superintendent replied.

Anakin was already shaking his head. He and Padme had already discussed that option. He was certain Luke would love to take the GED and be done with it, but this wasn't just about Luke's documented academic scores. It was about getting his son back into the real world, assimilating him back into society. Luke needed to heal, and part of that healing process was exposing himself to normal people in normal everyday circumstances. "He _needs_ to go to school, if not for the academic part of it, then the social part of it."

The superintendent sighed. "I had a feeling you'd say that." There was a pause. "Well, we could enroll him in the advanced courses in the senior year of high school. He could be in the same core classes as his sister. That would provide somewhat of a challenge for him, and get him the college credit he needs. Then, for his extra curriculars, he can do whatever it is he wants to do."

Yes. _That_ seemed reasonable enough. Now, hopefully, Luke wouldn't bite his head off for agreeing to put him in advanced courses. "Ok. Let's do that." He said, and distantly, he heard the back door open. Reaching out with the Force, he felt both Leia and Luke come into the kitchen. Good. It was dark out now, and he needed to go online with Luke and pick out the extra curricular courses he needed to round out his schedule. "Thank you for your help."

He disconnected the phone and exited the downstairs den, heading for the kitchen to talk to Luke…

" _ **What**_ on earth did you two do?" He heard Padme's shocked - and irritated - gasp. Concerned about the tone in her voice, he picked up the pace, every possible scenario playing out in his mind. Blown up ships. A fist fight with each other…or someone else. Luke taking apart Artoo and not being able to put him back together again. But, when he turned the corner to the kitchen, he stopped short and tried _hard_ to not burst out in a fit of laughter.

There were his twins...and his _very_ upset wife. Luke and Leia stood next to the back door, massive grins on their faces as Padme glared at them, and Shmi tried to hold back laughter by placing a hand over her mouth. Both of them were dripping wet, and _covered_ head to toe with mud. Artoo was next to them, also with mud splashes on his exterior. "Oh," Luke grinned devilishly, "We just had a little fun, is all."

"A little fun?!" Padme asked incredulously, as Threepio shuffled into the room to see what all the commotion was about now. He stopped short at seeing the three of them covered in mud.

"Oh, dear, not again," Threepio wailed, "Artoo, _why_ didn't you stop them? Now, I'm going to have to clean it all up…."

"Threepio," Anakin interrupted before the droid could start ranting and get Artoo upset and out for revenge, "Go get the twins some dry clothes. Oh, and towels...lots of towels." Threepio was still grumbling, but he turned around and did as he was told.

But, Padme wasn't done...not by a long shot. "Leia, those clothes are _destroyed!_ ….and Luke, I _just_ bought you your clothes, young man, and they're probably destroyed now, too! Honestly! How old are you two anyway?!" Now, Anakin was grinning from ear to ear, leaning his shoulder against the kitchen doorway to watch the exchange, his arms crossed over his chest. He remembered well how Luke and Leia would play in the stream in the woods, and come in the house covered in water and mud just like this…except that usually they came in while _Padme_ wasn't around, and never bothered to change their clothes until _after_ they had sat down on every piece of furniture in the house they could find. He could still remember Padme scolding them (and _him_ for allowing it) as she dragged them by the arms into the bathroom to clean them up, and the whining and complaining Threepio made while he washed out the couch cushions.

Some things, apparently, never change.

Covering his mouth to prevent his laughter from escaping, Anakin felt it prudent _not_ to remind his wife of the time he'd walked in on her and Mindy having a paint war in their old house in California during their college days….and how his wife had been covered head to foot in paint, rather than the mud now encasing their offspring. And, Anakin also realized, as Luke unintentionally projected his feelings through their Force bond, that Luke was actually…happy. Well, happier than he had been since he'd arrived back home. He stood there, listening to his mother chew him out, grinning like a madman. "Aw, Mom. You know what? You're just _jealous_ that we didn't invite you to play, too."

Padme huffed, but even though outwardly she seemed upset, Anakin could feel her relief at seeing Luke happier than he'd been in the last week. "I am _not_ jealous, I can promise you that, young man! Now, you wait _here_ for Threepio, and don't you _dare_ step one foot onto the carpet…"

"Next time, we promise to invite you, Mom." Leia promised, her unrepentant grin matching her brother's.

"No, really, that's…" Padme began, but Luke cut her off by stepping forward…and enveloping his mother in a bear hug. Padme squeaked, and now, Anakin was openly laughing. "LUKE!"

"I'd _never_ want to make you feel left out, Mother Dear!" Luke insisted, his grin wolfish, as he hugged him mom tighter.

"Anakin!" Padme wailed, "Get him off me!"

"No, no," Anakin held up his hands innocently, "I wouldn't want to interfere with a son's love for his mother." Even as he refused to intervene on her behalf, Anakin _knew_ payback from his wife was coming later when they were alone in private. Secretly, he quite looked forward to that, too.

Leia, laughing, approached Shmi. "Nana, do you feel left out, too?"

Shmi, still failing to hold back her own laughter, snorted. "Oh, you know I'm feeling left out, too." Grinning, Leia threw her arms around her grandmother, and Shmi didn't complain one bit as she hugged her granddaughter back.

Finally, Padme managed to squeeze her way out of Luke's muddy, wet embrace, now wet and muddy herself. At that moment, Threepio entered the kitchen with towels and clothes for Luke and Leia, and stopped short. "Oh no, now _everyone_ is wet and filthy, I see!" He wailed, placing the twin's things on the counter.

" _I'm_ not wet and dirty." Anakin pointed out with a smirk. "So, it isn't _everyone._ "

Luke froze, as if realizing that, indeed, Anakin _was_ still dry and clean. Immediately, the grin disappeared, and Anakin could feel turmoil in Luke's mind. Anakin's grin began to disappear, too—he hadn't _meant_ to make things awkward for Luke, and yet here Luke was, feeling awkward and confused. Anakin sighed—helping Luke was not going to be easy. He'd known it wouldn't be, of course, but he wished he could just tell Luke he knew how he felt. If Luke wasn't already coming to terms with what Palpatine had done to his memories, Anakin would have told Luke about his past already. But, Luke still had a hard time believing that Palpatine's fabricated past for Luke was a lie….So, how could he even approach the subject with his son of them all being from another galaxy without sounding like a crazy person? It was something he wrestled with. If he told Luke the full truth, maybe it would get Luke to open up to him more, to really trust him. But, Luke could also pull further away, refusing to trust someone who sounded insane…

It was as he was distracted and debating this for the millionth time that week, that he didn't notice Luke going over to the kitchen sink—or at least, he didn't put together the reason _why,_ until Luke had pulled out the power spray hose Threepio used to scrub off hard food from plates, aimed it right at Anakin, and used the Force to turn it on _full blast_ , instantly drenching his father. Anakin sputtered and gasped and jumped out of the range of the spray, his thoughts immediately coming back to the present, his eyes and mouth wide as Luke turned off the spray, that devilish grin on his face again. "There." Luke said with a nod, "Now Threepio needs to get _everyone_ dry clothes."

The room was silent for a long breathless moment, as everyone waited for Anakin's reaction. It was not often that Anakin got sprayed with water in his own home—in some situations, he might have gotten upset, but…Despite Luke's grin, Anakin could feel Luke's worry. Worry that Anakin would get mad and explode over it…as well as hope that his dad would understand that he was trying to tease him like he'd done his mother, without actually having to physically _touch_ him to do it. Luke hoped that Anakin understood that he was trying to include his father in something fun, but that he wasn't quite ready to do it in the same way he could do it with his mom. And, as much as Anakin wanted Luke to be able to feel comfortable with physical touch, he also recognized that this was a _huge_ step forward for his son. Luke was actually _playing_ with him. After all the pushing away Luke had been doing, it was a major step forward, even if it was a small one.

So, Anakin grinned, tilted his head back, and laughed, breaking the tense silence as Padme, his mom, and Leia began to cautiously laugh, too. But, what pleased Anakin the most was the sense of relief and cautious happiness his reaction gave Luke.

Perhaps things were starting to look up, after all.

* * *

 **So long time no post! I know, I know. I try not to post this late. But I did. I got SUPER sick...like I probably should have gone to see someone but I'm too stubborn for my own good. Then when I recovered, I got the raise I've been wanting for my job...but it also means that my life was slammed by multiple large projects. Which I love doing. But it also makes me come home insanely tired.**

 **So, I'll promise to update more on this story and my others. Blade should be posted within the week too. I got stuck on it, so my Beta is helping me co-write this chapter. So for those of you who read Blade...be ready for an update soon!**

 **Happy 40th Aniversary of Star Wars! LOVED the new trailer...I only watched it a million times already.**

 **The song for this chapter is Luke and Leia by John Williams.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	72. First Day of School

High school was certainly an _interesting_ place.

Leia had managed to convince their parents to let them go to school by themselves. "He's already going to be the focus of everyone's attention anyway. Let's not embarrass him on top of that by having mommy and daddy take him to school," She'd said that morning at breakfast. His parents were still reluctant, but now that he was _finally_ leaving the Jedi property, his mom had decided to set up a press conference to address his return to the "real world." Hopefully, his parents being there to jointly discuss what was happening would distract the reporters and paparazzi and keep them from coming to the school to try to catch a glimpse of him there. The superintendent had already assured the Skywalkers that extra law enforcement would be deployed strategically around the school for _all_ the students' and staff's protection for the next few days from those seeking to chase after photos of Luke on the school campus.

And, it had worked. Thankfully.

Leia and Luke had listened to the press conference on the radio while Leia flew them to school in her custom made speeder. Though _both_ of their parents were there to face the media, it was his mother that did the speaking. She kept it brief, succinct, and to the point, only giving out the most minor details— _Yes_ , he'd been kidnapped by the former Senator Palpatine, but due to ongoing federal and international criminal investigations, they couldn't say _why_ (technically true); _Yes_ , he'd managed to escape from Palpatine two years before, but he hadn't been in contact with them during that time (no reason given),and he'd stayed with friends in England (true); _Yes,_ Palpatine was _still_ after their son (again, no reason given), and they would fight to protect him and their family (also true). Then his mother's voice, ever firm and commanding, turned sharp and edgy. "We ask that our family be allowed our privacy and left alone so that we may have time to heal. This is essentially a private family matter, despite the very high profile nature of our jobs at NASA and the DA's office. We ask that you respect our family's privacy and requests in this matter. If Luke chooses to answer more questions at a later time, we will honor that wish and allow him to do so. Until such time, _anyone_ found trespassing on our property or harassing our son or anyone else in this family for further answers about the last nine years will be charged under legal jurisdiction."

And, that was the end of _that_. _Damn_ , Luke thought with a grin, _my mom is badass._ Leia heard his comment in his mind and chuckled, nodding her head in agreement. "Yep. That she is, Brother."

Though his mother's warning had been for reporters and the paparazzi, it couldn't extend to his new fellow classmates, unfortunately. The moment Leia had parked the speeder in the gate protected student parking lot and he had cautiously stepped out of the speeder and glanced around, he could feel all eyes on him as he headed to the front office to get his schedule, and all throughout the first few periods of the day (math, science, and social studies). Most people tried to hide their stares, but they didn't do a very good job of it, _especially_ when they whispered to their friends, considering what could have happened to him. Luke pointedly ignored it all—and thankfully, Leia was in all four of his 'advanced' core classes. Her presence was the only thing that made any of it bearable.

But, it wasn't just the students who looked at him like he was a commodity. Oh no. Apparently, his presence weirded out all the teachers as well. His math, science, and social studies teachers acted like he was some kind of breakable figurine, like one wrong word or look from them would cause him to spiral into a never-ending panic attack or something. Worse, all three of them had quietly suggested that if things were too hard in class for him, there "wouldn't be any shame" in going back to a 'regular' class. Insulted, Luke had set out to prove to them all that he didn't just belong in their classes, but rather, that he actually belonged in college already.

For example….

Math: "A manufacturing company processes raw ore. The number of tons of refined material the company can produce during _t_ days using Process _A_ is _A(t)=t + 2t_ and using Process _B_ is _B(t) = 10t._ The company has only 7 days to process ore and must choose 1 of the processes. What is the maximum output of refined material, in tons, for this time period?"

 _Easy,_ Luke thought as he blurted out, "It's obviously 70 tons."

His teacher had paused, looked at him with a puzzled frown, and slowly replied, "That's…correct. Next time, Luke, please raise your hand." From beside him, Leia hid a smirk behind her hand as Luke just shrugged.

Then came….

Science: "Which type of chemical bond maintains the pairing of each chain in the DNA molecule?"

Another easy one. This time, Luke made a point of raising his hand— which the science teacher pointedly ignored, and after calling on two other students who didn't get the right answer, Luke sighed loudly and waived his hand in the air wildly until the teacher reluctantly called on him. "To form the DNA molecule, purine bases bind to pyrimidine bases through intermolecular bonds called hydrogen bonds, which occurs when there is a hydrogen atom near either fluorine, oxygen, or nitrogen. When this happens, hydrogen appears to have lost electrons to those elements, and a very strong polarization is created. A highly positive hydrogen atom attracts pairs of electrons from other molecules, which therefore makes a hydrogen bond." When the teacher and some of his classmates stared at him in shock, he simply smiled innocently while Leia snorted into giggles next to him. "Does that answer the question?" He asked innocently.

And then there was….

Social Studies: "What Nazi Propagandist said, 'Think of the press as a great keyboard on which the government can play?' Is it…"

Luke couldn't help but interrupt again. "Joseph Goebbels." This time, he was not proud of _why_ he knew that answer—he'd heard his superiors say that quote on more occasions than he could count, but they'd never said _where_ it had come from. He hadn't known until he'd escaped, and he'd been watching a documentary on the _BBC_ to try to fall asleep late one night. This time, he didn't look at Leia as he said it, and he made sure his mental shielding was strong so she couldn't feel the turmoil in his soul.

After Social Studies ended, he gathered his things, ignoring the stares, and followed Leia out into the meandering throng of teenagers between classes. "Wow. When you said you'd had schooling," Leia whispered as they slipped along the busy hallway, "you weren't kidding."

Luke didn't look at her while he shrugged. "Palpatine didn't want his apprentice to just be a mindless killing machine." And, he'd wanted to become the man's apprentice so much, he'd studied himself into exhaustion. Still, he supposed it was of use to him _now._ After all, what was that old TV slogan? _"A mind is a terrible thing to waste?"_ And, Palpatine definitely hadn't wanted Luke's mind wasted.

Thankfully, Leia didn't push for more information. "Well, English is next…and I think you're going to be quite pleased with who else will be there…"

Luke turned to look at her as they rounded a corner, about to ask _who_ she was talking about, when a vaguely familiar voice suddenly called out his name. "Luke!" Surprised, Luke turned around and found a boy just a bit shorter than his own five feet ten making his way through the crowd, followed closely by a girl with bright blue-green hair. The boy himself had such short, dark black hair, it almost looked blue in the florescent lights. Luke paused, trying to remember where he'd seen this boy before…

 _He ran across the yard, a wooden practice lightsaber in his hands. Suddenly, he stopped, whirled, and blocked a blow from the other boy—this time with longer hair. They both grinned as they began to spar across the back yard, laughing through gasps for air. "Boys," Luke's father called, and they both abruptly stopped, turning to find an amused Anakin and Obi-Wan standing on the Skywalker's back patio. "What are you doing?"_

" _Practicing!" they both said at the same time. "Jinx! You owe me a soda, Ezra." Luke quickly pointed out, grinning at the prospect of getting a Dr. Pepper._

" _Ezra?!,"_ Luke breathed in stunned surprise, coming back to the present, where the boy and the girl had now approached him.

Ezra smiled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Long time no see, Luke! Welcome home, Dude!" He said, and Luke couldn't help but smile back. He could feel the Force emanating from him. Ezra was strong in the Light side of the Force (though not as strong as any of the Skywalkers or Kenobi's). "I heard…Well, I heard at the Academy you were having trouble remembering things. I'm glad to see you remember me, though."

"But, the question _is_ ," The girl said, and Luke didn't sense any Force signature from her at all, "do you remember _me?_ " She glanced from her phone at Luke and smirked. Ezra just sighed.

" _Of course,_ he wouldn't remember you, he's never met you before." Ezra rolled his eyes. "This is my friend, Sabine."

Luke cleared his throat and lifted his hand in a quick wave. "Hi. Nice to meet you." He said to the girl, who nodded and looked back at her her phone to check on something. "And, uh…Yeah, I remember at least _who_ you are. We're friends, right?"

"I'm your best friend, Dude!" Ezra said proudly with a grin. "We used to play _all_ the time when we were kids. Force, we're all glad you're finally home, Man." Ezra kept grinning and shook his head.

At the mention of the Force, Luke quickly looked at Sabine, worried about her reaction. Most normal people didn't know _what_ the Force was...or that there was even such a thing. He didn't need to worry though, because Sabine said, "Relax, I already know. Ezra here sucks at keeping secrets."

"I do not!" Ezra protested, and as he did, the two minute warning bell rang. "Shit. What class do you have next, Luke?"

Luke fumbled to grab his schedule, but Leia was on top of it. "Don't worry. He's with us." She said.

Ezra whistled. "Damn. I mean, I'm _glad_ that you and I can suffer through Ms. Temple's class together, but dammit, what a sucky way to be welcomed back to civilian life."

When Luke frowned, not sure what he meant by that, Sabine clarified, "Ms. Temple is a royal bitch. A _real_ pain in the ass, just saying."

"I can't argue there." Leia said dryly, "Speaking of which, let's get to class. If you're late one more time Ezra, she'll probably throw you in the school dungeon."

Luke perked up immediately. He raised his eyebrows as they began walking hurriedly to class. "This school has a dungeon? Awesome!"

"Nah...We don't really, but I'm sure Ms. Temple would be delighted to make one just for me." Ezra mumbled with a roll of his eyes. Thankfully, they weren't too far away, and they managed to slip inside the door _just_ as the tardy bell rang.

Sure enough, Luke found a little old lady glaring at them from behind her desk, her feather-thin hair clearly dyed an unnatural shade of red. "Get in your seats before I give you a tardy anyway." Though her voice was alarmingly sweet, her clammy blue eyes and stiff jaw said she was anything _but_ sweet. Immediately, Leia, Sabine, and Ezra scurried to their seats while Luke squared his shoulders and walked to the older woman, holding out the folded piece of paper with his schedule on it. The class was quietly working on a warm up question of some kind, but he could feel them glancing up to watch the exchange.

"Hi, I'm Luke Skywalker." He said, trying to keep his voice low so as not to draw too much attention to himself. "I'm your new student."

Ms. Temple cocked her head at him in such a way, it reminded him of a bird eyeing its prey, before she snatched the schedule from his hands and looked at it for a long moment. Finally, she sighed and handed it back to him. "If I was you," She said, and she made no effort whatsoever to keep her voice low, and Luke had no doubt that the entire class was listening, "I would have your schedule changed. Despite what the administration seems to think, English is _not_ easy, and AP English especially is _not_ for someone who isn't used to being in school in the first place."

It was so silent in the room, Luke was sure they could have heard a pin drop. _Royal bitch indeed_. "Thanks. I'll keep it in mind," Luke replied coolly with an arch of his brows. As much as Ms. Temple seemed to think the whole world revolved around her and her little classroom, Luke had faced people _way_ more dangerous and scary than Ms. Temple could _ever_ be. He would enjoy _shoving_ her in her place. "Where may I sit?" He added a layer of fake politeness to his voice that anyone would have picked up, but apparently not the prickly Ms. Temple.

"You'll sit by the window, and…hold on. Class." She stood from her desk, her every movement twitchy and bird-like, and everyone finally looked up to openly stare at him and the crazy bird lady. " _This_ is Luke Skywalker. He's new to school, _for obvious reasons_ ," Luke's jaw tightened. Oh, he was _so_ going to enjoy being a thorn in her side. "So, everyone make sure you treat him with patience while he catches up. Luke, why don't you introduce yourself to the class?"

Seriously? This actually happened in real life? Who was she kidding? He'd only ever seen it in the chick flicks Mara occasionally watched to laugh at when she was bored. What was he supposed to _tell_ everyone? That he was currently on a mission to take down one of the most evil men this world had ever seen? That he had the power and capability to kill all of them within seconds? Or, that he was the son of one of the Jedi Grandmasters? Awkwardly, he cleared his throat. "Um. My name is Luke Skywalker, and I uh…" He paused. When lying, it was good to include as much of the truth as possible. "I like to hunt." Hunt inquisitors and Palpatine, he meant. Not that they needed to know _that._ "I also do…martial arts." Close enough. He was super proficient in hand-to-hand and lightsaber combat. "And I also like…outer space." Sure, why not? Mara said as much, and after he'd unpacked everything, he really _did_ have a ton of space-related things, and apparently, space had fascinated him as a small child. So, it wasn't a lie.

Someone snickered, leaning over to whisper something. Luke pointedly ignored them. "Well, that's all very lovely." Ms. Temple's fake enthusiastic voice said, "But, all of that will need to be put on hold. Today, we're going to discuss our book project for _Heart of Darkness._ You'll need to read the book and complete the project by next Friday, so you're about to be very busy…"

Irritated, Luke interrupted, quoting directly from the book. "No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey life—sensation of any given epoch of one's existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence. It is impossible. We live, as we dream—alone." He cocked his head innocently at the _clearly_ flustered Ms. Temple. "Or, something like that. If you haven't already guessed, I've already read it." The reading hadn't actually been as stressed by Palpatine, but he'd enjoyed reading on his own anyway. _Heart of Darkness_ was not one of his favorites, but it had a few good lines here and there in it.

"Clearly." Ms. Temple didn't sound happy. "Take your seat, Mr. Skywalker." Feeling smug, Luke crossed the room and sat down at his desk by the window, shoving his book bag under the desk.

As Ms. Temple began to gather the direction instructions to pass out for this project, Luke felt Leia trying to communicate with him through the Force. He opened his shields up just enough for her voice to slip through. _Are you on a mission to annoy every teacher we have?_

Luke shrugged, then realized she wasn't looking at him—she was sitting ahead of him, and her back was to him. _Just_ _ **this**_ _one. Sabine wasn't kidding._

 _I'm not sure Ms. Temple is someone you want to have as your enemy. Still, that was low, even by her standards. I can't believe she was so…public like that. Maybe we should talk to Mom and Dad…_

 _I've got it Leia. Don't worry._ He waited until the blonde girl in front of him had passed back his paper, and he looked down at it with mild interest, his mind already beginning to wander. English wasn't exactly his strongest subject, since Palpatine wasn't huge into making them write papers, but he did well enough he supposed. To his way of thinking, math and science would be _way_ more helpful to him, but he still recognized the validity of _all_ subjects. Still, he was looking forward to his last period of the day—a shop class, where he could design and build things. _That_ was right up his alley.

Ms. Temple began to explain the assignment. " _Heart of Darkness_ is full of symbolism…." He was only half listening as he glanced out the window at the bright sunny day. A day he _could_ be enjoying if he were just about anywhere else but here, not listening to this old smarmy bird lady talk about the symbolism of _Heart of Darkness._ Or, better yet, he could be out there with Mara, Han, and Chewie, looking for clues as to the location of Palpatine, or Ventress, or _anyone_ who might know where those two currently were. When Mara told him that's what she was doing while he was in school (she already had her GED, and wasn't at all interested in going back to the 'hell hole' she called high school), Luke hadn't been happy—until she promised that they wouldn't make a move without him.

And that they wouldn't tell his parents either.

He turned his attention back to the project, reading over it while the woman droned on and on about it. Reading the directions, though, puzzled him, and he frowned, raising his hand. Ms. Temple sighed dramatically as if to say _already he's behind the other students._ "Yes, Luke?" Her voice was full of annoyance.

"I'm sorry, but I must have gotten the wrong set of instructions." Luke said, "Aren't we supposed to write a paper on this?"

"That will be our in-class timed test." Ms. Temple replied, running out of patience. " _This_ is our project for the book." Okay, a test and a project….kind of overkill, but y'know, whatever.

"So, what you're telling me is," Luke began, legitimately trying to understand the logic behind this decision, "That you want us to create some artsy _picture_ that represents something symbolic from the book?"

Ms. Temple's eyebrows furrowed. He could hear Leia's voice in his head. _Luke, please don't start this…._

But, it was too late. He'd already passed 'Go'- and evidently wasn't going to collect anything but trouble in this class. "It doesn't _have_ to be a picture. It could be a sculpture, or even a piece of music you created." Ms. Temple replied through pinched lips.

Luke's frown deepened, and he could hear Leia groaning in his head. In his peripheral vision, he saw Ezra and Sabine trying to hold back laughter. "But, I'm confused. _This_ is an _English_ class. Shouldn't we do something that relates to English?"

A few gasps from the other students told him he'd just said something he wasn't supposed to…not that he understood why. It was true, wasn't it? Ms. Temple's face reddened to match her hair. "It does _so_ have to do with English, Mr. Skywalker. _This_ assignment fits with English-Language State Standards…."

"Well, clearly there's been a mistake somewhere. _This_ should be something we do in an art class, _not_ an English class. It's not going to be useful to us in the real world unless someone in here decides to be an artist. It just doesn't make any sense." Luke looked around the room to see if anyone agreed with him, but they were all staring at him like he'd just lost his mind.

 _Luke,_ Leia warned, _this is one of those things you think to yourself, but you don't actually_ _ **say**_ _to a teacher._ He didn't know why. Maybe if these teachers got enough feedback from their students, they would fix the stupidity of their assignments.

When Ms. Temple finally spoke, her eyes flashed warningly, and her voice was no longer filled with fake politeness. It was on edge, warning him to back off. Now. "You'll do the assignment, young man, because _I've_ assigned it to be a major grade, so you _will_ do it because I _said_ so. Got it?"

Instantly, Luke bristled. Oh, how he _hated_ being told what to do just because someone said so. He'd been treated that way by his trainers as an Inquisitor. He wasn't about to be treated like that here. "No, I don't 'got it,' because _this_ is stupid. I'll write you a paper any day, but I'm not going to do a stupid _art_ assignment for _English_ class that will have absolutely _zero value_ to me out there in the real world." He paused for dramatic effect. "Got it?"

The whole class erupted in one collective shocked gasp. Even Leia. Apparently, Luke had just fucked up. _Yeah,_ Leia confirmed sarcastically in his mind, _you fucked up, Bro._

Ms. Temple was practically trembling with rage. "Skywalker," She hissed, pointing at the door, "To the principal's office—NOW!"

* * *

Ezra was waiting for him when he exited the front office, still fuming from his 'conversation' with the principal. "Hey, Hero! How'd that convo go?" Ezra asked, slapping Luke on the shoulder as they headed towards Luke's locker.

Luke's scowl deepened. "Hero?" He echoed, giving his old friend a sideways glance.

"Yeah," Ezra grinned. " _Everyone's_ talking about you, man! You said what _every_ student here has _ever_ thought in Ms. Temple's English class out loud—to her face! You're either brave, or really, really stupid."

"Apparently," Luke grumbled, "I'm really stupid."

"Nah...I'm going to go with brave." Ezra followed him as he turned another corner. "So, how did it go in there?"

Luke sighed, debating telling Ezra to go away, but Ezra was just trying to re-kindle an old friendship. And, if he was right, he could _feel_ that Ezra had missed being friends with him, and just wanted to make up for lost time. Just like everyone else in his life, apparently. "The principal let me off on a warning. He said that the assignment does fit state standards, and sometimes we're asked to do things that don't necessarily fit what _we_ think is best for us, but that teachers can't give alternate assignments for every student that doesn't like the assignment they give out. So….I'm stuck doing the assignment still, and I have to write Ms. Temple an apology, and get my parents to sign it." Oh, he was _so_ not looking forward to _that_ conversation. Maybe he'd just have his mom sign it…but it would still get back to his father. As Luke reached his locker, he was sorely tempted to start banging his head into it.

Ezra whistled. "Damn. That sucks. But, it could have been worse. Say, you have lunch now, right?" Luke nodded as he pulled out the slip of paper with his combination, "Awesome! Leia's already waiting in our usual spot—we call it the 'unofficial Jedi table.'"

Luke managed to get the locker open, debating on telling him that he shouldn't sit there then, since he _wasn't_ a Jedi, but he didn't get a chance to. "SKYWALKER." A deep, booming voice roared behind him. Luke tensed, his hand going to where his lightsaber was….only to remember that not only did he not have it, but he still couldn't find his extra crystal.

"Uh-oh," Ezra whispered, as Luke turned around to find literally the biggest kid he'd _ever_ seen lumbering towards him from the other end of the hall, every student jumping to get out of his path. "What could you have _possibly_ done to make Jabba look at you like he wants to use your head as a toilet plunger?"

Jabba, Luke mused, watching the hulking, sweaty thing coming towards him. Luke was never one to judge someone by their size, but damn, this kid was so massive, it was a miracle he was still alive. Or able to sit in the tiny desks the school provided. Jabba… _where_ did he know that name from? "I'm not sure," Luke said, shoving his stuff in his locker before closing it to face the possible threat. "Do you happen to have your lightsaber handy?"

"In my backpack," Ezra replied cautiously, "Jabba is a lot of things…but he's _still_ technically a civilian. A bully, yeah, but a civilian nonetheless. I'm not sure outing the Jedi Order over Jabba is exactly the best thing to do." Damn. He was right. Luke would need to defend himself in other ways.

 _Luke,_ Leia's voice was in his head again, filled with concern, _Why do I feel like something bad is happening?_ He didn't answer—he didn't have a chance to answer, because Jabba finally approached, wound his arm back, and threw a punch right at Luke's face. He dodged the blubbery jerk's fist with ease, ducking under the hulking mass of human flesh…and Jabba instead landed the punch straight into Luke's locker, denting the door in with a shriek of metal. _Shit,_ Luke thought, as he backed up a few paces, trying to put some distance between him and the furious monstrosity that was Jabba, _that could have been my head!_ "What the hell, man?!" Luke snapped as Jabba began to turn again. Around him, students stopped what they were doing, waiting, watching.

Jabba laughed bitterly—it was more of a deep Santa Clause laugh though. But, Jabba made Santa look like a runway model. "I haven't forgotten you, Skywalker, or what you did ten years ago!"

What he did? Luke tried to remember, but he came up blank. Ezra, however, gasped. "Oh yeah! I remember! You beat Jabba to a friggin' pulp on the playground for hurting Leia!"

And vaguely, Luke remembered, just as quickly as that. _A younger, and almost just as ugly, Jabba pushed his little sister to the ground. Hard. Luke saw red….and launched himself at the bigger kid. It should have been a fight he lost, but he used the Force to keep Jabba pinned under him while he punched the bully repeatedly in the nose…_

Oh. Well. Apparently, Jabba held grudges….and assumed that nine years being kidnapped would soften Luke up, make him an easy target. Jabba threw another punch, and Luke dodged again, as students began to gather around them, starting to chant, "Fight, fight, fight!" over and over again. Jabba stumbled, but by some miracle, he didn't fall over. "Come on, prissy boy," Jabba snarled, turning back to Luke, "I've been waiting for this rematch for a long time. You're _not_ going to get the best of me that easily."

Luke snorted, and dodged yet another attempt to punch him. Jabba had brute strength, Luke would give him that, but that was _all_ he had. He wasn't smart, or cunning. He was simply a big, ugly bully, and Luke had _killed_ men with better training and _far_ greater powers. If Luke wanted to, he could reach out and kill the boy where he stood without breaking so much as a sweat. _But,_ Luke was smart—and with that vague memory of a fist fight so long ago, he also remembered what schools did to those who threw a punch back. He had already pissed off a stupid English teacher. He wasn't about to get himself suspended, too.

So, he would let the bully wear himself out, and wouldn't throw a single punch. So, he dodged, left, right, underneath…he moved so quickly, Jabba couldn't get his hands on him. "Stand still," Jabba huffed, already drenched with sweat, "And, fight!"

"Mmm, I have other things planned for today." Luke casually responded, dodging another blow…and as he did, his eyes caught someone elses. A pair of large, worried brown eyes.

Leia.

"Luke!" She must have cried, but he couldn't hear her over the yells of the other students. She stood next to Ezra, who watched Luke move around Jabba's blows, obviously impressed. Leia didn't seem that impressed, however.

And…just as he saw her, the world he knew began to fade into an agonizing haze of pain and….

" _At last! Master Luke's come to rescue me!" Threepio cried as Luke stood before a huge giant slug…thing, with drool dripping from its mouth. Chained up before him, was Leia, wearing what Luke could only describe as a very elaborate gold metal bikini…and manacles on her neck. She sat up when she saw him, her eyes widening._

" _Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight," The slug's….servant? said to the slug, who responded with a very strange language…he did not sound happy. The servant hesitated._

" _I must be allowed to speak." Luke said, and his present day self could tell that his dream self was using the Force to convince the servant and the slug thing to listen to him. It clearly worked on the servant, because he repeated…probably what Luke said in that strange language. The slug….not so much. Luke stepped forward, removing his hood, and tried again. "You_ _ **will**_ _bring Captain Solo and the Wookie to me."_

 _The slug stared at him, and Luke held his breath, hoping that it had worked this time. Unfortunately, the slug began to laugh that deep, Santa Clause laugh. If Santa was_ _ **this**_ _gross, Luke didn't_ ever _want the jolly fat man to bring him any presents again. The slug continued to speak in that strange language, and…dream Luke must have understood him, but real Luke didn't at all. "Nevertheless," Luke continued, stepping forward, "I'm taking Captain Solo, and his friends." He glanced very briefly at Leia, who was seemingly trying to implore him with her eyes to do something. "You can either profit by this, or be destroyed." Yeah, that seemed like something he would say. "It's your choice, but I warn you not to underestimate my powers."_

 _The slug seemed less than impressed. "Master Luke," Threepio began, "You're standing on…"_

 _The slug loudly interrupted, jerking Leia away from Luke by that chain…and Luke swallowed back a wave of anger, glancing around to find that the room was full of weird looking…things, all closing in on him. As Jabba began to speak again, Luke reached out with the Force, snatching someone's pistol from their belt, trying to aim it at the slug…just as he was grabbed, and the floor dropped out from underneath him, and he was falling…._

Reality slammed back into him, his head wailing in pain, his vision still blurry. He could barely hear the chants around him, barely hear Leia's voice crying out in the Force, calling for him…and a split second later, Jabba's massive fist came hurtling into his blurred view.

And, all Luke knew was intense pain followed by blackness.

* * *

 **And Jabba returns! As well as Ezra and Sabine! I know ya'll want to see more characters, and I'll bring them in. But I'll do it at the right time.**

 **Btw. The whole Ms. Temple thing? Yeah that's based on my AP senior teacher. She really did move like a bird...and she really was a huge jerk. The nice thing about being a writer though...you can immortalize your enemies forever in humiliating ways in your writing! Muahahahahahaha!**

 **Blade will be updated. Hopefully by either Wednesday or Thursday. Just...that story takes a LOT of energy to write. So it's taking my Beta and I a while to write.**

 **The song for this chapter is Teenagers by My Chemical Romance.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	73. Luke's Diagnosis

She needed to focus, but she just couldn't seem to, no matter _how_ important it was to get the details right. Padme was in the middle of listening to Satine discuss the details of their next case. She had only barely gotten back from the press conference, and even though it was only 11 AM, Padme felt like she'd had the _longest_ morning of her life. While she was _supposed_ to be learning the details about the upcoming case, in the back of her mind she was far more worried about Luke and how he was doing. This was a _huge_ adjustment for him, and she was concerned about how he would adapt to his new life and circumstances. In fact, she was _more_ worried about his return to public school this time than she had been when he was little and she was dropping him off at preschool for the first time. Back then, he had been so innocent and willing to open up to just about anybody— _now_ …

There was a buzz on her desk, and she glanced at the caller ID on her phone. Satine paused, looking up from the case folder in her lap. "Do you need to get that?"

Padme quickly shook her head. "No, it's just the receptionist. I'll take care of it before we go to lunch with…"

Suddenly, the office door burst open, just as the phone stopped buzzing, startling both Padme and Satine. Ahsoka stood there, breathing hard, her eyes wide. Immediately, Padme was on her feet. "What's happened, Snips?" She asked, her voice sharp and commanding to hide the fact that her mind was automatically jumping to the _worst_ possible conclusions. _Please,_ _ **not**_ _Palpatine! Please, not that!_

"Leia texted me." Ahsoka breathed, "She tried calling you, but you didn't pick up." Padme's phone was on silent for her meeting with Satine. She hadn't checked her messages…but Leia was with Luke at school. If she was texting her… _oh no_ ….

"What's happened?" Padme asked again in a rush, already feeling the world tilting, but she forced herself to remain in control, to stay calm. Going all _'freaked out Mom'_ wouldn't help anyone, especially not her kids.

Ahsoka didn't hesitate. "Luke got into a fight at school with Jabba the Hutt…or his human equivalent. Anyway, Leia said Luke went down with one punch, and he's unconscious."

* * *

Anakin also was stuck in a meeting—a meeting he was having virtually with the President of the United States. Other elite members of his management team were present as well, and all of them, including the president, were listening as he began to wrap things up, explaining NASA's goals for the last few months of the fiscal year. Despite being gone from both the office - and the country - for a few weeks, Anakin was feeling pretty good about the meeting—especially since he was delivering the material with half of his mind on how his son was doing at school. He'd _tried_ not to check in on him too often, but the last time he'd taken a peek down their Force bond, he'd sensed quite a bit of agitation from his son. Inwardly, he sighed. He was certain that Luke would _not_ come home happy from his classes that day…but he'd also expected that, to be honest. This was going to be a huge change from all that Luke had known and experienced the last nine years of his life, and it was simply going to take _time_ for him to settle into his new surroundings and routine.

His meeting _should_ have ended perfectly, just as he'd planned it. Then he would go meet up with Obi-Wan and Galen for lunch. However, the Force had other ideas, because suddenly, intense, searing pain pierced through his head, and he gasped mid-sentence, leaning forward and clutching the edge of the conference table for support. His whole body tensed, and he winced as waves of agony pierced him. He heard voices of concern calling his name from around the conference table, but he paid them little attention as images were flooding him from across his bond with Luke—images of a grown Luke, dressed all in black, standing before Jabba the Hutt in his palace on Tatooine, with Leia _chained_ to Jabba's platform and wearing an outfit that _would_ have made Anakin's blood boil had he not been in so much pain.

Then, quickly as it came, the pain stopped, the images replaced by blackness. Frantically, Anakin reached out to his son. _Luke? LUKE?!_ He felt nothing. Not even a flicker of response in the Force. Anakin didn't care that he was in a meeting. He didn't _care_ that the President of the United States was calling his name worriedly and asking if he was alright. He _had_ to get to his son. _Now._ "I'm sorry, Mr. President. I—I need to go." He mumbled by way of excuse, and ignoring everyone's voiced concerns, he got up from his chair and raced out of the conference room, running down the hall for the front exit and out towards his parked speeder as fast as he could.

He had barely exited the doors with multiple people calling after him to ask where he was going in such a hurry, when he spotted Obi-Wan and Galen already making their way from the parking lot towards security. They stopped short when they saw him running. "Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked, his voice full of concern. "What's…?"

"It's Luke!" Anakin huffed, and he didn't slow down. "Get in my speeder, NOW!"

That's _all_ that the other Jedi needed to know before they too broke out into a run, following Anakin to his speeder.

* * *

Anakin stormed into the school, his fists clenched at his side. Though he was _furious,_ he had learned to control his anger over the years, and though the few students who _were_ traversing the front hallway to get to various classes instinctively stayed clear of him, he was by _no means_ falling to the Dark Side. Still, he knew that had he been Vader right then, he would have murdered every incompetent staff member in that school. _Which probably would account for most of them,_ he thought peevishly.

Padme had comm'd him while he was racing like a madman towards the school, and she had explained what Ahsoka had told her—that Luke had gotten into a fight with Jabba and lost. Big time apparently, since Luke was _still_ unconscious. _Unconscious?!_ Not good. Under normal circumstances, Anakin may have had a hard time believing that, given that the _first_ time Luke had fought Jabba when they were little kids he'd used the Force to help beat that Hutt to a pulp, and since then, _well_...Luke had killed more powerful men during his time as an Inquisitor, and Jabba, in _this_ world, was not _that_ powerful (and the Jedi were determined to make sure it _stayed_ that way). However, that horrible, head-splitting pain, accompanied with images that, thanks to Leia's stories, Anakin _knew_ came from their past lives, he had a feeling he knew _why_ Luke had been knocked out with one punch.

Well, partly. What he didn't understand was _why._ This wasn't the first time Luke had experienced this type of severity of mental pain—he'd seen Luke experience it in Namibia, right before he'd lashed out and choked him. Leia had later said that the episode Anakin had seen wasn't the _only_ such circumstance. Since Luke had been home, he hadn't had another episode, as far as Anakin knew anyway, and now…

He needed answers. He knew Luke wouldn't want him to look for those answers, but Anakin didn't care. Something _was_ wrong with Luke, and he was his father. He had a right to know what was happening to his son. So, he'd called Vokara, and sure enough, the Jedi Master Healer was waiting for him with Padme, and Ahsoka outside of the front office door when he, Obi-Wan, and Galen all walked in.

The moment he and Padme locked eyes, he watched visible relief flood his wife's features as she broke away from the other women and rushed to him, throwing her arms around him. He immediately held her close, breathing in her scent, kissing the top of her hair then her forehead. Some of the fury and worry left him with his wife in his arms. "Oh, Ani," her muffled voice said into his chest, "Thank _goodness_ you're here. I'm tempted to just strangle _everyone_ in that office…"

"Angel, that's always been _my_ job, remember?!" Anakin jokingly smirked to try and ease the tension, rubbing gentle circles into her lower back. "What happened, Sweetheart? Where's Luke and Leia?"

"They're both in the nurse's office. Luke….I'm worried. He's _still_ unconscious, but Leia said she used the Force to make sure that he didn't hit his head on the floor when he fell. Vokara just arrived, so I was about to send her to the nurse's office to make sure Luke's okay…" she trailed off, lifting her head and looking up at him. "She said you called her…said you felt Luke's pain?"

Anakin nodded—he'd told Padme about what he'd witnessed in Namibia, of course. But now… "I saw what caused it." He looked at Vokara, who was listening intently. "He had a memory—a memory of our previous life."

The group was silent, processing that. "That's _odd_ …" Obi-Wan said softly, rubbing his beard in concern. "None of us experienced pain when remembering our other life."

"Maybe it has to do with what Palpatine did to his mind?" Ahsoka mused.

"It's possible," Vokara replied, nodding, and Anakin did not fail to miss the note of concern in her voice. He suddenly had a _very_ bad feeling about this…He was tempted to skip the whole _"discussion with the principal_ " thing and just take Luke back to the Academy's medical bay for treatment. "I'll need to see him, Anakin."

Anakin longed to follow her…but he and Padme had to take care of the school situation first. He turned to Obi-Wan and Galen. "Go with Vokara. I'll be with you shortly."

"I'm coming too." Ahsoka announced, and she followed Obi-Wan, Galen, and Vokara to the nurse's office.

Not a moment too soon. Just as they left down the hallway and rounded the corner, two massive blubbery people walked through the front office door—more like _slid out_ really, since they had to turn _sideways_ to fit through it. Immediately, Anakin recognized them—they were older, and _way_ fatter than the last time he'd encountered them, but no question, it was _still_ the Hutts. He immediately glowered, stepping forward to confront the, uh, _little_ punk and his stupid mother, but to his surprise, he found Padme beat him to it, already striding purposefully towards them with her face a mask of serious intent, her high heels clicking rapidly on the tiled floor. "Mrs. Hutt." Padme's crisp voice was clear and sharp. He quickly raced to catch up with his visibly perturbed wife, crossing his arms over his chest as the two stopped in front of them.

Jabba, the _punk,_ looked rather smug, while his mother—his disgusting, beady-eyed mother with her unbelievably wide toad-like mouth and _four chins_ , glared. " _YOU!_ You're the parents of _that boy!_ Because of _your_ son, my precious son is now suspended, and…"

"Mrs. Hutt!" Padme interrupted, her voice turning to durasteel. Anakin cast a sideways glance at her, knowing _exactly_ from that tone of voice what was coming. He secretly _loved_ it when she used her _'courtroom'_ voice like this. He always found it so sexy. He had to fight to keep a smirk from his face, as he arched his eyebrows and looked back at the blob of a woman in front of him. "I would like to advise you to keep an eye on your mailbox over the next few days."

This puzzled Mrs. Hutt, and she frowned. Anakin could see her tiny little brain trying to find the meaning in Padme's words. "Why on earth would I need to do that?" Her voice was still shrill, but it wasn't as loud as before, and it was full of confusion.

"As we speak, my secretary is drawing up the needed paperwork to bring your son to court on assault charges. My husband and I were _very clear_ this morning on what would happen to those who harassed our son or our family in _any_ way."

Mrs. Hutt went from pale to purple as Padme spoke. "Y-You can't do that!" She screeched.

"Oh, but I _can._ Especially since Jabba is eighteen, and can therefore be tried as a legal adult. Provided my son's injuries are not determined to be of a grievous nature from Jabba's unwarranted attack on him, I intend to charge your son with a Class C assault charge, which carries a maximum penalty in Texas of one year in jail...and you can be _sure_ , Mrs. Hutt, that I _will_ seek the maximum penalty in defense of my son." Padme inclined her head, raising her eyebrows, and narrowed her eyes. "I _do_ hope you have a good lawyer—one that _isn't_ good friends with myself and my law partner." Padme shrugged. "But, since I'm the District Attorney, that's going to be _very_ hard for you to do, I'm afraid." Anakin had to fight _not_ to burst out laughing at the look on both the Hutts' faces.

Neither Mrs. Hutt or Jabba looked smug anymore. Mrs. Hutt's mouth opened and closed multiple times as she tried to come up with a response, but she couldn't come up with an adequate one. Padme had cornered her, and Mrs. Hutt could tell that _this_ time, her son wasn't going to get away with it. Finally, she whirled on Jabba, smacking him upside the head. "Look what you've done!" She hissed, "You've disgraced this family. Just you _wait_ till we get home and your father hears about _this_ …"

Padme cleared her throat. "I'll be seeing you in court, Mrs. Hutt." She gave a vicious smile, and pivoted on her heel to finally stalk into the front office, Anakin following behind her, smirking all the way.

"Have I ever told you how just how _hot_ you are when you get like that or how very much I love you?" Anakin whispered in his wife's ear as the door to the office closed behind him with a _click._

Padme preened and gave him her most charming _I know_ smile, reaching out to grasp his hand with hers. "Honey, you may be the best Jedi around," she said, nudging him playfully in the stomach with her finger, "But _I'm_ the best lawyer around." Anakin grinned smugly.

He couldn't disagree with that one bit.

* * *

Slowly, Luke began to come to. It wasn't the first time he'd been knocked out, not by a long shot, and it felt more like he'd started to wake from a very deep sleep. His eyes simply didn't want to open. It took him a few tries to do so, and as he did blinked, he could feel where the punch had landed solidly across his left cheek, the memory of it throbbing with intensity. He groaned, finally forcing his eyes fully open, and found himself laying down on what he could only describe as a very uncomfortable plastic cot with crinkly parchment type paper underneath him. There was a poster directly across from him with a stupid cartoon dog with a retro thermometer in its mouth. The room smelled of cheap disinfectant, making his nose crinkle in distaste. His backpack with his things was on the plastic chair across from the bed where he lay, and he could hear voices outside of the door of this dimly lit room.

He tried to sit up, tried to remember _why_ he was there, but as he sat up, a wave of pain hit his head, and he immediately slumped back down, gasping for air, as his hands rubbed his pounding temples. He wondered, at first, if he'd received a concussion—but no, he'd had those before. This was bad, but not in the same way. It still felt like the same pain he had when he remembered…

The voices outside of the door stopped, and the door suddenly opened, revealing Leia. "You're awake. Thank the Force!" Her voice was filled with relief, and without his mental shields, he could feel her deep worry overshadowing him. She _knew_ something was wrong—something other than the fact that he'd been punched in the face. The fact that neither of them knew what was wrong with him _exactly,_ scared her, and if he was honest with himself, it scared him, too.

He opened his mouth to respond, but as he did, Obi-Wan appeared behind her, that familiar, kind smile on his face. "Luke," he began, about to step into the room…

Instantly, another vision hit him, _hard_ , causing him to yell out involuntarily as reality disappeared…

 _He was waking up from being knocked out. He was lying on a warm, sandy, hard ground, his head pounding as his vision adjusted to the fading light of day. A gentle hand helped him sit up. "Rest easy, son. You've had a busy day. You're fortunate to be all in one piece."_

 _Luke blinked his eyes rapidly to clear his vision, looking up into a friendly, much more-time worn version of Obi-Wan's face. "Ben?" Luke asked incredulously, "Ben Kenobi?"_

"GET OUT!" Luke suddenly ordered, forcing his eyes shut to keep himself from seeing the man again, trying to shut out the pain that was shooting through his skull, making the swollen bruise on his cheek pound even more. _Force_ , it hurt so much—so much that he was starting to get nauseous…

"Are you alright, Luke…?" his father's best friend asked, concern clear in his voice. Luke could hear him still coming to sit with him, to try to help him.

"I said," Luke shouted in panic, terrified of what would happen if the older man so much as _touched_ him, " _GET OUT!"_ He reached out through the Force blindly, lashing out at the man he'd so affectionately called "Uncle Ben" as a kid, pushing him forcefully out of the room and onto the floor. But Luke, as unstable as he was, also found _himself_ out of balance, and he tumbled off the bed onto the hard linoleum floor.

"Luke!" Leia gasped, and still keeping his eyes tightly closed, he held up his hands in a waving motion, warding her off. She'd triggered these painful types of visions, too. If he had another vision, he was certain that his whole head would explode, that he'd die, and…

Hands were on suddenly on him. Bigger. Stronger. Firmer. " _Luke Skywalker._ " Galen's voice was firm and commanding in his ear. "Breathe. You are safe. No one here is going to harm you." Luke tried to struggle away, but Galen's grip was unyielding and steadying. Besides, Luke realized, in the physical state he was in at the moment, he was sure that even the _worst_ Inquisitor ever could take him down with barely any effort. He hated that thought, hated that he was suddenly weak, that he'd been weak since he'd found out that his memories were all mostly a lie.

 _You're not weak, Luke._ His father's voice was clear, in his head. Gritting his teeth, he tried to push his father out, to keep him from feeling him like this, to keep him from coming here and making his pain worse…but he couldn't push his father out. This time, it didn't seem like his father was intent on leaving him alone either. _You need help, Son. Let them help. I'll be there with your mother in just a few moments…We're dealing with your stupid principal right now._

 _I don't want you here!_ Luke practically yelled back down their bond. He could _feel_ his father flinch in the Force, either at the words, or at the intensity of them, Luke didn't know.

He felt a gentle hand on his face, felt someone reaching through the Force to steady him, someone that wasn't his father. "Open your eyes, Luke." Ahsoka. "We're not here to hurt you. We want to help. Let us help."

 _Listen to her._ His father pleaded in his mind. _**Please**_ _cooperate, Luke. I'm worried about you. Your mom is worried about you. Leia, and Hayden, and Uncle Ben…We're_ _ **all**_ _worried about you…_

Luke swallowed hard. "I don't want to see anything else." He said, in reply to both Ahsoka and his father. "I want it to stop." He sounded pathetic and _far_ younger than he was.

"I _promise,_ Luke, you won't see anything by looking at me or Galen." She sounded so sure about it, Luke almost believed her. But…

"How do you know?" He asked. He still refused to open his eyes.

There was a silence, and he could have _sworn_ she and Galen were silently communicating with one another, deciding what to tell him. "I just know." She finally replied. It was a lame promise, but…

 _I've told Leia and Obi-Wan to wait outside. You're safe, Luke._ His father promised him. Luke wasn't sure what to believe anymore. He did know, however, that he _couldn't_ live his life squeezing his eyes shut all the time. So slowly, cautiously, he opened his eyes, praying that what he saw wouldn't hurt him.

Galen and Ahsoka were kneeling in front of him. Galen still had Luke firmly held in his grip to keep him from lashing out physically. Ahsoka was still touching his face gently, trying to send soothing feelings through the Force. She smiled when he saw her. "Why don't we get you back up on the bed and see what's going on?"

Luke didn't protest as Galen practically hoisted him back up and onto the plastic bed, leaving him sitting up, back braced against the wall for support. "I know neither of you are Healers." He said through numb lips. "So, _how_ are you supposed to find out what's going on with me?"

"Because," A new female voice interrupted, and Luke very cautiously slid a glance over at the newcomer at the door. She was a short, aging Asian woman, her graying dark hair pulled back into a neat bun. "They brought _me._ I am Dr. Vokara Che, Jedi Master and the Jedi's Chief Healer." She smiled kindly at Luke, though her eyes were already calculating, raking over him and assessing him visually. "You probably don't remember me, since we had very little interaction outside of a few yearly checkups when you were small. But, I'm going to help you."

Luke opened his mouth to tell her to go away, that he didn't need a doctor, but his father interrupted him before he could do so. _You_ _ **need**_ _to see her, Luke. She's the best we have. If anyone can help, she can—and don't you even_ _ **try**_ _telling me that you don't need help. Remember, I can feel your pain through our connection. This has gone on for far too long. I've instructed her not to take no for an answer, young man._

Luke shut his mouth, his jaw tightening with annoyance. But, he didn't tell his father to back off, or to stop meddling in his life. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, his father was right. Mara had also expressed concern for the very same reasons—and if _she_ found out about today's incident, he was sure she'd drag him to go see Vokara anyway. She'd probably drag him by the ear, too. So, he didn't object. He simply nodded. "Alright." He breathed, "What do I need to do?"

* * *

Padme held Anakin's hand tightly, their fingers intertwined, as he led her to the nurse's office, their conversation with the principal still swirling in her head. Luke wasn't getting suspended like Jabba was, only for the simple reason that there were multiple witnesses who confirmed that Luke didn't throw a single punch back at the other boy and that Jabba had instigated the _entire_ thing. Strangely, that made Padme have mixed feelings—on one hand, that would make her case against Jabba that much stronger (a case she absolutely _would_ pursue now). She could paint it as he was attacking Luke for no reason (because technically, Jabba did just that). But, on the other hand, as a mother, she sort of wished Luke had taught the other boy what's what and taken him down a few pegs. _Not_ that she would ever encourage such behavior from her son, of course. He was already precariously on the edge, and both she and Anakin were very worried about what side of the Force he would ultimately take, especially with his apparent… _aversion_ to being a Jedi.

Unfortunately, she had also found out that the fight with Jabba was not Luke's _only_ issue that day. He had apparently been sent to the front office by his English teacher for outright disobedience and disrespecting of her. The principal had let him off easy with just a warning because of his unusual… _circumstances_ , but he still expected Luke to discuss the incident with them himself. And, she knew Anakin would make _sure_ that discussion took place.

Well, once they had Luke's health issues sorted out first.

Primarily, though, Padme didn't care. She just wanted Luke to be healthy. She wanted to know _what_ was happening with her son—they all did. Finally, they entered the nurse's office, where Leia and Obi-Wan were currently sitting in the waiting area in little plastic blue chairs. Seeing them, Leia perked up and stood. "Is Luke…?"

"No." Anakin replied, his voice tight. "Is Vokara still with him?" Padme glanced over to find the school nurse sitting behind the desk, trying to look like she wasn't listening in, and failing at it.

Leia nodded, and the next thing Padme knew, Leia had approached and was hugging her. _"Mom_ …" Leia's voice broke, and Padme didn't need to have the Force to tell that Leia was starting to buckle under the stress of…well, everything. "What if Luke…?"

"He'll be fine, Sweetie." Padme promised, holding her daughter close. "You know, why don't you go pick up Hayden from school and then go home? Your father and I will sign you out of school early. Go home, lie down for a bit, go for a swim or a jog, or just meditate. Whatever you need to do. Your father and I will tell you more tonight when we know more."

Leia pulled away, opening her mouth to protest, but Obi-Wan interrupted. "I think that's a good idea, Leia. I'll go with you. I'll have to sign Hayden out early anyway." He paused. "Since obviously, Luke needs some space."

Leia frowned, her eyes narrowing, as Obi-Wan brought up the sore subject of Luke chucking them out of the room. Shortly after they'd left the principal's office, Anakin had told her what had happened, and Padme could only imagine how hard it must be for their daughter. Leia was Luke's twin—even in _this_ life, they had had a special bond, a bond that Leia was _still_ trying to repair. To top it off, Leia also remembered her previous life with Luke, which only strengthened her love for her brother now. To see him in so much uncertain pain… "He's going to be alright, Leia." Padme said again gently, hoping that she was right. "You'll see. Now, run along and try to _relax_ this afternoon. And, _don't_ freak Hayden out, whatever you do."

Leia was silent for a moment, but she finally nodded. "Alright, Mom. Let's go, Uncle Ben."

Padme watched Leia lead Obi-Wan out to go find her speeder in the student parking lot, and turned back to Anakin, who was staring intently at the door. "Well?" She whispered in his ear, trying to keep her voice low so the nosy nurse wouldn't overhear.

Anakin shook his head, turning back to face her…and the door to the room Luke was in suddenly opened. Vokara stepped out, looking exhausted….and troubled. She turned to the nurse, who was eyeing her warily. "I need to discuss Luke's condition with his parents. Alone. May we use your office?" It was a request, but the _way_ Vokara said it, Padme had a feeling that there was no room for refusal on the nurse's part...and that a Force suggestion had _also_ accompanied her request.

Thankfully, the nurse didn't refuse, though she looked disappointed that she wouldn't get to hear the ' _juicy details'_ of what was going on. _Nosy woman,_ Padme thought irritably as they followed Vokara into the tiny cluttered office…nothing like Vokara's large, pristine office back at the Jedi Academy. As soon as the door was closed, Vokara sighed heavily. "Well. I have good news, and bad news."

Padme could feel her stomach sink. "Is Luke going to be okay, Vokara?" Anakin immediately asked, his brow furrowed with concern, the same question also at the forefront of his wife's mind.

"For now, yes. That's actually the good news. I was able to settle his mind so that he can look at those he knows in both his past life and this life without having immediate visions."

"So, he _is_ having visions of his past life then?" Padme questioned, frowning. She wanted to be sure she was understanding Vokara correctly. She was _glad_ he was able to retain some of his old memories….but they weren't the ones that she wanted him to remember so desperately.

"Yes…and that's the heart of the problem." Vokara shook her head, a troubling frown creasing her lips. "When you told me Palpatine had altered Luke's memories, you didn't say how bad it really was."

"That's because I didn't _know_ how bad it was." Anakin replied tightly. "Just how bad is _bad_?"

Vokara winced. "Let's just say it's a _miracle_ Luke didn't sustain permanent brain damage from Palpatine's actions." She paused. "See, Padme, when you remembered your past life, you, like the rest of us, were able to do so without any pain, because those memories are part of you. Of _who_ you are. They were _always_ there in the depth of your mind, waiting to be awakened. When Palpatine messed with Luke's head, he didn't just lock away Luke's previous memories of _this_ life, he _also_ severed the connection between Luke and his _past life's_ memories….I don't think intentionally. At least, I _hope_ it wasn't intentional. Anyway, so when Luke is remembering his past life, his brain is trying to forcibly reject those memories. It fails to do so, and because of that missing connection, it's trying to forge new connections, and it's thereby causing tremendously significant pain to Luke."

There was silence. Utter silence at this diagnosis. Padme slowly sat down on one of the plastic blue chairs, suddenly feeling numb. "What does that mean for Luke, Vokara?" She breathed, almost afraid to know the answer. Vokara hesitated.

"Vokara." Anakin asked, his voice serious. "What does that _mean?_ "

"It means," Vokara replied slowly, "that if Luke's mind continues to reject those memories as they continue to surface, it could cause permanent brain damage."

* * *

 **Now we know why Luke has pain when he remembers. Don't worry...this is going to sound weird, but I'm going to say it anyway. I have...adorable plans for it. It'll make sense when I write it.**

 **Next chapter, Luke is going to find out some truths, and Leia and Han are going to have a scene! :D**

 **One reviewer commented on last chapter's song...glad you loved that! That particular song is one I listen to often to get into Luke's current state of mind.**

 **Oh, this story is also being translated for a Chinese audience! I just gotta say, it's so COOL to see that others on the complete other side of the world enjoy what you've worked so hard on. I have the best readers. That is a 100% fact!**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	74. The Truth

"We have something to tell you, Luke."

Luke tensed, pulling his eyes away from the large picture window in his father's expansive office overlooking the grounds of the Jedi Academy and, in the distance, the twinkling lights of his childhood home, and warily looked at his parents. He sat down heavily on one of his dad's round meditation chairs which dotted the room while both of his parents leaned on the edge of his father's massive desk, staring back at him nervously. It was his mother who had spoken, and he could feel caution and overwhelming worry, not just from her, but from his father as well...though, his father effectively shielded the _why_ from him behind a thick steely mental wall. Whatever Vokara had told his parents, whatever it was she had found out about his... _visions_ , it had made his parents flat out _panic_. They hadn't even let him go _home._ Instead, his father had set the speeder down right in front of the Jedi Academy, and they'd both practically dragged him into the privacy of his father's office, far away from prying eyes...and ears.

This didn't bode well.

 _I've got a bad feeling about this._ He gulped, refusing to let his own growing panic show. _What_ had Vokara found that would freak his parents out _this_ badly?! The question had bounced around in his head since she'd left him alone to go talk to his parents in private. He hadn't voiced the question yet. He'd sat stoically in the speeder all the way home. His head still throbbed a little, and honestly, he was afraid to ask, afraid to know what he'd find out. Now, though, there was no avoiding it. "Alright. So, tell me," his voice was carefully neutral, betraying none of the fear inside...though, he was certain his father wasn't fooled by his cool facade, and that fact irritated him to no end.

His parents glanced at one another, then his father cleared his throat. "Do you remember those stories I used to tell you and your sister at bedtime when you were little?"

A stupid question.

 _Seriously?! What the hell does that have to do with any of this?_ Luke rolled his eyes, opting for sarcasm over getting up and shaking the _real_ answers out of his father. "Of course I don't," he hissed between clenched teeth, ignoring the throb of pain that echoed through his cheek. There would certainly be a nasty bruise there.

His father frowned and flicked a glance at his mother, who shrugged and waved her hand in a silent gesture as if to say _Just tell him_. "I guess I'll have to start at the beginning then," Anakin sighed.

 _Oh, no. That's not cryptic at all._

"Beginning of _what_ exactly?" Luke's eyes narrowed suspiciously. What did _any_ of this have to do with those strange memories in his head?

"Luke," his mom said, her dark eyes somewhat sad, her voice even and calm. It was the voice of a seasoned politician carefully constructing some bad news to ensure a calm response. "You...Our family, as well as many of the Jedi here...Well, we aren't exactly from _this_ world."

 _WHAT?!_

Luke just stared. He tried to comprehend the meaning of her words, but he couldn't. In fact, they just made his headache _way_ worse than it was to begin with. "Umm," he said, when it was obvious that his mother was trying to figure out his reaction, "What?!" Padme glanced down at the floor and gently shook her head before looking back into her son's eyes.

"We're not even from _this_ galaxy. Not really." His mom continued carefully. "I mean, _technically,_ yes, we _were_ born here, on Earth, but before our lives _here_ on this planet...Well, all of us, including you, Luke, lived _another_ life, in _another_ galaxy...far, far away. From here."

Luke continued to stare. He couldn't even think. "What?" His voice was flat, betraying nothing.

This was a joke, right? It _had_ to be.

"What your mother said is true, Luke. I used to tell you and your sister the stories of our previous lives when you were both little," His father added, just as cautiously, and Luke felt another spark of genuine fear from his father in the Force before it was quickly buried behind his shields. "When we told your sister about this, it was... _easier_ , for her to come to terms with it, because she had already remembered most of the story herself."

Wait...His _sister_ believed this crap, too?! Luke tried to come up with the words, but he couldn't. Instead, all those images from those horrible episodes replayed in his head, making his head throb even more. He quickly shoved them away, refusing to believe this garbage. " _What?"_ He couldn't think of any other way to express…. _whatever_ it was he was feeling.

His parents glanced at each other again, doing that silent communicating thing they sometimes did, before his father nodded gravely and began to speak again, telling his tale from the very beginning. Words, places, people, and scenes from a time long, long ago slowly trickled into Luke's befuddled consciousness... _Tatooine, Naboo, Coruscant, Mustafar...Outer Rim Sieges, Clone Wars, the Separatists...the Jedi Temple, the Senate, Order 66...the Empire, the Alliance, Stormtroopers, the Death Star...Darth Sidious, Darth Maul, Darth Vader...Wookies,Twi'leks..._ On and on and on, it went. All of it bizarre. None of it real. It just _couldn't_ be real.

Luke was sure of it.

He had to admit, though, it was _certainly_ a story fit for the Big Screen. _Man, if they turned this into a movie, it'd be a blockbuster for sure. I bet Hollywood would love this script. "Star Wars" would actually be a great name for it._ Full of adventure, sorrow, danger, forbidden love, heros and villians, and horrible, horrible betrayal, it was the Sci-Fi thriller to end _all_ Sci-Fi thrillers.

When his father retold the story of his supposed turn to the Dark Side, of his betrayal of his pregnant wife and the Jedi order and everything and everyone he knew and loved, his father's words choked and slowed. At one point, Anakin actually reached out blindly to grasp his wife's hand for encouragement, which she gladly gave. But, he pressed forward, leaving very few details out, Luke was sure, and then, he paused. "But then, there was _you._ " Luke didn't respond. _Couldn't_ respond. Not even if he'd tried. Anakin continued his story, "For twenty years, I didn't know you existed. I was told by Sidious that you died along with your mother that wretched day on Mustafar. It didn't occur to me that _you_ could be my son when I attempted to shoot you down in that trench in your X-Wing fighter before you could blow up our battle station, the Death Star. I certainly felt your very strong presence in the Force, and it _was_ somewhat familiar to me; though, I didn't know _why,_ and yet, I didn't even think twice about it...about trying to kill you. You weren't any different than any of the other Jedi I'd hunted down and killed over the years. But, even after you blew up the Death Star and escaped, I kept thinking about you. I _knew_ you were different, and I wanted...no, I _needed_ to know _why._ I sent probe droids out across the entire galaxy to try and find you. I even sent the bounty hunter, Boba Fett, after you…"

Pain suddenly flashed into Luke's head. It was an effort not to show it, and not understanding what it was, not understanding _why_ his parents were telling him some wild story instead of just telling him what was wrong with him became too much. "Stop. Just….stop." His father stopped speaking and bit his lower lip, and both of his parents looked at him in open worry and concern. "I can understand how this... _story_ would be appealing to me as a kid. Don't get me wrong. It's a cool story, but that's _all_ this is - a story. It's _not_ real. None of it. What I want to know...and _all_ I want to know...is what the _hell_ is wrong with me?! _What_ did Vokara tell you to make you both act like I'm going to die if you say something wrong?!"

His parents flinched, glancing at one another. "I _know_ it's hard to believe and probably sounds like a weird Science Fiction movie, but it's the truth, Luke. Every bit of it," his mom said softly, "The reason why you're having these...issues or spells or whatever you want to call them...is because your subconscious mind is trying to help you remember your previous life in our old galaxy, but what Palpatine did to your mind when he had you abducted, when he altered your memories...Well, it severed that connection to your previous life in your subconscious mind, and now that those memories are coming back to you, your body is trying to reject those memories…"

" _That_ is literally the single most ridiculous thing I have _ever_ heard in my life!" Luke snapped. "What you're describing...That's just not even _possible._ Yeah, I believe that he messed with my memories from when I was a child since there is _plenty_ of physical proof of that, but you _can't_ prove this hokey nonsense because it's _insane!"_

"You're right, it _is_ insane, but that doesn't mean that it didn't happen," his father said. He sounded exhausted. Utterly and totally exhausted. "Use the Force, Luke. Stretch out with your feelings. You know it to be true."

Luke stood abruptly, fury overwhelming him to the point where he was shaking. "No! I'm _not_ humoring you on this! Everything is crazy enough as it is! I don't need some _pretend past life_ to screw things up even more!"

"I understand how crazy it is," his mother started, pleading with him, " Sweetie, I thought the exact _same_ thing when your dad came back into my life in this world...I went through almost the _same_ thing..."

 _Nah-uh, Mom. No way, no how did you go through_ _ **anything**_ _like what I am right now!_

But, Luke was shaking his head, breathing hard. "No. I'm sorry if _he's,_ " he glared at his father and flicked his wrist toward him, and Anakin's own jaw tightened, "brainwashed _all_ of you, but I'm _not_ going to stand here and let him do it to me. I'm _done_ with this conversation."

"Luke," his father began, his voice stern, but Luke was already backing up towards the office door.

"No!" Luke growled, his glare practically searing into his father, "I'm done with this conversation, and I'm done with both of you until you can tell me what's actually wrong with me!"

His mother winced, her eyes tearing up, and she stepped forward. "I understand you're upset, but…"

Luke whirled around. "Don't bother following me." He said curtly, and stormed out of the room. Behind him, as the door was closing, he just barely caught his father saying, "Well, _that_ could have gone better." Another stab of fury raced through him, and he clenched his fists at his side. If he had his lightsaber, he'd...he'd…

His phone suddenly buzzed in his pocket, and he took a deep breath, pulling it out. There were about five missed calls from Mara, two from Han, and one text message blared to life on the screen.

 _ **I've found her...I've found Ventress.**_

* * *

Leia paced in her bedroom, eyebrows furrowed, lips pursed in a grimace, resisting the urge to glance at her phone for more messages, or to try to connect with her father over their Force bond. Her mother had texted her, while her father had sent the message through their bond about an hour ago. Both said basically the same thing, and it made her heart sink.

Luke was having _serious_ problems with his past life's memories, and they were going to try to break the truth to him themselves... _gently..._ so that he at least _knew_ what was happening when the next... _episode..._ happened again. The idea that her brother might actually remember their past life together both thrilled and terrified her. She'd always been close to her twin brother - remembering her own past life just confirmed that for her. But, the last she remembered, he'd also left her, after her son…

She stopped that thought cold. No. She _wouldn't_ think about Ben. Not now. She instead turned her thoughts back to Luke, to what was happening in the here and now. When their parents told him the truth, would he remember everything? Anything? Or, nothing? She had. All of it. Or, almost all of it. The previous Luke of their old life may have, but _this_ Luke was going through _so_ much more than his old self had. In all of the important ways, Luke was the same-kind, loyal, brave...the _best_ big brother she could _ever_ have asked for. And yet, _now_ there was a deep darkness in him...much more so than before. They both had always had a certain darkness about them, she supposed...How could they not? They were Skywalkers...But _now,_ thanks to Palpatine, Luke was sincerely struggling with it, and she…

A tap on her window pulled her from her thoughts, and she jumped a little in fright, whirling around, her hand going automatically to the lightsaber at her belt. However, the face staring at her through her second story window, while unexpected, wasn't threatening enough for a lightsaber. No, this face was threatening for _another_ reason entirely-Han. She let out a deep breath, nerves of a totally different sort filling her, as she strode over to the window to let him in. Every time she was around him, the urge to hold him close and never let go - and kiss him senseless - became stronger. Worse, she was afraid she may spill the beans about their past life together...a life that _should_ have gone so much better, but had ended oh so tragically…

She opened the window, letting in the cool, damp night air. "We have a door you know. You could just knock." She managed to sound put out by his stupid decision to climb their two story house to get to her window, but in truth, she was more amused by it than anything. It was so classic Han; it made her miss him even more.

Han quirked an eyebrow and grinned wolfishly. "Where's the fun in that? Maybe I like seeing you surprised for once."

"For once?" She echoed, arching her own eyebrows.

Han smirked, a smirk she knew _all_ too well from when he was teasing her. "You're always so sure of yourself. It's nice to know you can be surprised, Princess."

"Don't call me that." But, the corners of her mouth twitched at the familiar exchange. Han never changed. It had always driven her nuts, true, but it also was one of the things that made her love him all the more. Han had been the _one_ constant in her ever changing previous life. She could always count on him.

Han's smirk faded. "Well, are you going to let me in or what? I can't hold on forever, ya know." Leia stepped back, shaking her head and allowing him to finish climbing into her bedroom window. When he stood up and looked around, he frowned thoughtfully. "Huh."

"What?" Leia asked, looking around at her bedroom. It was a normal bedroom-no longer the foo-foo pink of her younger years, but rather full of creams and blues and whites...calming colors. Which she had desperately needed over the last nine years. Pictures of friends and family were on her walls, a computer on her desk, a flat screen TV along one wall, and books lining her shelves…

"It's just...you're _very_ different from your brother. Your brother has _way_ too much space stuff for his own good in his room, and usually some weapons. Since you're a Jedi, and his twin, I just thought there would be...I don't know."

"More weapons?" Leia rolled her eyes. "Of course not. Well, other than the one on my belt."

"Yeah." Han shrugged. "Anyhow. I wanted to check on you."

Leia blinked in surprise. "Check on me?" She asked. "I'm...there's nothing wrong with me."

Han sat down on her favorite cream papasan chair, making himself right at home in her bedroom. If her father knew where Han was right now, Leia suspected he'd be _very_ tempted to choke the life out of her _sort of_ husband. "I was with Mara when you texted her about Luke." Han clarified, "Mara was real upset. Called him like twenty times. Got no answer. I assumed that if she was upset, you probably were, too. So, here I am, and there you are looking like a nervous wreck." He shrugged his shoulders and then pointed at her with a jab of his index finger.

Leia scowled. "I do not."

Han rolled his eyes. "I may not be the _best_ judge of character, Sweetheart, but I can tell when you're nervous." He frowned suddenly, a look of confusion settling over his features. "The question is, _why_ do I know that?"

Leia was silent. She didn't know what Han knew...or _didn't_ know, as it were. From what she could tell, he didn't know anything. Han was never big into other worldly forces of nature. He seemed to think the Force was one big joke. He _used_ to call it a ' _hokey religion'_ back in their old galaxy. So, he probably wouldn't be too happy to know that he was actually reincarnated in _this_ galaxy...or maybe he would be fine with it. It was hard to say with Han. Towards the end of his previous life, he'd learned to accept it. He had no choice. He had, after all, married into one of the most powerful - if not THE most powerful - Force-Sensitive families in their old galaxy...probably in _this_ galaxy, too. Maybe...but she was already worried about Luke. That was enough to deal with at the moment. She couldn't risk dealing with Han freaking out as well. Besides, as upset as her father already _was_ about Han, she didn't think he'd take too kindly to his scoffing at the Force right now. "I don't know what you're talking about," she insisted, her hands on her hips, ever the defiant figure.

"Yes, you do." Even now, Han knew her. "Tell me this, Princess...Why is it that _every_ other woman I've ever met has been a total and complete mystery to me, and yet, when I meet _you_ , I feel like I've known you my whole life?" Well. Han had never been shy about discussing their relationship before. Even if he said it with his typical over confident tone. Force, he hadn't changed a bit. It made her want to shake him - and kiss him - at the same time. "Clearly, you must feel the same way."

"Oh I do, do I?" She didn't know why she was still playing this game, why they'd _always_ played this game. She was stubborn, she supposed. He was, too, for that matter. And, maybe she knew he liked the chase...and, if she was honest, maybe so did she.

"Yeah," Han snorted, "The way you looked at me in Namibia? That kiss you planted on me in London? Oh, feel it, too."

Leia opened her mouth to argue...and stopped. There was no point in it. He was right. She loved him. She always had, always would...even now. With him sitting there in her room before her, after the last thing she remembered was feeling him die…She wanted nothing more than to hold him again. To kiss him. To make things right this time between them. Like her parents before them, they'd been given a second chance, and _this_ time she'd make sure to make the best of it...For them both. "Han," she began, but a buzzing in Han's pocket interrupted her.

He sighed, muttering under his breath about lousy stinking timing, and thumbed opened his phone. "It's Mara." He explained, "She told Luke about Ventress."

" _Ventress?!"_ Leia gasped, eyes wide in shock, crossing the room swiftly to his side. "What about Ventress?!"

"Oh, we found out where she's at today." Han casually explained, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly, as if he hadn't just found one of the most dangerous people on the planet and one of the Jedi's _most_ wanted criminals. As if it had been the easiest thing in the world. "While you and Luke were at school, we made ourselves useful."

" _So,_ where is she?!" Leia demanded, making plans already to go talk to her father and Obi-Wan and get a posse of Jedi together to go after the dangerous Force Adept.

"Here in Houston, actually." Han grinned. "Luke and Mara are headed over there now. Wanna come?"

Leia stared at him, flabbergasted. "No, we need to tell my dad and get the Jedi and…"

Han was shaking his head. "Apparently, Luke _specifically_ told her to tell me to make sure your dad doesn't come. Apparently, they got into a fight just now. Again." Ahh...So, it _hadn't_ gone well then. Leia wasn't surprised, but she _was_ disappointed. Han stood up. "Look, we'll be fine. Both Mara and Luke have been hunting these guys down for _years._ Trust me _._ Luke trained with them...and he's killed quite a few of 'em, too. Besides, Chewie and I aren't so bad in a fight ourselves, ya know." He paused, suddenly looking nervous. "Do you, uh, wanna come?"

Leia hesitated. Every instinct was telling her to tell her father, but...Luke was already going. It would take too long to get a force of Jedi together. She considered the options. If they attacked before the Jedi could get there, Luke, Han, Chewie and Mara could die. But, she was a trained Jedi. Well. _Almost_ a Jedi. She was a formidable Force user, just as Luke was. She and Luke had been in far more dangerous situations before and lived with far less training. _Plus_ … "Are you asking me out on a date?" She asked, managing to sound dubious. "It's not often that a guy asks me to go fight a dangerous criminal as a date."

Han grinned, easing back into a territory he was more familiar with. "I'm not most guys, Sweetheart. So, are you coming, or not?"

Leia looked out the window, towards the Jedi Academy so far away...and made sure her mental shields were up as she replied, "Let's do this thing."

* * *

 **Everything has been insane at work. We hired a bunch of people, so I'm basically constantly training and monitoring and it's exhausting. So, for now, while everything is insane, if I ever want to get any writing done, I need to focus on this story. It's not that far away from completion anyway.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	75. Flight Through the Streets

The joint was packed, even in the dim to near dark lighting, that was obvious. Smoke filled the air, making him what to cough, and the floor literally vibrated beneath his feet from the noise level.

Music pounded through Luke's senses, making his eardrums throb, as he pushed his way through writhing, sweaty bodies towards the bar. The dim lighting of the club made his black eye not so noticeable, and close beside him trailed Mara, a frown still marring her beautiful glossed lips. The moment she had picked him up in her ship, she had been frantic with worry over what had happened at school. He'd assured her he was fine, wanting to stay focused on the task ahead of them, just like old times. The _last_ thing he wanted was to think about what had happened with Jabba-and what his parents had told him afterwards. He especially didn't want to think about _that. Because it's delusional. No way, no how any of that was true,_ he thought grimly. Forcing the thoughts from his mind, he refocused back to the matter at hand.

They had a job to do.

"There's seriously an apartment over this place?" Luke shouted disbelievingly over the pulsing music to Mara. The flashes of lighting made her hair almost glow an unearthly flame red, and he couldn't help the unbidden pulse of desire he felt sweep through him as he gazed at her.

"That's what our source said." Mara shouted back, nodding her head. "I gotta say, it leaves _much_ to be desired."

No kidding. If he didn't hate Ventress with an almost all-consuming passion, he'd probably feel sorry for her having to put up with her apartment sounding like it was a constant party. However, he had to admit it _was_ as good a place as any to hide. Not many people would want an apartment over a nightclub, and since there were always throngs of drunk people going in and out of the club, it would probably be easy for Ventress to stay unnoticed.

They slid onto the bar stools. The bartender looked over at both of them with a look of clear disbelief. Neither of them looked like they were twenty one (which, truthfully, they _weren't_ ). The only reason they were in here was because Luke managed to mind-trick the muscle outside into thinking their ID's said they were legal. Force, Luke _hated_ American drinking age laws. He didn't drink that often, but sometimes, he and Han would sit out on the roof of their old hideout back in London, talking and chugging down a few drinks as the sun set over the city. But tonight, even if the bartender could hear him over the pounding music, Luke wouldn't mind trick him. No, he needed his mind as clear as possible if he was going to fight Ventress.

So, instead he flashed his best 'farm boy look,' as Mara called it, at the bartender. Innocent. "Do you know the girl who lives upstairs?" He shouted at the man.

Something...flickered in his eyes-recognition, and Luke felt a pull from the Force sweep through him, raising the hair on his arms. Yeah, the bartender knew her. But, he casually shrugged his shoulders, poured a drink for another customer, and lied through his teeth. "Sorry, can't say that I do. Are you buying a drink or what?"

One glance at Mara, and Luke could tell that she had noticed the look in his eyes, too. "Are you _sure_ you don't know her?" Mara purred with a half hooded expression, leaning over the bar, her form fitting top accentuating her curves. Luke's jaw tightened, as a surge of jealousy flared within him, his fists clenching as he watched the man smirk, giving Mara a once-over that was clearly _appreciative_. Asshole. If he wasn't trying to make nice to get information, he'd take him out back and give this creep a black eye to match his own.

But, the man snapped out of it, shaking his head. "Like I said, ain't never heard of her. If you ain't buying, go hang out somewhere else. I've got other customers to-"

"I'll have a scotch on the rocks." A familiar voice said to Luke's left, and he nearly jumped out of his skin, as he whirled on the barstool to find Han at his side, Chewy and…

"What the _hell?!_ " Luke hissed, glaring at Han. " _Why_ did you bring my _sister_ here, of _all_ places?!"

Han gave Luke an exasperated look, as the bartender handed him his drink. "Calm down, kid. Over protective, much? She's proven her own in a fight. She can take care of herself. Besides, she's the same age as you and has as much business being in this dive as you do." He shrugged and took a gulp of his scotch.

Luke opened his mouth to give him a scathing retort, but Leia was pushing her way in-between them, giving Han a disapproving look. "Really? Drinking? Now?"

"Relax, princess, I'm not going to be affected by _one_ drink. You don't approach a bar and _not_ ask for one if you want to blend in. Not like these two over here." Han thumbed over at Luke and Mara. Chewie garbled something, and Han added to him and Mara, "Yeah, what are _you_ doing over here? All of you don't exactly look _legal._ Do you _want_ to stand out?"

Mara narrowed her eyes and hissed. "We were _trying_ to find out about our ' _friend'_ upstairs before we went barging in up there. Now, the guy's gone off!" She waved her hand toward the far end of the bar, and sure enough, the bartender was now on the other end of the bar, mixing drinks for other partiers.

"Relax, there's bound to be other people who've seen her, or at least the door to the apartments. Look, if it makes you feel better, Chewie and I will go ask around." Han rolled his eyes, setting his barely touched drink down on the counter. "I'd sure do a hell of a better job than you two would." And, with a hesitant look at Leia, Han and Chewie pushed their way into the crowd.

Luke whirled on Leia immediately. "Go home. _Now._ " His voice was hard and demanding.

But, Leia was just as stubborn as she used to be back when they were kids. She simply rolled her eyes. "You didn't even sense me coming in here. _You're_ the one who shouldn't be here-"

Aware of Mara listening in, Luke snapped his mouth shut and grabbed his sister's upper arm. Ignoring her exclamation of irritation, Luke said over his shoulder, "I'll be right back," before he pulled Leia off into a dark corner of the club.

"Let go of me!" Leia ripped away from him the moment they reached the corner, her eyes swimming with fury. "I swear, Luke, if you _ever_ grab me like that again, I'll throw you into a Sith-infested…"

Luke held up a warning hand, glancing over at the drunk patrons sitting nearby. They looked pretty out of it, either because they were too drunk or too stoned, or too absorbed in their phones to notice. Still, he wasn't going to take the chance of them being overheard. He reached out in the Force, feeling for how open his sister was at the moment, and to his surprise, though she was firmly closed to others around them, she immediately sensed him and opened up _just_ enough to let him through. _Fine, I won't do that again._ He sent the thought to her through the Force. _Why are you even here?!_

 _Is Dad listening in on this conversation?_ Leia fired right back.

 _He better_ _ **not**_ _be._ Luke fumed, but just in case, as he'd done since he'd decided to leave with Mara, he checked his bond with his father. Though it was still more open than he wanted, he could feel that his father was holding back from reading his thoughts and feelings, probably assuming, and rightfully so, that he wanted to be left alone-or at least, be away from him.

 _No. He's not._

 _Well, that's too damn bad. You_ _ **should**_ _have brought him on this little misadventure, at least, if not Uncle Ben and…_

 _We can handle this! We don't need his help!_ He snarled back, and even **he** was surprised at the intensity of his anger. _Now, I have to worry about_ _ **you**_ _getting yourself killed, on top of taking down Ventress!_

Despite his anger, Leia was not the least bit intimidated. _Oh really?! Me? Get killed? Says the guy who went running off to go face one of Palpatine's top killers without a lightsaber!_ Luke's face flushed. _Yeah. Forgot about_ _ **that,**_ _didn't you, Big Bro?_

 _No._ He reached around, fumbling under his jacket, and pulled out the hidden lightsaber he'd stolen from the armory before he'd gone off to meet Mara. _Force, Leia, I'm not that much of an idiot._

 _Except that this is_ _ **still**_ _a clearly stupid plan that's going to get us_ _ **all**_ _killed if we don't call for backup._ She sighed, and took a step closer to him, looking imploringly up into his face. _I'm not saying we go home, just that we call for backup and scout the area out while we wait for help to..._

 _Hell, no!_ Luke snapped, _Do you_ _ **know**_ _what kind of batshit craziness Mom and Dad tried to sell me back there?! I'm not asking them for any help when they're the ones who need the help...in the nearest psych ward!_

A pained expression passed over Leia's face and simmered in her dark eyes. _Luke,_ she began, _I know it's hard to believe, but…._

 _Sorry to interrupt your lovely little tête-à-tête,_ a new voice floated into his head. Mara. Luke glanced her way, and Leia did as well. Apparently, Mara sent the communication to both of them. _Han found the door to the apartment. You're both here anyway. Let's just get this over with, shall we?_ Mara cocked an eyebrow and simply stared at them both.

Luke looked back into Leia's pleading eyes. "Please, Luke." She said verbally, her voice full of desperation. "Let them help."

But, Luke could feel his expression harden. No way. He had all the help he needed. _Let's do this._ He said back to both of them. _End of discussion._ He shot directly at Leia with a pointed look, and though he could see the worry in her eyes, there was also a resigned resolve. _Don't die, Leia._

 _Back at you, Brother._

* * *

Creepy just didn't cover it.

His first warning that this was a trap was how easy it was to break the lock open. Too easy.

Han barely had to apply any pressure, and the door clicked and swung open to reveal a darkened staircase. Chewie rumbled something nervously. "Yeah," Han frowned in apparent agreement. "That shouldn't have been _that_ easy. I've got a bad feeling about this..." Han and Chewie's hands slipped to where their guns would be hidden under their jackets, while Luke, Leia, and Mara did the same for their lightsabers.

They pulled their weapons out when they'd entered the stairwell, and they'd eased the door closed behind them, the sounds of the club becoming more of a loud, muffled thundering behind the wall, which still vibrated nonetheless. They ignited their lightsabers for light. "Han, Chewie," Luke ordered softly, "Ventress won't be a normal Force-wielder. Stay behind us, and just give us cover."

Though Han was not usually one for taking orders, he muttered, "Yeah, Kid...I think you're right."

The fact that Han actually _listened_ to his order was the second warning he had that this would be a trap. If Han thought it would be wise to take instructions from others, it couldn't be good.

His third warning was when they reached the top of the stairs and opened the door to find an empty, darkened hallway. Creepier still. On either side of it, there were two other doors, likely two more apartments. At the end, the door to the apartment in question stood, light peeking out from beneath the door. The floor rumbled under their feet. "Do we know if the other rooms are occupied?" Leia asked softly from his left.

"Nope." Mara was tense beside him on his right, her jade green eyes focused intently on the hallway straight ahead of them.

" _Greeeeat._ And, if there just happens to be Inquisitors hiding in them, we're going to get trapped real fast with no cover. I _love_ it when we go into things without a plan or backup," Leia quipped sarcastically.

"Hey, what are _we_ supposed to be? Chopped liver?!" Han grumbled behind them, with an agreeing garble from Chewie.

"Our backup." Luke answered before Leia could. "Han, Chewie, stay here and watch our backs. If we get to the end of the hallway without anyone flanking us in, then follow. If we're attacked…" He glanced at Leia. "I _assume_ you do know how to block bullets should Han and Chewie join in the fray."

Leia rolled her eyes and gave him an exasperated look. "Of _course_ I know how. I'm Dad's padawan. He taught me how to do that a long time ago."

"Good." Luke flashed her a grin, which was wiped away the moment he turned back to the hallway. "Ok. It's now or never."

Yep. Sure enough, it was a trap.

The moment they reached level with the first door, the side doors flew open. Luke, Leia, and Mara were ready for them, all of them fully immersed in the Force. Luke could see the swings of the lightsabers as four Inquisitors, their presence firmly cloaked within the Force, attacked. He could feel Han and Chewie's presence as they ducked behind the covering of the stairwell wall, could feel their bullets speed through the air towards the Inquisitors. Like Luke knew they would, the bullets were precise, and though three ducked away, the fourth Inquisitor was hit, and in a splatter of blood across the grimy wall, he fell to the floor.

The playing field now in their favor, the three Force-Wielders pressed their advantage, blades clashing and sparking against one another, making rips and gashes in the wall as they went. Luke could feel Mara's grim determination, and Leia's hesitancy to harm the Inquisitors. _They're trying to kill us, Leia! Don't play nice!_ He shot to her through the Force, keeping his eyes focused on the Inquisitor he was battling.

T _hey're just as brainwashed as you were! They don't know any better. Show some sympathy!_

Luke ducked a blow, and in response to her sympathy, he rammed the blade of his lightsaber up into the chest of the Inquisitor, killing him instantly.

 _Dammit! It's us or them, Leia!_ He said simply when he felt Leia's outraged disapproval. _I'm not sorry for doing what I have to do!_

 _Who_ _ **are**_ _you, Luke?!_

And, though Luke was turning to help her with her Inquisitor, the words stopped him short. Neither Mara or Leia looked at him, being preoccupied with their own enemies in their faces, but...something about Leia asking him that question, her voice filled with disbelief and anguish...something deep within him cried out against it.

He shook it off.

He didn't have a chance to think about it right now. There were bigger concerns at the moment. In the corner of his eye, he noticed the door at the end of the hallway opened, light pouring into the hallway. Silhouetted against the light, smirking slyly at him, with her cropped short dark hair, high cheekbones, bright, silver eyes gleaming at him, was Ventress.

Unconsciously, his jaw clenched.

Though he did not remember anything before when he'd met her during his time with Palpatine, he remembered now. It came in flashes-not painful, like the other visions. But clear, matter of fact memories. He remembered shoving Leia into the secret hiding place upstairs, her arms full with baby Hayden, as she fearfully hissed at him to get in with her. He remembered shoving the door closed, going to his mother's room and finding the gun in the closet. He could clearly remember Leia screaming in his head to come back. He remembered going down those stairs to find Ventress in their living room, their dog Jedi lying in a pool of blood, barely alive. His mom kneeling on the floor, what he now knew to be a lightsaber wound on her left shoulder. Ventress had her hands twisted in his mother's hair, and though she was in pain, she firmly told him to run, to save himself.

And, for once, he'd disobeyed his mother.

He hadn't run. He hadn't listened. He'd wanted to protect her. And, this _woman_ ….he remembered….It all came flooding back to him, washing over him in a haze of remembered terror and pain.

" _Go on. Shoot. Protect your mommy...if you think you can."_ Though he'd been shaking, he'd turned off the safety, pointing it desperately at Ventress, and pulled the trigger.

It all flooded his inner vision...the spray of his mother's blood. His mom grunting in pain and shouting his name, as she collapsed unconscious to the floor in a pool of blood. " _Guess you're not very good with a gun, are you, boy?"_ Ventress had taunted him with a smirk, as he'd begged for his mother to wake up. There was so much blood…

 _She'd_ done this. His mother almost died that night. _She'd_ destroyed his family, and if he was honest with himself, really, _truly_ honest, she'd destroyed _him._ If not for _her,_ his parents wouldn't tread carefully around him. His brother wouldn't act like he was a curious stranger to befriend. His sister wouldn't think he was a monster…

Pure, white-hot _rage_ exploded within him.

Ventress smiled wickedly, as if reading his thoughts, before she turned and ran. Luke lurched forward a step to go after her, but remembered there were still two inquisitors to get rid of. He needed to stay with his friends and help-but if Ventress got away…

 _Luke, go!_ Mara's voice echoed in his head, and he hesitated a split second. _We've got this. We'll be right behind you. Don't you dare let that bitch get away!_

Right. He broke into a flat out run, bursting into the apartment and hurtling across the room and out the open window that Ventress had left open, landing on the fire escape. He heard her footsteps clanging on the metal above him, and he threw himself up the stairs, using the Force, skipping three at a time.

Within no time, he reached the roof. Ventress was there, jumping into one of two speeders. "Ventress!" He bellowed, igniting his lightsaber. He ignored how unfamiliar the blade was. He as a Skywalker. Using a Saber...any saber...was in his blood. It would do. "Don't be a coward! Let's settle this! _Now!_ "

Ventress laughed, taunting him, the glass ceiling on the speeder beginning to close. "Come catch me if you can, _little Skywalker_." Her voice was as gravelly as he remembered, and he resisted the urge to shudder. Instead, he rushed forward, trying to make it before she took off. Too late. She took off into the sky, and Luke snarled a string of curses. Hell, no. He had NOT come this close to lose!

Whirling, he laid eyes on the second speeder, an idea immediately forming in his head. Before he could talk himself out of it, he found himself jumping into the vehicle driver's seat. It was a small, 2 person speeder. Perfect for speed...but he wouldn't be able to fit his whole group. _No matter_ , he thought, as he leaned under the controls and ripped open the door to the wiring and began hotwiring the speeder. He'd send a tracking signal to the Falcon. He quickly sent Mara the message through the Force, as the speeder whirled to life. By the time he'd straightened, he'd felt Mara's answering affirmative, and…

Another body climbed into the second passenger seat. "How many times do I have to tell you to _not_ go alone, you idiot!" Leia snapped, glaring at him, as she snapped on her seat belt.

He gaped at her, speechless, words forming and unforming in his head. "What...Leia…..no! Get out!"

Leia rolled her eyes. "Not the time to argue, brother. Punch it!" She pointed to where Ventress' ship was about to enter the skyway and get lost among the other ships.

Grinding his teeth and reluctantly deciding to drop the subject (for now), Luke punched in a tracking signal and lifted off, immediately jerking the gears into full throttle. "When this is over," He seethed as G-forces slammed into them suddenly, "I'm going to kill you, little sister."

Leia didn't have a chance to answer, because as suddenly as he'd sped up, he'd caught up to Ventress. He felt Ventress in the Force sense them on her tail, and she dove into the Skyway, sideswiping other speeders.

"Luke-" Leia gasped, as Luke unflinchingly flew after her, causing many more ships to veer sharply left and right to get out of the way.

Luke didn't care. He felt _alive,_ every nerve in his body seemingly bursting to attention, as if everything in his life were leading to _this_ -being in the sky, chasing down a bad guy (or girl, as it were), navigating the impossible. He easily kept up with Ventress, dodging lanes and other ships as easily as if he were walking down a street. Behind him, wails from sirens suddenly pierced the air. Leia groaned, leaning her head back against the headrest. "Am I right in assuming that you're _not_ going to pull over?" Her voice was resigned and shaking.

"Duh."

Ventress whipped into the other opposite lane of traffic, moving against the flow, causing other ships to swerve erratically. Luke followed without hesitation, and from the corner of his eye, he saw Leia press herself against the seat, eyes wide, breathing becoming quick and sharp.

"Are you insane?!" Leia shouted. "Ventress isn't worth getting us killed! Pull over!"

Luke gritted his teeth to keep from yelling at her. "She _almost_ killed our mother," He reminded her sharply, "And, she took me from-" he broke off as Ventress took a sudden dive towards the streets below. "Besides, I'd totally get arrested. I don't have a license."

"You don't _WHAT?!_ " Leia whirled her terrified eyes on him in disbelief. "Lu-UUUUUUKEEEEE!" She screamed, her voice rising in pitch, as he dove after her, pushing the throttle at full speed after her, the ground rapidly growing closer and closer. Leia reached out and grasped his upper arm in a vise grip, nearly cutting off his circulation.

"If you want me to keep us alive, you're going to need to let go, Leia." he growled, every nerve on fire. Just as he predicted, as the ground became close to the point of being able to see screaming pedestrian's horrified faces as they ran for cover, Ventress pulled up sharply. He quickly followed suit, wishing he'd had a speeder equipped with guns. _Big_ guns. This time, they kept low, zipping between skyscrapers, as though Houston was just one giant maze.

"Well," Leia said hoarsely, " At least we lost the cops."

"Of course, we did." Luke replied, as if it were a normal thing. He didn't bother to mention that he was quite skilled at escaping law enforcement. It _was_ , however, the first time he'd done it while flying. In fact, for someone who had only flown once in his life, this _shouldn't_ have been possible. He... _they..._ should have died a million times over already. Perhaps it was the Force that was guiding him, or perhaps.. _Maybe your parents were right,_ his own small voice said in his head, as though some part of him believed them, or wanted to.

No. He shoved that thought away, and as Ventress suddenly rocketed back up into the air, he followed just as fast. "I'm think I'm going to be sick," Leia groaned.

"No you don't. Not in here. Lean out the window and puke out there."

"Are you-?!"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, another ship swerved in front of Ventress, blocking her path. Ventress swerved left, narrowly missing it, and Luke didn't bother to pay attention to the ship as he sharply turned and zoomed after her. The other ship, he was surprised to find, also followed. Luke frowned. They weren't cops. It wasn't the Falcon. So, who the hell was _also_ looking for Ventress? Or, was it some random person who had decided to just join in the fun?

"Oh, Force," Leia muttered, leaning lower in her seat. "This day couldn't get any worse."

Wrong on all counts. It _could_ and _did._

Apparently not enjoying being chased by two fast ships, the bottom of Ventress' ship opened, a massive artillery gun lowering from it. With a whir, it swiveled to face them, and before Luke could move out of the way, it opened fire.

Luke had enough time to maneuver the ship so that none of the bullets struck the windshield and killed them outright, but in doing so, the bullets instead hit the engine, which immediately burst into flame. " Ah, Shit! _FUCK!_ " Luke snarled, "Prepare for a rough landing."

"I _told_ you this was a stupid idea!" Leia shrieked. "If we die, I'm haunting you for the rest of eternity!"

Luke didn't bother to point out how illogical that was. Instead, he concentrated on keeping the ship level, as he guided it towards the top of a building not too far away. He didn't question _how_ he knew what to do. He simply did. He eased back on the throttle, managing to slow the ship, and as the speeder hit the cement rooftop, he swerved it so that the ship turned sideways as they skidded. He gritted his teeth, heart hammering in his throat as the edge of the building came closer and closer...and they came to a stop just barely on the edge.

For a moment, they sat there in tense silence, each gasping for air. Finally, the twins let out a shaky breath. "Well," Luke scowled, looking up into the night sky. No sign of Ventress' ship. "We lost her."

Leia whirled in her seat, eyes blazing with fury. "THAT'S what you care about?! How about the fact that we almost _died,_ you dumbass!" And, she hauled off and punched his arm. Hard.

"Ouch!" Luke leaned away from her, "Wha…?"

"Do you WANT to die?! Is that it?! Do you _seriously_ not care about your own life?!"

"Leia, we're fine. Chill, ok? I got us out…."

"BY SHEER DUMB LUCK!" Leia punched his arm again. "Do you not care about getting _me_ killed too?! You should have at least let _me_ drive! You don't even have a license!"

Luke opened his mouth to protest and point out that _she_ was the one who had jumped into the speeder in the first place. _She_ was the one who showed up uninvited by him. He didn't ask her to put herself at risk. But, he never got the chance to, for something behind him caught Leia's attention, and she went still, almost frozen on the spot, staring wide-eyed, mouth agape at something over his shoulder. Slowly, Luke turned to see what she was looking at, and froze, too.

The ship that had suddenly appeared in the midst of the fray had also just landed. In the droid socket was an _extremely_ familiar droid-Artoo. Stepping out of the passenger door, looking grim and worried, was Obi-Wan.

And, stepping out (more like _stomping_ out) of the driver's seat, was his father, whose nearly midnight blue eyes immediately found his. And Luke gulped, leaning in his seat towards Leia; for in those darkened blue eyes so like his own was pure, barely contained _rage._ Directed at _him._ It was a stark contrast to the utterly calm expression on his face...and through the bond they shared. He'd been so caught up in the adrenaline of the fight, of the chase through the skies of the city, that he hadn't paid attention to that bond. He'd figured the rage he felt was solely his own hatred of Ventress….and while that _may_ have been true to some degree, he realized now it wasn't just _his own_ emotions he was feeling. Nope. He'd felt his father's surge of wrath as well.

Not good... _sooo_ not good.

His father was a towering nimbus of the Force, menacing as he strode over to them, Obi-Wan, equal parts angry and concerned himself, following closely behind him. For the first time since being in his dad's office earlier, he could _see_ the fury and anger simmering underneath the surface of his father, and Luke suddenly believed that he might just be capable of doing all those terrible things he claimed he'd once done.

And this time, that anger was directed squarely at _him._

 _Oh, Shit!_

The door to the driver's side of the speeder was ripped open and off and flung away across the rooftop with the Force, the shearing sound of the metal almost ominous. Other than Leia gulping, neither of them moved as they stared at their father. After a tense silence, Anakin pointed to his own ship. "Move."

The clipped tersely spoken word was an order, a _command,_ and Luke didn't want to find out what would happen if he disobeyed. So, he moved. And Leia, evidently coming to the same conclusion, followed suit, exiting out the passenger side, when Obi-Wan opened the door for her.

Dammit. They were in _so_ much trouble.

* * *

 **I know it's been a while since the last update. Thank you for those who continue to stick with me, and for those who over the last month and a half have found the story and left reviews as you've read through it. Those are always so fun to read. I've been insanely busy at work, and I've recently moved, and I've gotten a new car. So the last while has been insane. However, I've already written the next chapter, and my Beta is working on that soon. I'm working on the chapter after that today as well. My goal is to finish this story and move back to The Assassins Blade before Ep 8 comes out. Speaking of Ep 8...WHY DON'T WE HAVE ANOTHER TRAILER?! DX I'm dying. I just want the trailer. It's the only thing I look at before seeing the movie. No interviews, or fan theories. I don't want anything spoiled other than what they show in the trailer.**

 **I'm also totally down with J.J coming back to Ep 9. I loved Force Awakens, and while some criticism is legit, I also think J.J did what needed to be done to launch the franchise back to relevancy with the new generation. As someone who taught in school prior to Ep 7, I can tell you many of those kids hadn't seen Star Wars. The moment Ep 7 came out, everyone had seen it and they loved it...which made me so happy as a Star Wars nerd. So, I have faith in him, and he's taken his criticism to heart in the past (can you say crazy laser lights in your face every 2 seconds, Star Trek fans?) so I'm hopeful.**

 **Random ramblings. Back on topic.**

 **So, I'm sorry for the wait, and you'll be getting a bunch of chapters to make up for it. I adore all of you and your reviews, and hope all has been well with everyone. May the Force be with you and I'll see you soon!**

 **The songs for this chapter are: Black Skinhead by Kanye West and Cut to the Chase from Uncharted 4.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	76. Ties that Bind Us

He was _sure_ the proverbial steam was visible, rolling off his head in a cloud of barely suppressed _fury._ Taking some deep breaths in, he _tried_ to calm down, but damn, it was hard.

Anakin almost couldn't remember the last time he'd been _this_ angry. _Almost._ It'd certainly been a _long_ time….Close to twenty years ago, actually...the one time that Padme had been out on a date with another man, and that thug had attacked her. Or, maybe the day that Ventress had attacked his family at their home when the twins were eight and Hayden a newborn. Yeah. Either of those times, but he'd not felt this level of anger since then.

And, he didn't like it one bit. It reminded him too much of his days as Vader, and he certainly didn't want to go _there_ with his own kids. Though, _this_ stunt could almost _qualify_ for some Dark Side punishment. _Yeah, if anything qualified for that,_ _ **this**_ _would be it,_ he fumed to himself silently.

When he'd felt the danger Luke and Leia were both in a few hours before, he'd checked down their bond and found they were clear across the city going after _Ventress,_ of all people! With only Mara and Solo and the Wook-….eh, Bacca, or whatever the hell they called him here, for backup. In hindsight, he _should_ have known Luke was in a foul enough mood to go off and do something stupid. Just like this. He was a Skywalker, after all. Hot-headed stunts were in their DNA, apparently. It's what _he_ might have done in his shoes back in their old galaxy (and _had_ done, on more than one occasion, as Obi-Wan could testify to). But, he'd decided to give him some space, allow him to digest what they'd tried to tell him about his past before approaching him again to discuss the issue. But, it wasn't just Luke in danger, but _Leia,_ too, and now that they were safe and in his ship, he was pissed as hell, and cursed in Huttese silently to himself.

He blew out several hard breaths, his nostrils flaring. Vaguely, he wondered if his eyes had unknowingly tinged yellow. He hoped not. Glancing in the rearview mirror, he was relieved to see they weren't. Still blue….dark, midnight blue, maybe, but blue nonetheless. Good. He was a Jedi Grandmaster. Tiptoeing into the Dark Side _wouldn't_ be the wisest thing for him to do right now.

No matter how much he might be _tempted_ to.

Instead, he kept his mouth shut, hands gripping the controls so tightly, his knuckles turned white. In his head, Leia was explaining through their Force bond what happened. She, like Luke, could see and feel how angry he was, but unlike Luke, who was currently assuring Mara everything was fine (for both Mara and Solo's ships had shown up just as they were leaving the rooftop and were now following them), Leia was explaining to her dad _why_ she hadn't come to _him_ immediately when she'd found out where Luke was going.

 _Dad, I've gone after him so many times with just Han and Chewie with me...y'know, in our old galaxy. It's what we've always done—gone after each other when we're in trouble, consequences be damned. It was just instinct, and I'm sorry._ She finished telling him, and his grip tightened even further to the point where his hands ached. He understood the reasoning. Really. He did. In fact, he'd used that exact instinct himself, as Vader, to his advantage back on Bespin in one of those daring rescues they all seemed to somehow get sucked into. But, that wasn't the point here. The point now was that they weren't alone anymore. They had a whole team of Jedi to help them…

The landing pad behind their home came into view, and Anakin prepared the ship for landing. _Anakin._ Obi-Wan said through their Force bond, his voice full of concern. _You need to calm down._

No doubt he looked ready to go full-Darth-Vader on his kids. He wouldn't, of course, (he checked his eyes one more time in the mirror. Yep, still blue) but it _really_ had been a very long time since he'd been _this_ angry. He'd been terrified, of course—and determined to help bring down Ventress as well. They _might_ have done so, too, if Ventress hadn't shot down the speeder his children had been in. Choosing between capturing Ventress and saving his children had been a no brainer—he'd chosen his children. Once he was sure they were safe and unharmed, thanks to Luke's quick thinking and natural in-born Skywalker abilities, his terror had turned to full-on fury. _I'm fine, Obi-Wan. I'm pissed as all get out, but I'm still in control._ He assured his best friend and co-Jedi Grandmaster, who simply gave him a dubious look, as he gently pulled on his beard in that classic contemplative way he had.

 _Seriously. I got this. Ok?_ Anakin turned to give Obi-Wan a pointed look, and the older Jedi simply nodded. He was a father, too. He understood.

Of course, he'd asked Obi-Wan to come with him. If he was going to get into a fight with Ventress, he had no better person he could think of to cover his back. On the way to finding Luke and Leia, while Artoo had monitored police frequencies with last known locations of his children, Obi-Wan had monitored the aerial footage of the high-speed chase—at least until Ventress and Luke had lost the police and their ships. Obi-Wan had whistled, impressed despite the grim situation. "He definitely takes after you in the skies, Anakin…like that time you sent us careening through the Coruscant skies in a stolen speeder after that shapeshifter who tried to kill Padme. Remember?" Anakin snorted and flicked a glare over at his friend. Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows and smirked, "At least he hasn't thrown himself out of the speeder yet. Just saying."

Yeah, he might have been proud by that comparison. After all, flying came as naturally to a Skywalker as breathing, but at the moment, with the information they'd discovered about Luke _not_ having a license to fly, and the natural conclusion he had figured out on his own, he couldn't really feel much pride at all. In fact, it only added to his fury.

He landed the ship, clicking the droid-socket release as he got out. He didn't bother turning around—he knew Obi-Wan and his children were following suit. Padme stood waiting where he'd left her on the landing pad, hands on her hips, tapping her right foot on the ground, her mouth pressed into a thin line. He watched her look their twins over once to make sure they were safe, before the worry fled her eyes to be replaced with just as much fury as _he_ was feeling. He could feel it rolling off his wife in _waves._ Behind him, he felt his wife's tsunami of vexation slam into the twins through the Force. They both had the good grace to _wince_. Obi-Wan wisely said nothing; though, he felt Padme's anger, too. Oh, _Yes_ ….the Skywalker twins were in _very_ big trouble. Probably grounded for the rest of their lives, kind of trouble. Anakin had still been talking to her about their failed conversation with Luke when he'd sensed the danger they were in. She hadn't hesitated in telling him to go after them. Now, they were home, and Mama was as pissed off as Dad was.

This wasn't going to be pretty.

He approached Padme, leaning close, first giving her a quick kiss; he then spoke directly in her ear. "They're safe, Angel, but I think it's best if we talk to them separately." He whispered. They'd done this tactic many, many times before when the twins were young. They had a tendency to defend one another if they were together while they were getting reprimanded.  
Padme nodded, just barely, looking up into his eyes.

"Right. I'll take Leia." She gave him a knowing look with a quirk of one eyebrow, and his jaw tightened as he recalled their conversation before he'd sensed the danger. He'd expressed his worry that he was just making things worse with Luke, and that _maybe_ he should let _her_ take the lead in helping their son.

"That's _not_ a suggestion I ever thought I'd hear _you_ say." Padme had said, worry in her eyes as she brushed his cheek tenderly with her fingers.

She was right. He never gave up on people he cared about. It wasn't in his nature. "I don't know what else to do, Angel." He felt defeated, and if stepping away to give Luke space was what Luke _needed_ , he'd do it.

But Padme, his dear, sweet Angel, had looked him right in the eye and firmly said, "I will do no such thing. While you know how much I love him, and while I know he currently has complicated feelings about you, your bond with him has always been and will always be deeper than anything _ **I**_ could ever imagine - or aspire to. What you two went through together— _that's_ the kind of bond that surpasses space and time and reason. I can help as much as I can, and you know that I will, but I think, in this instance, Honey, the person he _needs_ to hear from is _you._ Besides, you understand what he's going through more than I _ever_ could, both as a man and through the Force, whether he chooses to believe that or not."

So, when Padme suggested taking Leia, even though their daughter was still his Padawan and really _he_ should have been reprimanding her as not only her father, but her Jedi Master, Anakin nodded, letting Padme take the lead there. "Alright, I'll take Luke."

Padme sighed. "May the Force be with you, Ani." And, he knew she meant it. Force knew he _needed_ it.

 _Why_ did parenting have to be _so hard_ , and _why_ did he suddenly feel so _old?_

"Mr. Skywalker!" Anakin cringed, before turning around to find Solo running over. Already, Leia's face had gone beet red, and he could tell Leia had not asked or wanted Solo to do whatever stupid thing he was most certainly about to do. "This is _my_ fault, Sir." Han said earnestly when he approached. "I'm the one who asked Leia to come. I told her not to ask you to come—"

"Han!" Leia hissed. "Shut up!"

"What?" Han frowned at her, "It's true…"

"Solo." Anakin ground out a warning from between gritted teeth, his hands clenched into fists at his side. Mara was also now approaching the group, and if _she_ tried to start throwing _her_ two cents in as to why he shouldn't be upset with Luke, he might just explode and start Force-choking someone anyway. "Back off and let me parent **my** _underage_ children."

Han opened his mouth to argue further, but Mara put a hand on his arm. "Let's go, Han. This is a private family matter, and Skywalker Sr _isn't_ going to choke the life out of his own children...at least not at the moment." She gave him a sardonic look before she forcibly pulled Solo away. Obi-Wan, in apparent quiet agreement that this was a private family matter, turned and walked across the pathway to the fence, opening the gate and going through to the Jedi compound, closing the gate with a soft _click_ behind him.

Anakin narrowed his eyes in annoyance and ground his teeth so hard at Mara's jab, his head began to pound. "Luke." He barked in his deep baritone, turning around to face his firstborn. "This way." He didn't wait. He didn't bother to turn around to check that Luke was following. The message was clear: He expected Luke to follow. No messing around.

And follow Luke did, with Artoo close on his heels, until Anakin had reached his workshop in the back of the yard. Vaguely, Anakin (and Luke) registered Padme's clipped orders of, _"Come with me, young lady,"_ to Leia, followed by the sound of Padme's heels clicking sharply against the stones of the patio along with the shuffling of Leia's softer footfalls, then the opening and closing of the kitchen French doors. Knowing his wife had their daughter firmly in control (and that _his_ discussion with her as his Padawan would come later), Anakin said not a word until he had reached his desk along the back wall, which was littered with machine parts and plans, and Luke had closed the door after him. Anakin still didn't say anything as Artoo rolled to his side and let out a low moan of concern. "Artoo." Anakin finally said in a low, barely controlled voice. "Pull up footage from tonight's escapade."

Artoo chirped obediently, and when Anakin finally turned around to face his son, his hands now on his hips, Artoo was projecting the footage from the news. For a moment, both he and Luke watched it in silence, and Anakin crossed his arms over his chest as he watched that speeder make maneuvers even experienced pilots wouldn't _dare._ Yes, he might have been proud, and maybe one day he _might_ look back at this footage and feel that sense of parental pride, but that day wasn't today, and right _now,_ he was looking at footage that showed a million different ways that he could have lost _both_ of his twins...forever. As a father, that upset him to his very core. "Explain, Luke." The words were an order.

Luke's eyes were shadowed as he carefully responded, "I got into a high-speed chase with Ventress. That I _might've_ won if _you_ hadn't interfered…"

Anakin closed his eyes, counting backwards from ten. Force, Luke was testing his ability to keep the Dark Side of himself leashed. Opening his eyes, he pierced his son with a stern look. "It was a _trap,_ Luke. Ventress would have led you straight into a waiting ambush...a group of _very_ heavily armed Inquisitor ships. Obi-Wan and I ran into them on the way there." Those kids didn't know what hit them. They hadn't expected _him_ to be the excellent flier that he was. He'd not only outmaneuvered them, but he'd also shot out their ships in such a way that it would merely lead to a controlled crash landing. He'd had his Jedi waiting, under Galen's lead, for _just_ such an occurrence, and the Jedi were ready and waiting to go pick them up and take them back to the Jedi compound. " _You_ would have either been shot down and killed, or you and your sister would now be her prisoners. Obviously, I'm not keen on losing either of you again." Anakin continued to stare hard at his son, letting this information sink in.

Luke shifted where he stood and fell silent at that, and Anakin could feel that Luke realized he was right, but was still fighting against admitting it. Stubborn, stubborn boy. It was like both his and Padme's stubbornness had combined and been _infused_ in both of their twins...in some kinda mega-dose of pigheadedness. Frustrating was an understatement in dealing with it, with _them._ "I had it under control." Luke insisted. "I had Han and Mara coming to help me—"

"And, if they'd been too late?!" Anakin interrupted, his fists clenching. " _ **I**_ got there before your friends did! And, _you_ didn't even have a license, Luke! Have you even gotten flying lessons?!" Luke was silent, a confirmation of his father's suspicions. "Just as I thought. So," Anakin started ticking off on his fingers his son's sins from this escapade,"you engaged in a high speed chase through downtown Houston, endangering yourself _and_ your sister, not to mention all the other innocent fliers on the skyway _and_ the unfortunate innocent pedestrians on the ground under you, and you knowingly did it without _any_ flight experience whatsoever! What the _HELL_ were you thinking?!" Anakin practically shouted the last comment at his son.

"I was thinking that it was time to bring Ventress down." Luke replied scathingly. "At least Han and Mara have been out there looking for her while we just… _sit here!_ Palpatine is out there, and I'm not keen on letting him get the first blow on us again, unlike you, apparently!"

"That's where you're wrong, Luke! I _have_ been trying to find them as well, and fine, I'll admit that, at least in _this_ world, I'm not _as_ familiar with how Palpatine may be moving about. But, I might be able to help a whole lot more if you'd just work with me, dammit!"

"Well, excuse _me_ for not wanting to throw my lot in with a guy who honestly believes we're reincarnated here from a different galaxy!" Luke snapped, crossing his own arms over his chest.

Anakin had had it. He'd been patient, and it didn't seem to be working. He was _done_ holding back. "Son, the _only_ reason...and I mean the _ONLY_ reason...you're still alive tonight is _because of_ **all** that flight experience you naturally remember from that previous life! Believe me, Luke, _no one_ just knows how to fly a ship by instinct, much less survive a dog fight in the middle of a crowded city skyway!" Luke opened his mouth to argue, but Anakin pushed forward, ranting now. "How in the _hell_ do you think flying comes so naturally to you? Hmm?... _Why_ do you think things like assembling a fully complete lightsaber on the _first try_ was even possible for _you?_ "

"Wait, how did you…?" Luke frowned, trying to interrupt his father's tirade. Anakin ignored him.

" _Why_ do you think Palpatine is after _our family_ in particular? Huh? Why not go after _all_ the _other_ Force-sensitive families involved in the Jedi order, too? _Why_ is he so hell-bent on taking down _just_ the Skywalkers? Ever thought about _that?!_ " Anakin turned around, his hands going to the rolled-up plans that he'd taken from Luke's room back in England when he'd gone off to explore it on his own while they waited for Luke to return. He turned around, unrolling it so that Luke could see what it was. "Do you know what this is?"

Luke frowned. "Hey, I've been looking—why do you have it?!"

Anakin ignored the question. "Answer me, Luke. What _is_ this?"

"It's just a ship idea." Luke was flushed now. "It's just….I mean it's…."

"Did you see this design anywhere, at any time during your time with the Inquisitors?"

"Well, no, but…"

"This design is pretty detailed. It's not _just_ a drawing, but rather it's accurate schematics. Can I assume you learned shipbuilding techniques with the Inquisitors?"

"Ah, well, no, but…." Luke was stammering now, trying to come up with a logical explanation that didn't involve the _truth_.

"Oh, so you just _happen_ to know advanced engineering then. At seventeen. Without _any_ engineering background or classes under your belt." Anakin shook his head and put the schematics gently on the desk again. "Luke, _that's_ the schematics for an X-Wing fighter. It's the ship you piloted throughout the Rebellion against the Empire."

He almost missed Luke's flinch at the name. "N-no," Luke said tightly, shaking his head slowly, "It's just an idea. I probably picked things up from you. I mean, _you're_ the guy who made all these ships possible, so…"

Anakin rolled his eyes. "That's a dumb excuse, and you know it. You _might_ have inherited some of my skills, yes, but you _didn't_ get my engineering and physics knowledge through osmosis. It doesn't work like that, and you _know_ it." He sighed, turning around to face out the back window overlooking the stream that ran through the back of the property, trying to calm himself down. "I'm trying to help you, Luke. I know what it's like…."

"No, you don't!" Luke interrupted, anger in his voice now. "Just because you've made up stories of being this Darth Vader dude or whatever, that _doesn't_ mean you know what it's like…"

"I'm telling you, I'm not lying, Luke!" and Artoo squeaked as the machinery on the table crunched simultaneously. "It's been years, years and another lifetime entirely, Luke, and I _still_ dream about it almost every night. I remember betraying the Jedi order. I remember murdering them all. Adults and children...even babies...alike."

"Father…"

Anakin didn't stop. "Dammit, I remember using the Force to choke your pregnant mother! I remember the fear in people's eyes as I passed by. _Monster,_ they called me, and I _was_ a monster, vile, evil, full of hate, anger...I accepted it. I _owned_ it. I killed people for merely annoying me."

"Father…." There was real alarm in Luke's voice, but Anakin didn't hear it, he was so caught up in the throes of memories that still haunted him.

"I killed whole _cities_ of people with my own power. I ordered the destruction of many more. I stood aside as an entire planet was blown up and destroyed, your sister's planet to be precise. I held her back and made her watch it happen. I even cut off _your_ hand…"

"DAD!" That snapped him out of it. Anakin whirled to find Luke gripping his head, his whole body shaking, skin pale as death. Heart dropping into his stomach, he rushed forward just in time to catch Luke before he passed out and collapsed.

 _Kriffing hells!_ He'd done this. He'd been _so_ engrossed in trying to get Luke to believe him, he hadn't noticed Luke having flashes of old memories, causing that awful searing pain. Vokara's words rang in his ears, as he frantically reached through their Force bond, trying to assess Luke's condition. He was still having a vision, but what it was, Anakin couldn't tell.

He had to do something. He had to. Fast. Forcing himself to calm down, he reached out, probing the defenses Luke had weakly thrown up around his mind, looking for a way in. He wasn't sure _what_ he was doing as he found a weakness in that mental wall, but it was better than just sitting there _hoping_ that Luke would pull out of it with his mind still intact. So, taking a deep breath, Anakin dove into Luke's mind.

And found himself defending himself _as_ Luke against the imposing figure of Darth Vader.

* * *

Luke had never had such a horrifying vision, nor one that felt so real. At first, he'd just been trapped in a dark, red and blue room. A figure swathed all in black stood atop some metal stairs, his breathing mechanical and loud through an emotionless mask. _"The Force is with you, young Skywalker. But, you are not a Jedi yet."_ Vader had said.

Luke wanted nothing more than to run, to hide, to do _anything_ except walk calmly towards the imposing figure. He certainly didn't want to ignite a blue lightsaber and prompt the figure before him to ignite his own red one.

Darth Vader. He recognized the description from his dad's crazy story from earlier that night. There was no mistaking it. Luke wasn't in control of his own body. He fought it, trying to escape the vision, causing his head to feel like splitting in two from the pain. But, there was no way to scream in pain, no way to release it as it built up within him, and he began fighting with the monster known as Vader.

And damn, he was doing it _badly._ Bravely, yeah, but badly just the same. Vader was toying with him. He wasn't even _trying_ as Luke tried and tried to defeat him. He tried to make his body do the proper techniques, but Luke was helpless as Vader almost trapped him—but he wasn't done for. He escaped, and the battle continued. That wretched breathing echoed in his head, each breath making this pain worse and worse until he wanted nothing more than to give up and die.

The fight continued, until Vader literally broke open a window and sent Luke flying backwards out of it, sucked into a void from the depressurization. Luke could _feel_ the sensation of falling, but he managed to grab onto an aerial walkway stretching over a massive expanse inside of what looked like a huge round building. He glanced down into the pit. It seemed to stretch forever and ever, growing dark near the bottom, and thankfully, his body agreed with him and climbed onto the walkway.

 _Great,_ Luke thought, _good time to escape Vader._ But no, dream Luke continued to be dumb and go looking _for_ Vader. He entered a silent, triangular hallway, treading carefully, and…He ducked as a red lightsaber ignited and flashed at his head from within the darkness. And, as he once more faced Vader, he ignited his own lightsaber and began furiously defending himself, the pain in his mind escalating to be nearly unbearable, and at that moment, another presence joined his own in his head. _Luke._ His dad's voice. His dad's presence. _Oh Force, this is_ … _I'm so sorry, Luke, I didn't realize…._

He and Vader fought furiously across the walkway, lightsabers clashing, sparks flying as they hit the metal railings. _What is this?_ He asked his dad. _What's happening?!_

 _A very, very bad memory. For_ _ **both**_ _of us._ His father responded darkly. In the vision, he fell backwards, and Vader had his lightsaber leveled at his chest. _"You are beaten."_ The deep voice, not at all like his dad's, said. _"It is useless to resist. Don't let yourself be destroyed as Obi-Wan did."_ That seemed to piss off dream Luke, and he wildly fought back, getting onto his feet.

 _I'm going to try to pull you out_ …and Luke felt a tug on his own presence, and he screamed as he felt like he was being torn apart. The tugging immediately stopped. Shit. _Luke, I didn't want...I didn't mean for you to see this now…or ever, honestly._

In the vision, Luke managed to hit Vader's shoulder with the lightsaber, causing Vader to yelp in…not pain, but annoyed surprise. _What the hell? That should have done more damage than that!_ Luke said, alarmed, to his dad.

 _Yeah, well, uh, lightsaber resistant armor, y'know. It_ _ **does**_ _have its perks._ But his dad didn't sound happy at all. _Have you tried to wake up?_

 _I can't._ Luke said miserably as Vader suddenly attacked ferociously at him, and…Vision Luke screamed as his hand was cut off, both the hand and lightsaber falling into the pit below. Luke felt the pain of that slice as vividly as if it _really_ happened to him, and from the pained cry from his dad, he knew his dad had felt it, too.

 _Luke...I'm so, so sorry._ And there was so much pain in his father's voice, Luke knew he meant it. But, even as dream Luke looked up, listened to whatever words Vader was saying, the pain in his head escalated, and… _No. Listen to my voice._ And he felt his father's presence enveloping him, shielding him, and the pain began to recede. _Clear your mind. Don't resist the vision._

 _But…_

 _Please don't argue. What's about to happen—it was traumatic. And my fault. And it's now my fault you have to see this again. If you want to come out of this with your mind intact, you need to do as I say and trust me._

Luke wanted to reject it. But as dream Luke began to climb away from Vader, something in the Force whispered to him to _listen_ to his father. His very life depended on it. So, he did as his father said, clearing his head, reaching into the Force…where he found his father waiting to join him. _"I'll never join you!"_ Dream Luke snarled at Vader. And, though Luke didn't want to say anything at all, for all he wanted was to leave…he accepted it, and allowed the dream to play out, his father's presence supporting him through what was about to happen.

 _"If you only knew the power of the Dark Side._ " A pause. _"Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father."_

 _"He told me enough!"_ Luke tried to remember the stories his father told him as a child, trying to prepare…and he felt that searing pain again. _No, let it happen._ His dad didn't sound happy about it either. Reluctantly, Luke again cleared his mind. _"He told me you killed him!"_

 _"No._ _ **I**_ _am your father."_

He felt dream Luke's shock and horror and disgust and disbelief clamor through his body. _"No,_ " he shook his head, eyes wide. _"That's not true. That's impossible!"_

 _"Search your feelings. You know it to be true!"_ And, Luke could _feel_ that truth through the Force, both for dream Luke, and himself. And this time, it brought with it _another_ truth. Earth shattering in its intensity.

This was real. All of it.

This… _this really_ happened. To him. In another life. He'd fought his own father. His father had cut his hand off, had tried to strong arm him into joining the Sith to rule another galaxy. His father…his dad, who was still with him in his mind, giving him comfort and strength even though he could _feel_ how miserable re-experiencing this was for him, how _ashamed_ he was that he'd done this…Yes, his father _had_ once been Darth Vader.

This was real. All of it.

And now, he was _forced_ to accept that truth, the vision blurred, and both he and his father were being pulled out until….

He woke up on the floor of the workshop, in his dad's arms. They were both breathing hard, sweat running down their skin. And yet, as he looked up and met the blue eyes that matched his own…there was no pain. It was as if that too, were just a memory. "Why?" Luke croaked, his voice rough.

Hesitation. "I thought you were dead, Son. Palpatine told me I'd killed you _and_ your mother when I Force choked her on Mustafar. When I found out you were alive…you gave me meaning again. I was determined to have you on my side to…"

"No," Luke interrupted, shaking his head. " _Why_ are you helping me?"

His dad frowned in confusion. "What do you mean? Of course, I'd help you, you're my…"

"You didn't have to relive that. I could…I can feel how it opened old wounds for you. You could have left me alone in there, but you didn't. Why?" He truly wanted to know. Sure, he was his dad, but that fact hadn't stopped him from at one point cutting off his hand. So, the "I'm your dad" excuse didn't fit, not really.

His dad considered it all for a moment. "I tried to tell you earlier."

"I didn't listen then." Luke acknowledged. "But, I'm listening now."  
His father continued to frown. "I could…I could tell you. Or, I could show you." And Luke felt his father open up in their bond. An invitation. "I don't think you'd be in danger of being in pain if you saw it from me through _my_ memories."

Luke wasn't sure he believed that theory, but…if he went into his father's mind, he wouldn't be alone. If he did have pain, perhaps he could combat it the same way he had the last vision. "Okay." He said, and he was surprised that he wasn't afraid. Not any longer. He closed his eyes, reaching through the Force, and…

He was once again fighting vigorously with Darth Vader. This time, he fought with more aggression...and skill. He used the Force to kick Vader down the steps, and Vader cried out as he hit the floor. An evil sounding cackle echoed in the room. _"Good. Use your aggressive feelings, boy. Let the hate flow through you."_ Luke turned, and found the hooded, shriveled figure of Palpatine. He wouldn't have recognized him, except that the Force whispered that this was who this was.  
Slowly, he turned off his green blade, turning back to Vader, who had gotten up. _"Obi-Wan has taught you well."_ There was hesitation in his voice, and resignation. _I knew the Emperor wanted to replace me with you. That is the way of the Sith. Palpatine believed that you were stronger than I because you were younger. He wasn't wrong, and I knew it._ His dad explained in his mind.

 _"I will not fight you, Father."_ Luke didn't understand that. Growing up with the Inquisitors, he'd been taught to kill first and ask questions later. If someone approached with their lightsaber drawn, you didn't hesitate. You fought. But, dream Luke…no, _his past self_ , was sincere. He didn't want to fight Vader.

Even Vader was silent as he approached again, as if considering, deciding. _Before this fight, you asked me to join you again. To forsake the Dark Side. Seeing you there, hearing how sincere you were, seeing the hope in your eyes...I didn't understand it. Why, after everything I'd done to you and your friends, would you not want to kill me? You had the chance, I'm sure you saw that._ He had. And like Vader, he was confused by it.

But, Vader didn't give in. _"It is unwise to lower your defenses!"_ And he struck, but Luke was just as quick, and the fight continued. Again, Luke felt _how_ he could have destroyed his father, and yet Luke instead leapt away on top of an overhanging walkway. _"Your thoughts betray you Father._ " Luke said, confidently. _"I feel the good in you. The conflict."_ And, it was true. Even in the vision, Luke could feel Vader's conflicting feelings.

 _"There is no conflict."_

" _You couldn't bring yourself to kill me before, and I don't believe you'll destroy me now."_

 _"You underestimate the power of the Dark Side. If you will not fight, then you will meet your destiny!"_ And, he threw his red lightsaber at Luke, who ducked away even as the walkway collapsed, and he tumbled down, the room filling once again with Palpatine's grotesque laughter.

Vader prowled the room, searching for Luke. _"You cannot hide forever, Luke."_

Luke answered from the darkness, hidden in the Force. _"I will not fight you."_ _**Stubborn, stubborn boy.**_ His dad sighed in his head. _You could have gotten yourself killed here, too. And yet, your insistence not to fight me baffled me._

 _"Give yourself to the Dark Side. It is the only way to save your friends."_

 _That was a gamble. I figured that if you were anything like me, the only thing that could lure you to the Dark Side would be the protection of your friends._

 _You wouldn't be wrong._ Luke said softly.

 _I know._

Sure enough, Vader seemed to sense this. _"Yes. Your thoughts betray you. Your feelings for them are strong. Especially for…"_ Vader paused. _"Sister. So, you have a twin sister. Your feelings have now betrayed her, too."_

 _I had no idea until_ _ **that**_ _moment that Leia Organa, a princess from Alderaan, was also my daughter. Even now, I just knew you had a sister, I didn't know who. I was almost angry you so brazenly projected her existence into the Force, because I knew Palpatine would have sensed the thought as well._

" _Obi-Wan was wise to hide her from me. Now his failure is complete. If you will not turn to the Dark Side, then perhaps she will—"_

 _"NO!"_ Luke screamed furiously, igniting his lightsaber and leaping from his hiding place. _Now,_ Luke knew he was honestly trying to kill his father, for his movements were now _very_ aggressive. Deliberately attacking, searching for _any_ weakness. Vader was on the defensive, and he could sense his surprise. _Even_ _ **I**_ _didn't anticipate how angry that would make you. Now I understand—you and Leia_ _ **always**_ _have been protective of each other._

Luke forced Vader to his knees, pounding and pounding on his lightsaber with his own, until finally he broke through and cut off his father's hand. Vader cried out, falling to the floor, his breathing turning raspy as he stared up at Luke, at the lightsaber poised at his neck, his hand reaching out, as though he wanted to beg for his life….but was too proud to actually do it.  
Palpatine's cackle filled the room. " _Good."_ Luke turned to find the robed man walking towards him. " _Your hate has made you powerful. Now, fulfill your destiny, and take his place at my side."_

Luke looked back, back towards the hand he'd cut off, showing a mess of wiring. Then, at his own hand, the one that Vader had cut off previously, the one that Luke could feel was mechanical and clenched it. He took a deep breath, and…

He turned off his lightsaber and turned back to Palpatine. _"Never."_ He threw the lightsaber across the room. _"I'll never turn to the Dark Side."_ He stepped towards Palpatine. _"You failed, your highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me."_

The vision ended, and Luke was blinking back into his father's unmasked face. "You could have killed me." His father's eyes were soft, full of wonder, even after all these years. "You _should_ have killed me, after everything I'd done to you. To your sister. To the galaxy." His father closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "But you didn't. You threw away your weapon, and sided with the good person I _used_ to be. You saw that good in me, just as your mother had done, and you believed I could be that person again. No one else would _ever_ have done that. No one, Luke. And yet, _you_ did."

Luke's throat was tight, and he slowly sat up, staring at his hands. He had no doubt it was real, that his father had once done things that made what he'd done look like silly mistakes. Yet, at one point, he'd believed his father could come back to the Light. Anakin smiled softly and continued, "I turned on the emperor, and sacrificed myself for you. Instead of meeting my fate in death…I was brought here. To Earth. To have a second chance at life. With your mother, Obi-Wan, the Jedi, _you_...It wasn't easy. I still had a lot of demons to come to terms with. It's still not easy, but now… _now,_ I hope I'm the kind of person you'd be proud to call your father."

Luke didn't even know what to say. He was stunned, almost to the point where he couldn't even _think._ "So, _that's_ why I'm helping you. I'll be honest, Luke, this path you're now on…if you don't turn from it, I'm afraid you may repeat my mistakes from so long ago and become the person Vader would have wanted you to be. Unlike me, you didn't have much of a choice. You were taken by Palpatine's order, and _forced_ into something that isn't you. Now, you're kinda in limbo, and you don't know where to go from here, you just know you have to fix it. From here on out, these choices are _yours,_ and you can continue to choose to use any means necessary to destroy Palpatine and risk losing yourself to the Dark Side…" his father paused, looking deep into his son's blue eyes. "Or, you could let me help you, not just destroy Palpatine once and for all, but also find yourself again."

His father was so…sincere. He'd never heard anyone so sincere in his entire life, and the offer was so…Force, he didn't know what to think of it. One thing he did know, though, was that _if_ he accepted it, the road ahead of him would be much harder than he anticipated. He'd have to open himself up in ways he wasn't used to, to someone he'd falsely been led to believe wanted nothing more than him dead. "I need to….to think." He finally answered, his voice hoarse.

"I understand." His dad said, nodding his head.

Slowly, Luke got to his feet, his head whirling….but not in pain. He turned for the door, and stopped. "I am sorry, Dad. For tonight, I mean." _And_ _everything_ _else_ , he mentally added, but he couldn't get the words out.

But, he felt the understanding through their bond. "I know. I am, too."

"It won't happen again." He was surprised to realize that he _meant_ it, and he didn't miss the relief in his father.

"I'll hold you to that." Father and son shared a small smile, and then Luke opened the shop door and walked out into the night, heading for the house, leaving his father alone to lean against his desk and contemplate their pathway ahead.

* * *

Luke couldn't sleep. How could he? Given everything he'd learned. When he'd come into the house, Leia was already in her room, light under the door. He felt Mara reaching out in the Force to check on him, but he ignored her, and had entered his own dark room and simply stared ahead, unseeing, feeling more out of place than he'd _ever_ felt before.

He'd tried lying down. It didn't work. He tried pacing. It didn't work. He tried forcing himself to go to sleep. It didn't work. He felt his father come in the house eventually, and come upstairs to the bedroom he shared with his mother. He'd felt him check on him through their bond, to make sure he was okay or if he was still home, he wasn't sure. But, he gave him the space he needed to think.

Except…he couldn't.

He'd actually had _another_ life. All those visions he'd had, those painful, awful visions…they were real. Every one of them. As real as he was now. He'd known Leia. Han. Hell, Chewie had been some giant hairy _thing_ that roared…although, now that he thought about it, that wasn't actually hard to picture. The Russian wasn't _that_ different in this life, except that he was human and only Han seemed to understand him still. He smirked. He'd known Uncle Ben, too. Who else had he known? Ezra? Mara? His stupid English teacher?

He sat on the edge of his bed, running a weary hand over his face, wincing at the slight pain of touching the bruise around his eye. His relationship with his dad was even more complicated than he'd realized. He didn't even know _what_ to DO with that information. He could no longer ignore it, that was for sure. He could no longer ignore either of his pasts. But damn, did he want to.

Finally, when his phone told him it was 4:00 AM in the morning, he stood and tip toed downstairs. He could feel both his parents asleep, though his father was more in a light, restless one. Hayden was deeply asleep, and Leia…

Boy, he'd messed up with her last night. His father was right—he'd stupidly put her in extreme danger. Sure, he hadn't exactly _meant_ to, but the moment she'd gotten into that speeder…he should have let Ventress go. Leia was his little sister, his _twin_ , and if he lost her…he recoiled from the thought.

He entered the kitchen. Threepio was standing against the wall, hooked into the charger, going through his recharge cycle. Artoo was there as well, and he flickered to life when Luke entered. He whistled softly. "It's okay, Artoo. Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere." He promised, and he began looking through the cupboards. Perhaps there was some sort of medication to help him fall asleep, or…

He spotted it. A box of hot chocolate. He hesitated. He'd always had a weakness for it. He remembered drinking it with Talia on one of their excursions, and he'd fallen in love with the smooth, creamy concoction, and kept ordering more and more cups of it until the table had been full of empty cups. Talia had laughed, and called him _hot chocolate boy_ for days.

Figuring he wouldn't fall asleep anyway, he pulled it out and began making himself a cup. A _large_ cup. The biggest cup he could find in his parent's cupboards. This _was_ Texas, after all, and _everything_ was bigger in Texas, including the cups his parents had picked up from some restaurant. He was pleased with this, and he used almost every packet of mix in the box to make it taste rich and chocolatey. As it finished, he heard another noise.  
"You always loved hot chocolate." He turned and found Leia standing there, dark circles under her eyes.

He relaxed, and sipped at the drink, sighing as it warmed him. "Always? As in always in _this_ life? Or my last one?"

Her eyes brightened a little. "Do you remember?"

"Other than what little I've been shown in visions? No." Luke shook his head.

"Oh." She sounded disappointed.

"Do you remember, Leia?"

"Most of it, yeah. Up until I felt Han die." And, he saw the flicker of pain there in her eyes. Luke wanted to ask what Han meant to her, to them both, but he didn't. He couldn't find the courage to. He'd already learned _way_ too much tonight as it was.

"It must be weird for you, huh?" He took another gulp of the hot liquid.

"It is, but I've come to accept it. Honestly, it's probably weirder for _you._ "

"You can say that again." He continued to drink the chocolate in silence. "I'm sorry, Leia. About tonight."

Leia sighed. "Mom told me off good fashioned, and then she grounded me, But, I deserve it, though." Luke didn't bother to mention that he hadn't actually been grounded—to his knowledge, but he figured his parents would get to that bit later this morning. "We always looked out for each other, y'know. For most of our past life, we were all we had. Just you and me, against the whole galaxy. If I got into trouble, you came running. If you got into trouble—which by the way was way more often than me—I came running for you. I think even before we knew we were siblings, we somehow knew."

"I understand. I should have realized you'd come after me. Though, I didn't realize _Han_ would tell you." He made a face, and Leia laughed a little.

"Han is terrible at secrets. Just so you know."

"Yeah, I've sorta figured that out." He smiled, and finished off his chocolate. If Leia was surprised that he'd downed the whole cup of hot chocolate so quickly, she didn't show it. He must have really loved it, then.

Leia yawned, and headed down the hall to the living room couch, where she plopped down and patted the seat next to her. Reluctantly, Luke followed, sitting down beside her. The moment he'd sat down, Leia leaned her head on his shoulder. He tensed, not daring to move. "You're a good person, Luke. You're the best person I know."

"Even now?" he croaked.

"Even now. You just…don't realize it yet." She yawned again. "I just don't want to lose you again."

"I don't want to lose you either."

"So stay. Work with us. Don't run away anymore." Her voice, drowsy as it was, was earnest. "Don't leave me again, Brother."

Luke was quiet for so long, that by the time he answered, "I won't," she had fallen asleep against his shoulder.

He didn't know when he fell asleep. He'd been too afraid to wake her up, and soon his own eyes had drifted shut. When he awoke a few hours later, his head was resting on top of hers, and he sensed his dad nearby, standing on the staircase to the kitchen, evidently in the middle of coming down to check on them. He craned his neck painfully so that he could see his father. "Sorry." His dad said on a smile, "You guys weren't in your rooms…I just…"

"Wanted to check that we were still here." Luke replied, yawning. "Yeah. I'm a little stuck at the moment." He motioned to Leia still fast asleep on his now numb shoulder.

"So I see." He heard the amusement in his father's voice. "Well. You need a day to rest after yesterday, so you'll go back to school tomorrow. You'll need to write your English teacher an apology letter, though."

Luke groaned. "I didn't even _do_ anything except point out that the assignment was useless and stupid."

Anakin chuckled. "Yes, well, sometimes learning is a matter of following instructions, even if they sound ridiculous."

Luke made a face. "Fine. I'll write the stupid letter. But, I won't like it."

Anakin laughed. "Good night, Luke." And, he stood and turned to head back up the stairs.

"Wait." His father paused, turning, waiting for Luke to say something. Luke took a deep breath. He couldn't believe he was about to say this, but…it had to be done. If he wanted to really, truly find himself, he had to do this. "I wanted to ask." He face burned, and he tried to voice it, and the first few tries nothing came out. Still, his father waited patiently. _Oh, to hell with it,_ he thought, and in a rush, he asked:

"Will you train me to become a Jedi?"

* * *

 **BOOM! Long chapter. With lots of things that happened. But now Luke will officially begin training to become a Jedi...like his father before him. XD I love that lightsaber battle, btw. The emotion in it is beautiful.**

 **So, two chapters in one day. I'm working on the next one. We'll see what happens next!**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	77. Building a Lightsaber

_Groan._

Man, how she _hated_ getting up in the mornings sometimes...especially after a night like _they'd_ had last night. Damn foolhardy kids. She frowned. She _still_ felt exhausted, despite getting at least six or seven hours of sleep.

She rolled over on her back, stretching...pulling her legs up at the knees, pointing her toes, and arching her back with her arms up over her head. She yawned, bringing the back of her hand up over her mouth and rolled her head, stretching her neck out, her mahogany tresses fanned out like silk over her pillow.

Peeling her eyes open slowly, she hummed contentedly when she found Anakin sitting on the bed beside her, bare chested, wearing only his blue and green plaid boxers, staring at her wide-eyed. "Good morning, Ani." She said sleepily, enjoying immensely the view of his muscular chest, six pack abs, and long leanly muscled legs. Noticing him staring at her, she raised her eyebrows at the intensity of her husband's gaze. She smiled softly. "I _assume_ you're looking at me like that for a reason?"

"Angel," Anakin breathed, "Luke asked me to train him to be a _Jedi_."

Padme's eyes shot open wide. Now, _that_ certainly woke her up. She pushed herself up to sit, leaning back against the pillows, staring at her husband in disbelief. " _What?!_ Are you _serious?_ But— _how?!_ I thought for _sure_ …I mean I didn't expect that _disciplining_ him would cause such a drastic change…" If she'd known _that_ was what it took to get Luke to listen to them, she may have done it herself earlier.

"No, Babe. It's a little more complicated than that, I'm afraid." Anakin admitted, frowning. But, then a _very_ familiar glint entered his cerulean blue eyes, and he grinned mischievously at her. "Play hooky with me today, and I'll tell you _all_ about it."

Padme scrunched up her face. " _Ani_...We can't do _that_. We've been gone enough from our jobs as it is, and…"

" _And_ , they understand the reasoning behind it. One more day won't kill either of us. Besides...Satine has you covered. I'll send Ahsoka to do some general tasks at NASA, and I'll just send that email to the President of the United States apologizing for running out on him and the meeting yesterday. It'll be fine, Angel. Trust me."

When Padme still didn't look convinced, Anakin let out a dramatic sigh with a roll of his eyes that made her smile. It reminded her so much of all those times he'd tried to convince her to go away with him on a secret romantic getaway back in their old galaxy, when they were trying to keep their forbidden marriage a secret. She'd been busy back then in the Senate and had too often refused him, but _now_ …she had to admit, she was _much_ more invested in her marriage and her family than she'd ever been before. She'd learned a _lot_ over the years, and though she loved her job and felt it was important to serve their community, she loved her husband and her family _more_ than anything else in the universe.

Still, she decided to play ' _hard to get'_ just a _little_ bit longer just to see what her husband would try to do next to _convince_ her. There simply wasn't as much fun in it otherwise. She shook her head. "No, I think I have to go to work. I'll just ask Luke what happened and…"

She made to get up, but Anakin let out a rumbling growl and was suddenly kneeling over her, grinning ferally. "You _could_ have, if he was awake. After last night, though, I don't think it's fair to wake him up _just_ to make him tell the whole story." He cocked his head to the side and suddenly frowned. "Although, Hayden has now discovered Luke on the couch in the living room and is poking his face…maybe we should…oh wait...nope, Leia's handling it. Good. So, see? Even _Leia_ thinks Luke should be left alone this morning."

Padme playfully bit her lip. "Well, I _guess_ I could wait until after work to…ANI!" She squeaked, as he suddenly pushed her back down against the pillows, his forearms braced beside her head, his left hand twining into her curls, nestling himself flush against her, trapping her under him. "What do you think you're doing?!" Despite herself, she laughed, her eyes twinkling up at him, as she wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her fingers in his curly locks.

"Keeping you _all_ to myself. What does it look like?" Anakin said, triumphantly, his eyes deepening to midnight blue with desire. He bent his head and kissed her slowly, fusing their lips together, his tongue gliding inside her mouth to tangle languidly with her own, sending waves of pleasure through her. "Stay." He whispered huskily against her lips.

"Ani, no…" she mumbled, but she knew it was a losing battle. He pressed his body down against hers further, his desire now more than obvious.

"Stay." He nibbled on her lower lip, sucking it into his mouth and running the tip of his tongue along it, making her shudder.

"Ani…" she groaned, feeling heat quickly rise in her core.

"Stay, Angel. _Please?_ I _need_ you this morning, Sweetheart, and I'll even do the dishes every night for the next week. Come on, Babe...We _need_ some alone time...just for _us."_ To demonstrate his point, he sealed their lips again in a deeper kiss and then slowly slid his right hand suggestively down her body. She could feel her own desire escalating to match his.

Well. How could she resist that offer? He _did_ have a point after all. A very good one.

"Fine." She sighed, as he released her lips with a soft _pop,_ and she pushed his shoulder a little to indicate that she needed to get up. "Let me just text Satine to let her know. In the meantime, start talking. I want to know what led to this sudden miraculous breakthrough with our son."

Grinning triumphantly, Anakin kissed her again and then rolled off of her, flopping back down on his side of their bed, propping his arms under his pillow. As she grabbed the phone from the nightstand to text Satine, Anakin told her the whole story. It started off as she expected it would—Anakin yelled at Luke, and Luke was defiant. No surprises there. She'd seen the murderous look on her husband's face last night when they'd returned home (and it had certainly matched her own level of anger at their kids). She knew him well enough to know that he wasn't going to go easy on their son, and she hadn't expected him to. Easy wasn't going to cut it with _any_ Skywalker _..._ let alone their oldest son. But, she trusted him enough to hold back if he got _too_ angry. She knew he'd learned deeply the hard lessons from his time as Vader and would _never_ cross that line again.

But, then when he told her of how his words had caused Luke to trigger another vision—worse, the vision that, if Padme had to guess, was one of Luke's _worst_ memories of his past life, her heart had almost stopped. "Did you get Vokara?" she demanded, considering going to go wake up Luke right then to check on him herself. If they weren't careful, those visions could literally destroy Luke's mind, and he really _would_ be lost to them forever…

"No. I reacted quickly and went into his mind myself." Anakin answered. He flinched, remembering the experience. "I saw the memory through Luke's eyes—I thought remembering it from Vader's perspective was bad, but… _Force_ , Angel, I was horrifying as Vader! I can _totally_ understand why Luke threw himself into a practically bottomless pit rather than join me." He shuddered, and Padme reached out and took his hand in her own. He gave it a thankful squeeze. "Anyhow, Luke was fighting the memory, causing himself more pain, and so I gave him my own strength and told him to let it happen...to just let it flow. With no other options, he listened to me, and when it ended and we _both_ woke up, not only was he not in pain any more, but he also knew it was _real_ and not just a dream."

Padme loosed a gasped breath she didn't know she was holding. "Thank _goodness_!"

Anakin nodded. "Then he asked me why I was helping him. And…I didn't just tell him. I showed him the memory, from my _own_ perspective…as Vader."

Padme's mouth dropped open a little. "I didn't…I didn't know that was even _possible_."

Anakin frowned. "It is. It's not something Jedi usually do, because it involves total and complete trust. You don't just _open_ your mind and memories like that to just anyone. I've never even done it with Obi-Wan."

Padme was almost afraid to ask. "How did Luke take it?"

Anakin was quiet for a moment, staring at their entwined hands. "I shocked him speechless, Angel. He recognizes now that it's real, but he's still treating it...almost like a bystander to an interesting story. I don't think he _fully_ understands how he could have been a person like that, to have experienced something as terrible as Bespin and then later turn around and refuse to kill me despite having multiple opportunities to do so. He knows he used to be very different, and I think it terrifies him to know how far to the Dark Side he's gone in _this_ life. He eventually told me he needed to think about it, then he apologized for last night's _misadventures_ and promised me it wouldn't happen again."

Even if Luke hadn't asked to be trained as a Jedi, that right there was a major breakthrough for their son, and they both knew it. "Well, that's really good." She said with a smile, pleased at the apparent progress with Luke. "I _assume_ you also grounded him, though. Right?"

Anakin flushed and stammered, "I—well, um. I _should_ have, yes, but uh, well… _no_."

Padme sighed and rolled her eyes. "Ani, you were _supposed_ to ground him. I grounded Leia, and when she finds out Luke hasn't been grounded... _yet_ , she's going to be pissed. You know that, right?"

"I…yeah," Anakin said sheepishly, running a hand through his hair. "I was _going_ to, Angel, but then those visions happened and…well, I just forgot."

She sighed, though truthfully, she wasn't _that_ upset by it. A grounding wouldn't have gotten quite the same results, she didn't think. Still, they had to be fair...and consistent...in their discipline with _all_ three of their kids. Luke needed to know he crossed the line last night, despite his breakthrough, and he _would_ be grounded, same as Leia, just as soon as they went downstairs for breakfast. "So, how did Luke ask you to be his teacher?"

Now Anakin grinned, his eyes lighting up, as giddy as he was the day he'd won that pod race all those decades ago at Boonta Eve. "He asked me this morning when I went to check on him and Leia. I know he spent most of the night awake thinking about what happened. I guess he made the decision this morning."

Relief swept through her. _Finally_ , Luke was progressing. Truly progressing. She'd known Ani could do it—not because she didn't think _she_ could reach him, because she'd proven that she could, but she wouldn't have had nearly as dramatic of an effect. "What did you say?" She asked, though she knew the answer already.

Anakin's grin widened into a true smile. "I said yes."

They shared a proud smile, and Padme said, "I knew you would."

Anakin nodded, and then a wolfish grin swept his handsome features, "Yeah...Now, about our alone time…"

* * *

At about noon, Luke had finally woken up, gone upstairs and showered before dressing in clean clothes and going back downstairs to the kitchen to eat breakfast—er, _lunch_. He wasn't the only one with a late start, however. His father stood leaning against the island, barefooted, wearing a pair of dark straight leg jeans and a gray _Nike_ t-shirt, a cup of coffee in his hands, looking at something on an _iPad_. Luke noted that his father's hair was still wet, too. Strange. It wasn't like his father to shower so late in the morning."Hey, Dad?" he asked, his voice still bleary. "Did you have to take a cold shower this morning, too? There wasn't any hot water for some reason." No matter how hard he'd tried, he'd been unable to get the water to warm up, and he hadn't dallied under the chilly spray because of it. In. Out. ASAP. No wonder he still felt a bit bleary. Awake, yeah, but bleary.

His father looked up, opening his mouth to answer, but stopped short as his mom suddenly entered the room, also barefoot, in a pink fitted t-shirt and khaki shorts, her own wet hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. "Good morning, Luke," She said, leaning up to kiss his cheek before she headed over to Anakin and wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a long, slow, deep kiss on his mouth, which his father returned exuberantly. Luke was 100% sure that his face had gone cherry red, as his dad's arm automatically wrapped around his mother's tiny waist, his hand sliding lower to grab her tush and give it a squeeze. Watching his parents and their rather _amorous affections,_ he gulped when he noticed a rather noticeable...red mark, just under his father's ear….not to mention a similar red mark at the base of his mother's neck near her collarbone.

 _Aww, jeez...No, they didn't, did they?..._

"Whoa," Luke stammered, eyes wide, waving his hands in an _'enough'_ gesture. "Uh, guys? Water heater? Did it break? That's _all_ I wanted to know!"

His mom pulled away from his dad slowly, a sultry look on both their faces, before both of them finally turned and looked at Luke, almost as though they'd forgotten he was there, and smiling mischievously, his mom turned back to her husband, stood up on her tiptoes and nibbled at his dad's ear, once again cutting his dad off from saying whatever it was he was going to say. Anakin's eyes fluttered closed, and he let out a low groan and a quiet, " _Babe, you're killing me."_

 _Oh, Man...GROSS!_

Luke wanted nothing more than to melt away and disappear. Maybe boil his eyes out...Anything to get _that_ image outta his head. "Okay, _seriously?!_ In the kitchen? Take it upstairs, y'know, before I lose the lunch I've not even eaten yet. Man, I think I'm going to go wash my eyes out with bleach now. Please, never do that again. Like _ever_."

That caused both of his parents to laugh (though they both _blushed,_ he noticed _)_ , but they separated from each other. _Finally._ "Considering that _you_ don't do any shielding when you and Mara are making out, I don't feel that bad. At least _I shield_ before your mom and I go at it." His father remarked with a wicked grin and a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

" _O-o-okaaay,_ time to change the subject!" Luke hurried to busy himself with grabbing the ingredients to make hot chocolate, while his father just chuckled and shook his head. "I wrote that letter you wanted."

With his back turned, he missed the look his parents exchanged. "Oh?" His mom said, her voice growing serious. "Let's see it."

Luke fished into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a crumpled piece of notebook paper and handed it over to her before going back to fixing his hot chocolate. As his mom opened the note, his dad asked, "You _do_ realize that it's still 95 degrees out, right? It's a little warm for hot chocolate, don't you think?"

"There's _never_ a bad time for hot chocolate." Luke replied mildly. "Hot chocolate is the elixir of life itself. Besides, _you're_ drinking a _hot_ cup of coffee. What's the difference?"

His dad snorted at that. "I thought coffee was life's great elixir...And, at least you put cold creamer in coffee."

"Coffee is...but _only_ if you're a grump." To which his father laughed.

"Luke, you can't give her this." His mother suddenly said, apparently unaffected by the lighter conversation between her son and his father.

"What does it say, Angel?" His dad asked.

"Dear Ms. Temple," his mom read, and when he turned around he found that her eyebrows were raised dubiously. "I'm sorry I hate your stupid assignment. Next time, I won't tell you about it in front of your class. Signed, Luke Skywalker." Now both of his parents just stared at him incredulously, looking at him like he was nuts.

Luke shrugged, took his now ready cup of hot chocolate, and sipped. "It's an apology. In letter format. Which is what you asked for."

"I think _your_ definition and _our_ definition of an apology letter are two very different things." His father remarked dryly.

"We have to sign our approval on this." His mother agreed. "And, there is _no way_ I'm signing this, nor will your father."

Luke frowned. "What's wrong with it?

"  
"Well, first of all, Luke, it's _rude_ to tell her that you hate her assignment—" his mom began.

"But, it's true. I _do_ hate it, and she already _knows_ it."

"—And it's rude to call her assignment stupid. Even if you think that, there are just some things you don't tell people, Son. _Especially_ not in front of an audience." His mom finished, giving him a look that effectively shut him up.

"Besides that, the paper it's on is all crumpled up, which just screams that you don't care." His dad added with a half-shrug.

"But, I don't care." He didn't know why he bothered to tell them this. He knew they were going to make him redo it.

"Well, pretend that you _do._ I'd like to start your training today, but I can't if you haven't finished _this_ up." His dad pointed out, waving his hand with coffee mug in it toward the crumpled paper lying on the island countertop, and Luke scowled.

"Fine," He grumbled, turning away, taking his mug of hot chocolate with him. "I'll go fix it."

"And, Luke?" his mom called after him. He stopped on the kitchen threshold, turning to look at her, waiting. She smiled calmly, but there was a dangerous glint in her eye as she said, "One more thing. You _do_ realize that you are _so very_ grounded for the stunt you pulled last night. Right?"

"I…" Luke began to protest, but he stopped as her eyes hardened. He flicked his gaze up to his father's, who simply shrugged and took another sip of coffee. Somehow, he didn't think he'd get away with any excuses on this one either. He sighed. "Yes, Mom."

"Good." Her voice was cheery. "Now, go write the best damn apology letter the world has ever seen."

"Yes, Ma'am," he rolled his eyes, but scrunched up his face in disgust, as he noticed his parents turning back to each other to lock lips once more. He quickly turned and raced up the stairs,"Oh, man...I am _so_ outta here…"

* * *

"Well, I have to admit, I didn't expect for that to work." Vokara murmured, as Anakin finished describing how he had helped Luke's vision pain disappear. "It could be a one-time only fluke, y'know. There's just no way to really _know_ if it's the solution to this problem unless it happens again while you're around. If you're not around, what exactly do you expect for Luke to do?"

It was a good question, and he'd been so excited about the breakthrough he'd achieved with his son, he hadn't thought about it. "I…I don't know." He answered truthfully, rubbing his neck.

They were sitting in his office thirty minutes after he'd sent Luke to go re-write his letter—him, Vokara, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and Galen. The Jedi Masters and the Jedi Council of the Jedi Order (minus Quinlan Vos, who was still in Nepal). In front of them, on the small conference table in the corner of his office, sat a platter full of _Jimmy John's_ _#10 Hunter's Club_ sandwiches, plus a large platter of _Jimmy's Regular, Jalapeno,_ and _BBQ_ chips, as well a small side dish loaded with chocolate chip cookies. All of them had a large cup of soda by their loaded plates. This was their typical sandwich for a Council Meeting held at lunch time. "You could try to teach Leia to help him, since they share many of the same memories from his past life, and they're already Force bonded." Galen pointed out. "She's usually with him when you aren't." He shrugged and took a bite of his sandwich.

"And, if both of you aren't with him, Mara Jade usually is." Ahsoka grinned wickedly, wiggling her eyebrows at Anakin, as he scowled. "Because they're so in _loooooove_."

"Stop it, Snips." He grumbled, as Ahsoka started to laugh. Still, they _had_ a point. "Maybe I could…talk to them." He had no problem with talking to Leia, obviously, but _Mara?_ …He made a face, causing Ahsoka to laugh all the harder. Even Vokara cracked a grin.

"Y'know, Anakin," Obi-Wan said pointedly, after swallowing a bite of his sandwich. "Luke may very well marry the girl again. After all, _you_ married Padme again, and _I_ fell in love with Satine again...and this time married her. Leia is _probably_ going to end up marrying Solo again. So, you might as well get used to her _now,_ because I really don't think she's going anywhere. Luke is single-minded when it comes to the woman he loves, exactly like _you've_ always been. "

Anakin refused to believe Obi-Wan was right, even though he knew his friend spoke the truth. He waved the thought away. "That's _not_ what this meeting is about. We need to decide what to do with Luke's training."

He'd told them upon their arrival that Luke had officially asked to be trained as a Jedi. He hadn't quite told them that he fully intended to train him himself, but he did face a bit of a conundrum. "As you know, I'm currently training my daughter, Leia. She's progressed well, and I frankly believe she's ready for the trials."

"And, you're _not_ just saying that because you want to train Luke yourself, right?" Ahsoka teased, but it was a serious question all the same, and they _all_ knew it.

Anakin shook his head. "I know that traditionally we Jedi train one Padawan at a time. However, in _this_ world, we haven't had that luxury." It was true. He'd had Galen as his official Padawan when he and Obi-Wan had first established the Order again, but he'd also given instruction to _many_ padawans as well over the years. There just simply hadn't been enough Jedi at the time, and now there _were_ enough Jedi Knights that they could begin to focus training solely on one Padawan at a time. "But, even had we had a million Jedi Knights to instruct all the Padawans in this world, had Luke been…home," He tried to keep a neutral face at that, but he knew the other Masters in the room weren't fooled. "I would have trained both him and Leia when they came of age."

"So, what makes it different now?" Galen asked, frowning.

"Luke and Leia are at _very_ different stages in their training." Anakin replied, "Luke's training will also have to be vastly different than a normal Jedi's training. He has been immersed for too long in the Dark Side, trained in the use of the Dark Side. Only _**I**_ am fully equipped to handle such a rehabilitation as Luke will require. Besides, it would be too complicated to do both twins at the same time, given their vastly different levels of training." He glanced around the table, and knew they could see he had a valid point.

The other Masters nodded their heads in agreement. "Luke's training was unusual the first time, too." Obi-Wan commented dryly. "So, what's new?"

"Why don't Obi-Wan or Yoda take his training?" Vokara said, remembering with Obi-Wan's comment that it was Obi-Wan and Yoda who trained Luke in their previous life.

Anakin kept his features neutral, despite his heart sinking in his chest. He really, _really_ wanted to train Luke—furthermore, Luke had asked him to do it, no one else. Frankly, this meeting was just a formality, or at least Anakin had thought so. He'd always wanted to train Luke, and Luke, as a child, had always wanted to be trained by him. It didn't feel right handing his training to someone else, but… he was a GrandMaster. He had to follow the rules of the Jedi, not be selfish. But, to his surprise, it was Obi-Wan who disagreed. "You forget, I'm training my own daughter right now and will train my youngest daughter when she is of age. Even if I wasn't, it _should_ be Anakin who trains his son. I only did it last time because there was no one else."

Anakin threw Obi-Wan a grateful feeling through their Force bond, which Obi-Wan acknowledged. "Besides, Yoda lives in California still and is in retirement from the Order in this world, and not exactly in good health in this life. He won't live over 900 years this time. Plus, Yoda helped Anakin get through his full transition back to the Light twenty years ago. I'm sure Anakin can take those principles and apply it to Luke. He hasn't forgotten them. He employs them everyday...and no denying Anakin's experience with the Dark Side is the most unique _ever_ of _any_ Jedi. He is the most logical choice to train Luke."

Anakin still stayed as neutral as possible, though it pleased him to no end that his best friend thought this way. Oh, how times had changed. "I don't see why not." Ahsoka shrugged. "We may be giving you a hard time, but I, for one, know Leia is ready to become a Jedi Knight."

"Me, too." Galen nodded.

"As do I." Obi-Wan grinned.

Vokara, always the hardest to convince of anything, sighed when she saw she'd be overruled anyway. "I suppose we can let her try," she said.

Suddenly, Anakin felt the presence of his son drawing near. It was full of apprehension and wariness, as he wandered through the halls towards Anakin's office. "Speak of the Devil, and he shall appear." Obi-Wan remarked, obviously feeling Luke's presence as well. "I believe that concludes the meeting." He stood, and turned to Anakin and said earnestly, "Congratulations on your new Padawan, Anakin." He winked.

Anakin smiled warmly at his friend. "Thanks," He said, to them all, as they began to get up.

Galen added, "May the Force be with you, Master. Seriously. I hope it continues to go well."

"As do I." Anakin sighed, his mind turning to the task he was planning on Luke starting today. "As do I."

The door to his office opened, and Luke was standing there, holding a piece of white paper in his hands. He stopped short, seeing all of the Masters leaving the room. "I thought you said you were done." He hissed, giving Ahsoka a narrowed look.

Anakin raised his eyebrows at his old Padawan, who grinned innocently. "We are," she replied, "We're just old now and move slowly."

"We're not _that_ old. You especially, Snips." Anakin pointed out, scowling. Ahsoka smiled innocently, and Luke moved aside as everyone else filed out of the room.

"By the way, Luke," Ahsoka said as she too headed for the door. "That chase you pulled last night?" She whistled in appreciation. "From what the news caught, it was pretty epic. You _definitely_ are SkyGuy's son."

" _SkyGuy?_ " Luke frowned, arching his eyebrows at Anakin, who sighed.

"Old nickname." He told him. "Shoo, Snips. Go back to work. I'll see you later."

Ahsoka snickered and waved, and as she passed Luke, reached up and gave his hair a tussle, before leaving the room. Making a face, Luke ran his hand through his hair, attempting to fix it. "Here." He said, approaching Anakin and handing him what he assumed was the completed letter.

"I hope I'm moved to tears. Did your mother read this?" Anakin drawled, watching as Luke nodded his head yes to his question, before taking the letter and reading it through.

Thankfully, there was nothing offensive in it this time. It was a clean, straight forward apology letter. "Good." He nodded his head smartly and used the Force to call a pen into his hand and he signed the bottom of the paper before placing it on his desk. "Don't forget to pick it up before we leave."

"I won't." Luke promised. Anakin could still sense Luke's apprehension as he asked, "So…what are we starting with?"

Anakin reached beneath his desk, pulling out a small, black box that fit into the palm of his hand, as well as a larger black box that was considerably heavier. "What's the most important thing to a Jedi?" He asked, motioning to one of the circular seats in front of his desk. Reluctantly, Luke sat down, eyeing the boxes on his desk with a puzzled frown. Especially the smaller one.

"The Force." He replied.

"No—well, _yes,_ but besides that." Anakin prodded, coming back around the desk to sit next to him on another circular chair, criss crossing his legs in typical meditation-style.

Luke frowned. "A lightsaber."

"Precisely." Anakin smiled. He'd told Luke this a million times when he was a boy. He wondered if Luke remembered him telling him that. He hoped so. "As a Sith, a lightsaber is a tool to dominate. You subjugate it to your will—it is an incredibly one-sided relationship." He reached to his belt and pulled out his own lightsaber. The same lightsaber he'd had as a Jedi, all those many years ago during the Clone Wars. The same lightsaber Luke had once wielded. Anakin still wasn't sure _how_ it ended up in this world, but he wasn't complaining. "For a Jedi, however, a lightsaber is part of their very _soul._ It is an extension of yourself. A lightsaber will be your most common companion, for it will be there even when all others fall."

Luke's eyes rested on Anakin's lightsaber, his eyebrows furrowing as though deep in thought, or that he might remember… "That's great and all, but I don't have a lightsaber crystal. So, not sure what the purpose of this is."

Anakin reached out, and with the Force, lifted the smaller black box and floated it into his son's lap. "The purpose of today, Luke," he said, as Luke hesitantly took the box in his hands and opened it. Anakin watched as his son's eyes widened, his body stiffening at what lay inside. "Is to build your first _Jedi_ lightsaber."

* * *

Luke stared at the crystal. The same one he'd stolen, all those years ago. The same one he'd left in his drawer all this time, hidden away. The same one he'd been looking for when he'd first gotten here. Just as it had that fateful day in the cave, the crystal called to him, a song meant _just_ for him. It was his, and he was the crystal's. "You took this from my room, too?" Luke growled, shooting a glare at his father. "I was looking for this!"

Anakin shrugged. "You didn't ask."

Luke gritted his teeth. "I did ask." His father raised his eyebrows skeptically. "Okay. I asked Han and Mara, since I assumed _they_ would be the only ones going through my things."

Anakin shrugged, not in the least bit ashamed. "I was worried about you—and I wanted to learn more about you. So yes, I looked in your room. I didn't, however, go through your things intentionally. The X-Wing plans were on your desk, and I was about to leave when I felt the presence of this crystal in your drawer." A pause. "How did you obtain this crystal, Luke?"

Luke opened his mouth, and closed it, shame filling his chest. The way his father asked the question, the way his father looked at him—he already knew. Luke didn't know how he knew, but his father already knew. Perhaps he'd gotten a report, and finding out that he was Starkiller had made him put two and two together. Still, Luke was less than wanting to talk about it. "You already know." Was all he said with a shrug.

Anakin smiled a little, though not with any humor. Instead, he reached out and flicked open the larger box, containing lots of different parts for a number of lightsaber combinations. "Your training, Luke, will be unique. You are already excellent in lightsaber combat, so you don't need much instruction there. You are exceptionally strong in the Force—but you have yet to face your past."

"How can I face my past—either of my pasts—without knowing any of it?" Luke scowled, though he was already running an eye over the lightsaber parts.

"I don't just mean the pasts you've forgotten." His father said softly, "I also mean the one you've led for the last nine years." Luke flinched, looking down at the crystal. He'd known asking to train to be a Jedi would be hard—probably harder than anything he'd ever done in his entire life. But facing his past…showing his father that…he didn't know if he could. "I will warn you, Luke." Anakin said softly when Luke didn't say anything, "When you put that lightsaber together, you may be forced to experience some of that past."

"Why." Luke said flatly. Suddenly he didn't want anything to do with the little crystal, even if he knew there was no longer any escape from the little rock.

"Your lightsaber is a reflection of _you._ Both the good, and the bad. To accept your lightsaber is to accept yourself." Anakin replied gently.

Luke snorted, though he began to mentally prepare himself for the task. "Well, this is going to be one ugly lightsaber then." He grumbled. His father, thankfully, didn't comment, and Luke closed his eyes, reaching into the Force. Already, the actual steps involved in creating the lightsaber flooded into his head, and he began to manipulate the Force around the crystal and around the lightsaber parts in the box.

Suddenly, the Force slammed into him, memories of that fateful day flooding him.

Standing in the Jedi Crystal Caverns, Fireheart…Talia, waiting for him at the entrance, her own red crystal in her hand. She begged for him to go, but though he had the red crystal he'd been ordered to steal in his hand, he was rooted to the spot, the call of a little crystal embedded in the rocks calling for him, begging him to take it with him. Luke hesitated, warring with himself. It was a Jedi crystal, he knew, and if he took it and brought it back with him to the Inquisitors…well, it would be hard to explain to them _why_ he had it. They were just waiting for him to pull a stupid stunt like this.

And yet…the pull was irresistible. It was small, and yet there was joy in that pull, a joy he hadn't felt in years. He didn't want to leave it behind. So, cursing himself, he grabbed it, and ran out of the cave, close on Fireheart's heels.

Luke wanted to stop. He didn't want to relive this. Not any of it. Unlike his other visions, _this_ was something he could open his eyes and walk away from. But, his father sensed this. "Why didn't you leave the crystal?" He asked, his voice penetrating his thoughts.

"You know the answer." Luke hissed. He could feel his father there, through his bond, watching. Not as his father, but as a Jedi Master with his pupil, monitoring, encouraging.

"Yes, but I want to hear it from your lips."

Luke didn't want to answer him. Fought against it…but as he did, his control over the crystal and the lightsaber parts began to slip…"Because…I wasn't happy." Luke admitted, and he felt the Force swell positively within him. "And it felt like… _mine_. Like it was created especially for _me._ And it felt so good, so…pure, I didn't want it to go."

His father was silent, and when it was apparent that Luke needed to continue, he reached deeper into the Force. It was harder, this time. Last time, it had been so easy. He had simply sat there on the forest floor, and assembled it. Much to Fireheart's displeasure….then grudging respect when he'd managed to do it on his first try. Now, it seemed like days were passing. A few times, he felt his control slipping, but with an encouraging nudge through his bond from his father, Luke managed to grab on, and keep going.

By the time he'd almost finished, his entire body was drenched in sweat. Now, came the hardest part—completing the saber. He pushed, deepening his connection to the Force, until…  
 _"Stop right there."_ Luke's heart almost stopped. He was pretty sure he almost dropped the lightsaber in the real world, but he was managing to hold on. He knew that voice. That voice haunted his dreams for so many years.

His first kill. That Jedi Master.

He'd whirled, and though Fireheart was trying to run, trying to convince him to go with her, Luke simply stared at the man, his red lightsaber hanging limp in his hands. He'd known that voice…he couldn't place why he knew it, just that he knew it. If he knew that voice, then he must have known this man…but why couldn't he remember?

He saw recognition in the man's face. _"Starkiller?"_ the man repeated the name Fireheart had called him. He took a step towards him, and Luke panicked, realizing that everything he had worked hard to achieve was about to be destroyed. _"That's not who you are."_

As Fireheart begged for him to move, Luke backed towards her. Every instinct ingrained into him told him to run, for this man was an enemy, and he was not a match for a fully trained Jedi Master. And yet…Luke looked at the man, feeling as if there was something he was missing. The man moved towards him carefully, as if trying not to scare him away, his hands stretched towards him in a placating manner. _"I am Neeja. I'm a friend."_ He'd said, and he reached Luke, towering over him. Luke had gulped, shaking in…fear? Anticipation? He felt the older man reach through the Force and examine him, a frown twisting his lips. _"This isn't who you are. You aren't this 'Starkiller.' You are Lu…"_

Luke went ashen. Fireheart couldn't know. No one could know. " _NO!"_ he cried, and without even thinking, he plunged his lightsaber into the man's chest.

It was an image that Luke had replayed in his mind, over and over again in his dreams. For years. He'd since then killed many other people—hell, he'd killed an Inquisitor just the night before. But _this_ death—it was wrong. Totally, completely _wrong._ He'd known it then, and he knew it now. Neeja had been trying to help him, and he was so afraid, so needlessly afraid of people finding out who he was, that he'd killed the Jedi Master in cold blood.

Suddenly, he didn't feel worthy of the crystal. He'd stolen it, and murdered someone in the process. Not just someone—his father's friend. A Jedi Master. "He was my friend." Anakin agreed softly, "But, he knew the dangers of this life and accepted them."

"He shouldn't have died that way, though." Luke immediately protested, and the lightsaber began to crumble. "A crystal isn't worth a life, but I took one anyway, just because he wanted to help. If I'd let him help, I could have found out about you and mom a long time ago!" He was breathing hard, his whole body shaking.

"I know." His father agreed. "But Luke… _why_ do you think the Force showed you the first part of that vision? _Why_ do you think it showed you how you got that crystal?"

Luke hesitated, the lightsaber wobbling in the air. "I—I don't know."

"That's not acceptable." His father said firmly. "You _know._ Tell me, Luke. What do you want to be? Do you want to be a Sith? Do you want to kill Jedi?"

"No," Luke said, his voice shaking. "No. I don't want that life. Not anymore."

"Then why do you think the Force showed you both parts of what happened?" His father pressed again.

"Because—Because…" Luke hesitated. "Because I felt it. The pulse of light. I've always….I've always felt it. I chose to ignore it when Neeja tried to help—but I didn't in that cave. I risked severe punishment to take and hide this crystal, even though I didn't know what to do with it at the time."

"Precisely." His father sounded pleased. "And _why_ are you worthy to have this lightsaber, Luke?"

Luke hesitated, his entire body fighting with the answer. "I'm not—I'm not worthy of it."

"Yes. You are. Why?" his father pushed.

Luke wanted to argue. How could he be worthy? After everything he'd…?

Another image. His father holding his own lightsaber in his lap, just before Luke started this ordeal. A Jedi lightsaber. His father had done so much worse than Luke had, and yet he didn't just wield a blue lightsaber, but he was a Jedi Grandmaster. He'd found redemption…and if _he_ could find redemption…

.  
"Because," Luke huffed, as the lightsaber neared completion, "I choose to become a Jedi...Like my father before me."

The moment the words were out of his mouth, he heard a click, and the Force rushed through his body, sending every nerve into hyper focus, before it suddenly calmed, and a weight gently pressed into his lap. For a moment, Luke didn't open his eyes. He didn't dare. But when nothing else happened, he hesitantly opened them.

When they had started, it had been midday, the office illuminated brightly. Now, it was dark outside, and he could see billions of stars out of the office window, with lights from their house in the distance. He had no idea what time it was, but…

He looked down. In his lap, lay a completed lightsaber. "Turn it on." His father said gently. He hadn't moved from his spot across from him, not even to turn on the light. Slowly, Luke reached for the hilt, his hands clasping around the cool metal as he lifted it up.

"It could explode." He said, noting the irony in the words. Fireheart…Talia had told him that the last time he'd assembled a lightsaber.

"It could." Anakin replied, not at all concerned. "It's a good thing I have faith in your abilities, then."

That made Luke smile, just a bit, his hands still shaking as he flipped the switch and…

A bright green blade hissed to life, illuminating the room. Illuminating the pleased, proud look in his father's eyes, as his father said, "Well done, my son."

* * *

 **Yeah, I know the new Darth Vader comics talk about how a Sith lightsaber is actually created. However, that was published after I wrote the initial scene...I wish it hadn't though. I would have loved to use that idea for this story. Oh well, no sense in changing an established plot now. If you haven't read that comic series...or the other Darth Vader series, for that matter, you should. Or any of the Star Wars comics, for that matter.**

 **Anyhow, another update! Yay! Hopefully I can continue with quick updates.**

 **The song for this chapter is Yoda and the Force by John Williams.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	78. A New Discovery

"Come on! Trust me. This will work. Ok?" he huffed, rolling his eyes and looking down at his little brother with a wry expression.

Kids. Honestly.

"But, that's _not_ what the instructions say," Hayden frowned, looking at the ingredients Luke had pulled out of the cupboard and laid out on the countertop to help him with his science project. He pointed to the instruction sheet. "My teacher says…"

"Yeah. And _my_ teacher thinks art and English are one and the same class." Luke rolled his eyes again. "Doesn't mean she's right." He'd sucked it up and given her the letter that morning, though. As asked. She'd accepted the apology, but all throughout the lesson she'd _still_ given him the stink eye. But, the looks he'd gotten from his classmates told him he'd at least gained _Legendary_ status, for good or for worse. When Ezra had asked to hang out after school (which, admittedly, Luke was pleased about), and Luke had told him he was grounded until further notice, Ezra had assumed that it was because of his stunt in English combined with his fight with Jabba. When Luke told him it was actually because he'd taken a stolen speeder on a high speed chase through downtown Houston, his new (old) friend had been even _more_ impressed. He'd smirked at Ezra's declaration of, " _You're my hero, Man!_ " accompanied by a slap on the back.

Now, like Leia, he was stuck at home. Unlike Leia though, he _wasn't_ using the time to get his own homework done. No, he was looking for any excuse to do anything _except_ that. Including helping his little brother finish his volcano project for science class. His mom had yet to return home from work, and his dad, although he was home, had declined to help, saying that he had to make some enhancements on Artoo, and he'd disappeared into his study. Luke wasn't sure he bought that excuse, but he used his brother's need as his own distraction from either boredom or boredom with homework.

"I don't want to get a bad grade." Hayden frowned again, looking at the concoction Luke was coming up with. "I also don't want Rachel to get a better grade than me." His frown turned into a pout, and the corners of Luke's lips twitched upward. Rachel, he remembered, was Obi-Wan's younger daughter who was just a few months older than Hayden. Already gorgeous with strawberry blonde hair, blue eyes, and a beautiful English rose complexion, Luke could certainly imagine Rachel Kenobi catching _a lot_ of male attention when she was older (much like her older sister, Elle, did now at high school, much to her father's annoyance, or at least so Leia said)...and probably that of his dark-haired, blue-eyed younger brother as well. Although Hayden was still at an age when girls had cooties, Luke couldn't help but wonder if _something_ might develop there in the future, in say 4 or 5 years. He was certain that if _that_ worked out, it would be the _only_ relationship his father actually approved of for any of his kids. Maybe. His dad was weird sometimes with what he did and didn't approve of.

" _Luuuuke...Come on!"_ Hayden whined impatiently, jolting him from his internal musings.

"Right...Look. You won't. Trust me. This is going to be _way_ more realistic. Minus the actual burning hot lava, of course." Luke assured him, hurriedly mixing up ingredients in a glass measuring cup. "Okay. So, we're going to test this. What you'll have to do is pour _this_ part into the funnel of your volcano," Luke lifted up the measuring cup to the little hole on top of the plaster volcano his mom had helped Hayden with previously, and poured the liquid in. "Then, once it's all in there, you're going to add the last touch…" He lifted the last ingredient to the top of the funnel…

Two things happened at once. First, his father chose that precise moment to walk into the kitchen. "Hey, have you seen the…?" he began, but he was interrupted by the _second thing_ that happened right then. Luke had dropped the last ingredient into the funnel, and suddenly, a gurgling, bubbling sound could be heard inside the volcano. Honestly, it sounded a lot like Bacca's stomach after eating too many tacos with refried beans. Luke knew in that instant this was _not_ going to turn out well. Sure enough, instead of the smaller explosion Luke was expecting, the foaming mixture spewed out of the top of the plaster funnel, exploding up and out, spraying almost _every_ imaginable surface of the white kitchen and its occupants in a red, sticky goo.

 _Oops._

It seemed to go on _forever,_ but finally, it settled down, the goo dripping down the sides of the volcano lazily. Luke reached up and wiped the mixture out of his eyes and blew it out of his nose, and he sensed Hayden doing the same. His father, on the other hand, remained stoic, completely and eerily still. _"Luke_ , it's not supposed to be a _pyroclastic_ eruption!" Hayden informed him, irritably, glaring up at him. A big glop of goo dripped off the end of Hayden's nose silently and plopped on the countertop.

"A what?!"

Hayden sighed in exasperation. "When the volcano explodes lava everywhere! That's a pyroclastic eruption. It's supposed to be a…" He tried the word out a few times, but it didn't come out right. Finally, he grabbed the now splattered instruction paper and pointed to the word.

"Strombolian?" Luke frowned. "I don't even know what that is."

"It doesn't explode...like _this_." His brother insisted, pointing out the mess all over their mom's white cupboards, the tiled floor, the front of the fridge and stove, not to mention the island top….and _oh no_ , even some of the ceiling apparently.

"But, isn't that what volcanoes are _supposed_ to do? Y'know... _explode?_ "

"I don't care _what_ they do and don't do. It doesn't need to do it in _our kitchen!_ " Anakin interrupted, his voice tight, and both boys turned their attention to their rigid father. Under the saucy goo on his cheeks, forehead, and chin, a peculiar look was on his face and in his eyes, as if he were trying to hold back from yelling right then and there. "Clean. It. Up. Now. Before your mother…"

"Before I what?" Padme's voice suddenly said, and now it was Luke and Hayden who tensed as their mother turned the corner and stopped short, her eyes widening and jaw dropping, as she took in the state of her kitchen. "What in the Force happened here?!"

Wide eyed, Hayden pointed up at Luke. "He did it!" he squeaked.

"Traitor," Luke grumbled, though he couldn't blame the kid. Their mom looked murderous. If she had the Force, perhaps she'd be Force choking them _both_ right about now. "I was trying to help Hayden with his science project. My modifications to the lava recipe were uh…a bit more _explosive..._ than perhaps intended."

Padme clamped her mouth shut and took multiple deep breaths through her nose in an attempt to calm down. Luke watched a bit trepidatiously as her nostrils flared each time. _"Just_ what I needed to come home to," she grumbled under her breath. "Both of you...Clean it up, _now._ I want this kitchen _sparkling._ And Luke, for Force's sake, just follow the damn recipe next time!"

Hayden gasped, his eyes bugging out, his hand flying up to cover his mouth. "Uh-oh. Mom said a bad word." He whispered.

Luke tilted his head to look down at his brother and opened his mouth to say, _Seriously Hayden? What are you, eight?_ But then he remembered…oh yeah. Hayden _was_ eight. And still innocent. Unlike Luke, Hayden would _never_ have to lose his innocence so tragically. So, instead he said, "Yeah, I know. I'll fix it." And, he began going through the sink cupboards looking for the cleaning supplies.

As he did so, he heard his mom whisper to her husband, "Are you okay, Ani?"

"Yeah." His dad muttered back, though he sounded pretty put out. Curious, Luke reached out through the Force to their bond, trying to get a sense of _why_ his dad was so upset. He only got a few images before his father pushed him out with a stern, _Not now, Luke._

 _S-Sorry._ He stammered back, taken back by what little he'd seen. A barren, volcanic surface, heat stifling and smothering. Lightsabers clashing viciously over a river of lava. Screams of pain and hatred… He recalled what his father had said in his office a few days before, when he was telling Luke the story of his fall as Vader. He'd mentioned being maimed and needing a suit, but he hadn't given any of the details…It suddenly made sense _why_ his dad wanted nothing to do with volcanoes, real or otherwise. Obviously, Vader's ascension had included lava...and lots of it. Luke decided it was best not to go there for awhile, watching as his parents exited the kitchen and headed upstairs together toward their room for his dad to get cleaned up most likely. It was still too sensitive a topic for his dad to discuss openly.

Working together, it still took Luke and Hayden well over an hour before the kitchen was back to the pristine state their mother usually kept it in, and by the time they'd _both_ showered and come back downstairs, it was nine o'clock. "Why aren't you wearing a shirt?" Hayden asked him, giving Luke a puzzled look.

"Because all of my clean shirts are in the laundry room still." Luke said as they reached the bottom floor. But, as the living room came into view, Luke stopped short, staring. Sitting on the armchair was his father, also recently showered and changed, staring intently at the occupants on the couch, his jaw clenched tightly as he tried (and failed) not to glare...at one specific occupant. On the couch opposite him, was Leia, much more relaxed, smiling at Luke in amusement, and next to her—

"Well, well, well...What have we here?" Mara said, a sly grin on her face, as she unabashedly looked Luke up and down, her emerald eyes brightening instantly with desire. It was _almost_ enough to make Luke blush. "Obviously, I should come over more often."

"That's _not_ necessary." Anakin immediately assured her.

Mara only grinned wider. "I'm certainly glad I cloaked my presence. Otherwise, I might have missed this." She motioned toward Luke's bare torso with a flick of her wrist.

"It's not anything you haven't seen before." Luke pointed out dryly. "You _did_ live with us, after all. Remember?"

"Yes, well. I can _still_ appreciate, Skywalker." She purred, and his dad made a disapproving snorting noise. But, before he could voice the complaint that Luke could feel coming, his mother breezed in from the kitchen, a glass of water in her hands, which she promptly handed to Mara, who thanked her, not even bothering to take her eyes off Luke. The longer those emerald eyes were on him, the more he actually began to blush. Sure, Talia had seen him half-dressed multiple times—they'd been partners in the field, after all. But even after they'd started dating, Luke hadn't _ever_ been shy around her. Living in London, he didn't recall ever having been embarrassed the few times he'd run into Mara after a shower either. But, that had been before he'd started dating her, and now…now he didn't know why, but he had a sudden desire to either run and grab a shirt, or take Mara upstairs and…

A gasp interrupted that thought. Good thing, too...considering the disdainful look on his father's face as he arched an eyebrow at Luke. Anakin had _obviously_ read his thoughts and knew _just_ where his line of thinking had been going…Oh Man. He _really_ needed to learn how to shield better. Luke looked down at his mother in surprise. He'd been so caught up in thinking about…Well, uh...what it was he was thinking, that he hadn't realized his mom had approached him. _"Luke,"_ she whispered, staring at his chest, her eyes wide with horror. "What—What happened to you?" She reached up, about to touch his chest, but then stopped, her fingers curling into a fist, as if afraid it would somehow hurt him.

"Wha-?" Luke looked down at what she was focused on, and let out a relieved sigh. "Oh, that? It's nothing, Mom. It's just an old scar. Nothing to worry about."

"Yeah, but it's so— _how_ on Earth did you get it?! That's _not_ an average scar…" Across his chest, in four jagged, pink lines, were the claw marks from that mission all those years before, when he'd been sent to steal a lightsaber crystal. His eyes darkened as he remembered the reason why he'd gotten it. He'd been trying to protect Talia. He remembered her scream, how he'd hesitated for a brief moment, knowing he needed to move on and leave her behind. It was, after all, the way of the Sith. But, he'd felt her fear vibrant in the Force, and though he'd cursed himself at the time for doing it, he'd gone to her rescue.

"A tiger." To anyone who didn't know him, he sounded nonchalant. Unfortunately, the only person who didn't really know him was Hayden, whose eyes widened in amazement. He felt his father's grim acknowledgement of what he was hiding through his Force connection, and Luke refused to look at him. He was _not_ telling him that story. Or _any_ story that involved Talia for that matter. "It happened several years ago, Mom. It's not like the animal is going to find me all the way across the world and exact revenge." If it was even still alive.

"A tiger? Cool!" Hayden grinned, excited as only an eight-year-old would be.

"You never told me about this." Leia said, frowning at her twin. Luke refused to look her way either.

"He's apparently not much of a cat person. Must like dogs better." Mara remarked dryly, while his mother gaped at him like he was crazy.

"You _do_ realize that isn't something to be so relaxed about." His mother said, fixing him with a stern look. "Why is it that you're _always_ tangling with creatures you aren't supposed to? First a snake when you were little, and now a tiger. What next, a dragon?"

Luke opened his mouth to remind her that of everything paranormal that existed in this world, dragons weren't one of them, but as he did a lancing pain split his head, his vision starting to black out. Panicking, he blindly reached out through the Force for his father, Leia, Mara, anyone, warning them before he blacked out. In the distance, he heard his mom shout, "Anakin!" before someone grabbed him…

When he entered the vision, he was only alone for a brief period of time. He was sitting on top of a huge, white-furred, smelly and frankly, _ugly_ animal with horns, talking into a comm unit. _"Han, ol' buddy, do you read me?"_

Han's voice came back immediately. _"Loud and clear, kid. What's up?"_

" _Well, I finished my circle, I don't pick up any life readings."_ At this point, Luke was joined by someone else in his mind. His father. _Damn, it's cold._ His father hissed, and sure enough, the vision was _so_ vivid even he could feel the bone-shattering chill in the air. It was almost too hard to breathe. _The ice planet of Hoth._ His father informed him grimly. _I tracked you and your rebel friends here, but since my suit was climate controlled, I was the only one who didn't feel this intense coldness._

 _Yeah, well, lucky you._ Luke shot back, as the vision him kept talking to Han about checking out a meteorite.

 _Yeah, that wasn't a was one of the probe droids I'd sent out across the galaxy to track you down. That's how I found you._ His dad didn't sound the least bit sorry about it. That told Luke that probably meant that his dad didn't do anything horrible to him personally, so he wouldn't have to see anything as traumatic as the last vision.

At least, he thought that until vision Luke asked his suddenly panicked mount, _"What's the matter, girl? You smell something?"_ And right on cue, a terrible roar filled the air, and Luke turned just in time to see a massive white monster - there was no other way to describe the thing - appear out of nowhere. Then again, the whole planet was white, so it hadn't been hard to hide, probably. Luke hardly had time to register this, though, because a massive clawed paw swiped him across the face, throwing him out of the saddle and into the snow.

 _What the fuck?!_ Luke said, _Did I just get bitch slapped by an abominable snowman?!_

 _Ahhh...So,_ _ **that's**_ _how that happened,_ his father mused grimly, not immediately answering the question. _That's a Wampa._

 _A what?!_ But the scene was changing again. Luke was now hanging upside down, opening his eyes against excruciating pain. Around him were the littered carcasses of animals, picked clean to the bone. In the distance, he heard another roar, and what sounded like the crunching of massive jaws eating...something. _Ok...Whatever the hell_ _ **that**_ _is, I'd rather face a tiger again._ Luke said, as dream Luke tried to pull himself out of the ice his feet were encased in.

 _Wampa's are extremely dangerous. I'm surprised that the Rebel Alliance didn't do anything about them._ His father said, and though he couldn't see him, he could almost _feel_ his father scowling. Still, as dream Luke gave up on trying to yank himself out of the ice, and instead started frantically trying to reach for his fallen lightsaber, he could feel his father's presence enveloping him—and just as it did before, the pain in his head receded. _Well. So, this_ _ **isn't**_ _a fluke after all. Interesting._

 _Why is it interesting? And, why don't I just call the lightsaber to me?_ Luke scowled, frustrated with his body doing something that he, an experienced Force wielder, knew was pointless.

 _Because at this time in your past life, you weren't even skilled enough to be considered a Jedi Padawan._ His dad said bluntly, mildly. _You're actually lucky I didn't catch you. As for the vision, it's interesting that your pain goes away when you're being strengthened and supported by someone else with the Force—No, I think someone you have a bond with in the Force, because I think…I think this might be the Force's way of getting you to learn to trust other people to help you….as well as heal the rend in your memories that Palpatine caused when he deliberately altered your mind._

Luke started to reject that idea, but a wave of pain hit him, and he immediately forced himself to calm down. Right on cue, vision Luke also began to calm, as if finally realizing that the _only_ way out of this one was to use the Force. He outstretched his hand, willing the lightsaber to come, and though it twitched a few times, just as the huge Wampa thing came lumbering around the corner, the weapon soared into his hands, and he hastily used it to cut himself free…

When he landed, he didn't land on the frozen floor of a snowy cave, but rather back in his own body, on the floor at the foot of his parents' stairs, his bare back on the cool tile causing a shiver to rush through him. Directly over him was his father, looking relieved and a bit intrigued that they'd entered into that memory together and out without any lingering pain on Luke's end. His father was right—Luke felt like he'd merely awoken from a nap, and as he pushed himself upright, he found that his father wasn't the only one there. His mom, Leia, Mara, and even Hayden were on either side of him, staring at him with far more concerned looks on their faces.

"Luke," his mom breathed, and the next thing he knew he was in her arms, cradled to her chest. "Thank the Force."

He hugged her back, reassuringly, breathing in her scent. "It's okay, Mom. I'm okay."

Still, she didn't immediately let go, and truthfully, he didn't really mind, and when she finally did, she still looked ready to leap forward if he blacked out again. "What did you see?" Leia asked, eagerly, her large brown eyes wide with curiosity.

Mara frowned, glancing between Leia and Luke, and he realized that he hadn't yet told Mara that he was from another galaxy…sort of…and that these fits of pain were merely visions of that past life. He had no idea where Mara fit into all of this—was she from that galaxy, too? If she was, did she remember her past also? Or, was she like Han, who didn't remember anything? Luke opened his mouth to change the subject, but his father replied, "Hoth. The wampa attack."

As Leia gasped and started nodding her head, Luke closed his eyes, sending annoyance down the bond between he and his father. _Sorrryyy...I thought you'd have told Mara by now._ His father replied, sounding genuinely surprised.

 _I don't tell everyone my business. Even my girlfriend._ Sure enough, Mara's green eyes narrowed at him, her lips pursing.

"You didn't tell me you were remembering our old galaxy." She said, tightly. Suddenly, his family began shifting awkwardly. His mom probably didn't need to be a Jedi to sense the escalating and awkward tension this was causing between he and Mara.

"Hayden, why don't you go grab Luke a shirt?" His mom whispered to his brother, who nodded and ran off at once, probably more than happy to get out of there.

"I didn't know that's what it was." He said, truthfully. "I barely accepted the truth of it, and I haven't seen you since then. Besides," He added, " _you_ didn't tell me _you_ remembered it." Since clearly, she did know of it. It would definitely explain some of the peculiar looks she frequently gave him, as if she were hoping he'd remember something.

 _That_ , apparently, had been the wrong thing to say. She glared at him, flames erupting in her eyes as she pinned him with a look, crossing her arms over her chest. "You wouldn't have believed me if I _had_ , and you _know_ it!" She hissed at him, drumming her fingers on her biceps. "Don't you _dare_ blame me for not telling you!"

"I know. I wouldn't have, I'm not upset…" he began, but his father cleared his throat awkwardly, as Hayden came back around the corner, holding one of Luke's many black shirts, which Luke gratefully took and slipped on. "Look. We'll talk about this later, Mara. Ok?" He said, and he stood up.

Mara took a deep breath, and though her eyes still burned with hurt and frustration for not being told, she otherwise appeared to be cool and collected again. "Fine." She said succinctly, reaching into the back pocket of her jeans. "By the way, I came to give you this."

She held out what looked to be a flash drive. Curious, Luke accepted it, turning it over. He felt his dad at his shoulder, peering at it as well. "What is it? What's on it?" Leia asked, frowning.

"Han and I looked into it." Mara confirmed, crossing her arms. "Apparently, your Jedi Temple in Nepal wasn't the _only_ one on this planet."

Now _that_ was unexpected. All of them stared at her, wide-eyed, trying to comprehend what this could mean. "Where?!" Anakin asked, his voice full of disbelief. "Peter and Will weren't ever able to find any other temples in their travels over the planet." Luke didn't know who Peter and Will were, but he assumed they were part of the Order.

"Deep in the Amazon jungle, apparently." Mara replied with an indifferent shrug. Luke, however could still sense how upset she was, and he tried to reach out through the Force to show how sorry he was for not telling her. She ignored him. Great. Friggin' great. He sighed.

"That's the thing about the Amazon. Entire civilizations have been lost to time down there. Unless you _know_ where to look, a Jedi Temple wouldn't be easy to find." She pointed to the drive in Luke's hands. "Thankfully, our dear Ventress had the exact coordinates in that little apartment of hers. Convenient, wouldn't you say?"

Luke and his father shared a concerned glance—he'd known Mara and Han had gone to check out the apartment while he was back at school (she'd sent him a playful text to tell him: _Going to see V's apartment. Have fun being grounded, farm boy!)_ but he didn't think Ventress would leave something of such importance behind. "It's a trap." He said, grimly, even though he was 100% sure that his parents, his sister, and Mara knew that already. Hayden, fortunately, had gotten bored with the conversation and had already gone back to the kitchen, and from the sounds of it was digging in the cookie jar for a few of their mother's homemade peanut butter cookies for a snack, but even if he hadn't, Luke doubted he'd understand the significance of the find.

"I'm sure." Anakin replied seriously, "But, if there's another temple on this planet, we _can't_ allow the Sith to take control of it and the information it contains."

"And, you never heard of this temple existing while you were…with them?" Leia asked him, and Luke didn't need to know what she meant by that.

He shook his head. "No. I mean, not _every_ Inquisitor goes through the same trial of stealing a crystal from the temple in Nepal, but all Inquisitors get one somehow…if there are lightsaber crystals there, maybe _that's_ how…" He trailed off, considering. If the temple in the Amazon had lightsaber crystals, then they _definitely_ couldn't leave it in Sith Hands.

His father apparently thought the same thing. "It sounds like we don't have much of a choice. I'm going to have to notify Obi-Wan and the Council of this." He said, sharing a look with his wife. "We'll just have to go in fully prepared."

He got the sense that his mom didn't like the idea of her family going into a potentially Sith-infested ancient Jedi temple in the depths of the Amazon jungle, but other than pursing her lips a bit and narrowing of her eyes, she didn't complain. In fact, Luke half-expected her to insist on coming with them, but _someone_ had to stay home and keep an eye on Hayden. "I assume you'll be leaving in a few days after you have time to gather intel and prepare?" She asked, and Luke recognized that she was approaching the situation as a seasoned professional who had once been part of the dangerous fray that tended to follow Jedi wherever they went.

But, then, Luke realized that's _exactly_ what his mother was…Wife of a former Sith Lord turned Jedi Grandmaster, mother to three Jedi in training, and a rather scrappy little fighter in her own right...She'd been there, done this many, _many_ times before. It was part and parcel of being Mrs. Anakin Skywalker.

"Of course, Angel. I'm not about to bring our children into _anything_ unless I am sure we can meet it on equal or better footing." Anakin assured her, going to her, wrapping her in his arms and pressing a tender kiss to her forehead.

"Good. You'd better bring them back to me safely...Or, you'll have _me_ to answer to, Master Jedi." It was not a request...and that was no threat. She meant business...and his father _knew_ it.

Taking up the challenge, Anakin grinned. "As you wish, milady."

* * *

 **I patterned Hayden a lot like my own little brother in the sense of how he approaches learning things in school. My brother LOVED weather when he was little (would literally watch the Weather Channel 24/7, knew all the details about all the weather casters lives, knew their speech patterns...) and one day when he was 8 he was talking about super detailed information about cloud formations and I just looked at him and was like "What's your grade in science?" and he was like "I don't know, an A, why?" And I was just like "Good, because otherwise your teacher and I would need to have a conversation, because I didn't know any of that until college." So I guess you could say Hayden is inspired by my brother.**

 **Anyhow. The next few chapters are action packed. My Beta is going on vacation, so idk when I'll update it, but we'll see. I'm also updating some on Lost and Found, so fun times, and I hope to have an update on the Assassins Blade soon too. Also, to the reviewer who recommended the Fast and Furious soundtrack, THANK YOU FOR THE RECOMMENDATION! I love recommendations for new music, not just for story ideas, but also cuz I just like adding new music to my massive collection. You rock!**

 **Hope to update soon!**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	79. Anakin and Luke vs Ventress

Creepy. That's what this place was.

Just plain _creepy._

Weren't there supposedly lost tribes of Amazonian witch doctors and Voo-Dooers down here that just like...Use poison _darts_ on people for entering their territory?!

He shuddered at the thought. Oh, not to mention the fact that his sister was pissed as hell at the moment. She was broadcasting _that_ fact loud and clear through the Force. He smirked. He was sure Han was getting an earful right about now, no doubt about it.

"Leia's not going to be happy with us," Luke commented, his voice low and mildly amused, as they crept towards the coordinates indicated on their map. The jungle was thick-above them, the treetops were packed so close together, light _barely_ reached the vine-twisted and dead-leaf covered ground. It also trapped moisture, _lots_ of it, and though it wasn't _currently_ raining, it might as well be. Luke was already drenched, his clothing sticking to him uncomfortably.

Looking at his father, Uncle Ben, Ella, and Mara, they weren't much better off. Good thing the girls' hair was put up. Even his own hair was plastered to his head from the dampness of the air. Monkeys and birds howled and cawed above them, and strange sounding insects were vibrating and clicking away, all of them combining to make an almost deafening racket in the surrounding stillness. Even so, Luke made sure to tread _very_ carefully, as did his companions. Who knew what unknown animals might be lying in wait to take a bite out of them underneath all the moldy foliage they were trampling on. He tried to ignore Mara, but with her flame red hair pulled back into a braid, and her black vest hugging her white shirt, thereby accentuating her curves rather nicely, he noted….It was kinda hard to do so.

He kicked himself for going there right now. His father would tell him to _focus_...and _not_ in that way...and most certainly not with _her._ He smirked and regrouped as his father spoke.

"Oh, I _know,_ " His father said dryly, "She's practically seething across our Force connection. Trust me." Luke paused at that, remembering that, like himself, Leia also had a deep connection to their father...and apparently, they'd once had an even deeper one themselves. A pang of longing lanced through his chest, and he tried to shake it off. Now was not the time to be thinking about the way things currently were, like his broken connection to his twin, or his fight with Mara and the awkward tension between them at the moment, or the fact that his memories, both in this life and his last, were a horrible mess.

No. He - _they_ \- were walking into a trap. He knew it. _They_ knew it, and he - _they_ -needed to be prepared if they wanted to get out alive. He did his best to block these feelings from his father, but he was sure that he was doing a crappy job of it. Thankfully, his father didn't say anything about it. "I'm not about to let our getaway ship get stolen or sabotaged. I'm not keen on getting stuck in the Amazon. Your mother would fly down here herself and _kill_ me, if that happened."

Luke didn't doubt that one bit, knowing his mom.

"It's not fun, that's for sure." Luke said without thinking about it.

"Hmm, sounds like an adventure," his Uncle Ben commented dryly, though it was _clearly_ an invitation for him to open up about it. Luke winced, and he carefully avoided looking at Mara. Talking about _that_ particular adventure would bring up Talia. It was her, afterall, who had gotten him out of that particular mess.

And, he wasn't going there. Not now. Not ever, if he could help it.

"It was," Was all he said, his tone final, and he ignored the curious spark from his father leaking down their bond. He also tried to ignore focusing his gaze on Mara, as she began to walk ahead, giving him a _lovely_ and clear view of her perfectly shaped backside. He swallowed, his eyes lingering in abject appreciation on her feminine form, and he wondered again, as he had many times since she'd gotten angry with him, what exactly they'd been to one another in their previous galaxy. Clearly, she remembered some sort of past life.

And, clearly, his past life was connected to hers somehow. But, how?

Again, he suppressed a growl of longing (and hoped he wasn't drooling), and chided himself in annoyance. Now was _not_ the time to get into it with her. They came upon some rather large...ferns? Luke had no idea. His expertise was definitely _not_ in horticulture. It didn't really matter. Whatever they were...they were thick, big, green, leafy, and in the way of their makeshift path through the thick undergrowth. Mara unclipped her lightsaber, igniting the purple blade, and cut through it in one fell sweep. "Over here!" She called over her shoulder, though only loud enough so they could hear.

A squeak came from behind him. Ella. "Please tell me we're there," she groaned, leaning closer to her father. "I'm pretty sure a snake just slid past my right foot."

Luke rolled his eyes, opening his mouth to remind her that she was a Jedi padawan and overly qualified to take care of a little snake, but as he came up behind Mara, he stopped cold. There, ahead of them, was the remains of a _huge_ step pyramid, in the style of an ancient Mayan temple, almost totally covered in overgrown vines. Around it, the trees looked younger, and more sparse, as if the people who had once built this structure had cleared the area around it, and without anyone to maintain it, the jungle was greedily swallowing the land and the structure back up. Luke knew without a shadow of a doubt that, had they tried to find the temple _without_ the coordinates, they _never_ would have found it. Not in hundreds of years.

"It's like something out of an _Indiana Jones_ movie," Ella whispered in awe.

"True. And, you sure don't see _that_ every day, huh, Luke?" Mara agreed, commenting quietly, and he jolted with a start when he realized she was actually talking to _him_ now _._

He tilted his head as his father joined his other side. "I guess…" he started, but he paused, wincing as a very brief flicker of memory surfaced in his brain. An old base, surrounded by jungle. In the distance, a helmeted man stood on a watch tower, holding some sort of scanner as a ship looking much like the one from his drawing flew in…

"Luke?" Mara's voice shook him out of the memory, and he shuddered. His father was there, in his mind, frantically waiting for the memory to continue to suck him in...but it didn't.

"I'm fine." He said, honestly, and he managed a shaky smile. Mara frowned, her green eyes flashing with suspicion, but she didn't argue the point.

"It looks like no one has touched this place in hundreds of years," Ben said, the first to actually step through the hole Mara had made to start making his way to the temple entrance. "It's quite a magnificent structure, actually."

"And, there are no bad guys around," Ella piped in, sounding relieved.

"That we can see or sense," Luke reminded them dryly, though he knew that Mara, Ben, and his father didn't need reminding of it. "Keep your guard up."

Ella frowned, blushing, but she didn't try to make an excuse for her inexperience. She was young. Not much younger than he was, true, but without a whole past life to burden her, she somehow seemed so much younger than him and Leia. Or Mara. Ella would learn. He hoped.

"Do you think the crystals are inside?"

He frowned, unable to believe that she couldn't sense the strong Force presence that surrounded this place, almost as strong as the one in Nepal. But, her father chimed in to instruct her. "Reach out with your feelings, Ella. Feel the Force. Why don't _you_ show us where the entrance to the crystals is?"

Luke scowled impatiently. It would take far less time if one of them did it, not the inexperienced newbie. _Patience, Luke._ His father's voice suddenly filled his head, sounding more amused than anything else. _One day you'll have to teach a youngling. You can't just do everything for them. They'll never learn if you do._

Luke made a face. _It's a little soon to be thinking about that, don't you think?_

Though his father had moved ahead to look at the temple up close, he could see his father's shoulders moving in such a way, he knew he was snickering. _Maybe, maybe not. You're a special case. When you're ready to take on the responsibilities of a Jedi, you would make a great teacher._ A pause, and then in a more serious tone, his father added: _Leia said you were a brilliant teacher._

Luke made a face, waiting for painful memories...and none came. He relaxed. _Do me a favor. Let's not trigger anything here while we're in the middle of walking into a trap. At least, not intentionally._

 _It's not my intention, but as you wish._

His father threw him a knowing look, one that said that he _knew_ Luke was still trying to avoid dealing with his past-either one-as much as possible, but he was spared from having to respond when Ella suddenly shouted, _rather loudly,_ "Over here!" Luke winced, tensing as he waited for a swarm of Inquisitors to swoop in. Ben apparently thought so too, because as Luke turned a corner of the temple, he heard him gently reminding his daughter to keep her voice down. She turned red in the face. "Sorry." she whispered, pointing to a huge, circular stone set against one of the walls. It was the only one not covered with vines, and ancient inscriptions were carved into it...some looking suspiciously like rudimentary lightsabers. "I'm pretty sure I found it, though."

Ben smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder, approvingly, and Ella beamed with pride. "Good work, Ella." He praised softly, and Luke's throat tightened a little-and he wasn't sure _why,_ exactly, he reacted that way.

 _Obi-Wan was your mentor in our old galaxy._ His father replied, and there was a strange...tightness to his voice as well. Not disapproval, per se, but...jealousy? Longing? Sadness? Luke wasn't sure. Given what he now knew about his father, he suspected a combination of the three. _You're probably reacting to seeing him with someone else._

Luke frowned. No, he didn't feel jealous. Nostalgic, maybe. However, he didn't correct his father, and instead studied the stone beside him. "Look." His father pointed out. "There are marks next to the door-someone has been moving this stone."

Sure enough, there were very obvious marks in the worn down, partially covered stone. Mara placed a hand on the stone, frowning at it. "Clearly," she said dryly, "It's not pushed with physical strength." It was true. The stone looked to weigh at least a ton. Even with all of their combined efforts, they wouldn't be able to lift it.

"Well, I guess the answer is obvious then." Luke said, stepping back and reaching up.

"Hold up." His father said, stepping in front of him. "If this is anything like back home, we're going to have to do it together."

Luke frowned, gesturing at the slab of stone. "Nepal didn't have anything like this." In fact, that temple's entrance was rather wide open. The challenge there was climbing the mountains to get to it.

"No. Not this world. Back in our old galaxy, Jedi temples were often guarded in such a way that you could only open them in a specific way-often only with another Jedi." He paused, his expression darkening. "Or, Sith."

Luke had a feeling that his father knew those kinds of temples all too well. "Okay. So, let's open it."

His father lifted his eyebrows, but didn't comment on Luke's readiness to work with him on something without prompting, and came and stood next to him, reaching out his own hand. Ben and Ella moved out of the way, and Luke heard Ben quietly remind Ella to pay close attention to what they were doing. Luke closed his eyes, blocking them out, concentrating on the Force. This place was practically drenched in it-and not just the Light Side. But, the Dark Side as well. He wondered if his father could sense it-and realized that was a stupid thought. Of _course,_ he could. He was the Chosen One, apparently, and a Jedi Grandmaster at that. His dad undoubtedly could probably sense more than he could...and yet, he _was_ his son. He'd inherited much of that same power...but he'd also once been a Grandmaster himself, if his father was to be believed.

He reached deeper into the Force, his power stretching deep into the temple's very crevices, feeling a whole labyrinth of corridors and rooms just waiting to be explored down there...and with it, he found his father's presence, also digging into it, exploring. And somehow, he just...knew. He knew what he had to do. He joined his father's presence, which brightened with his own joined with his, and for the briefest of moments Luke saw another temple, a grand, beautiful building full of life and learning…

And, instantly, the stone rolled open, creaking loudly in the cavernous space, dislodging dirt and pebbles as it moved, revealing a darkened stairway leading down into the labyrinth. Luke opened his eyes, lowering his hand. "Well." His father said, and he clapped a hand on his shoulder, proudly. "That does it, then."

Mara peeked down into the cavern, whistling. "It's pretty dark down there." She commented, turning back to them. "And, rather cramped."

Ben approached, staring down into it as well. "So, it is." He stroked his beard thoughtfully. "If they come in from behind, it'll be tough to get warning."

"And, it'll be tough to get help." Ella agreed, surprising Luke. Perhaps she _was_ more observant than he gave her credit for. "Maybe one of us should stay up here and watch the entrance. That way, they can comm us for warning, and then go get help from Leia and Han."

"That sounds like a good plan." Mara agreed, tilting her head in thought. "I'll stay."

Luke whirled to her, immediately hating that idea. "But…!" He began, protests springing to his lips, begging to be said. But, at the glower Mara sent his way, the words died, and he hesitantly shut up. The idea of Mara being up here, alone...True, she was more than capable, of course. Much more so than Ella was. But, if she got hurt...even if she was mad at him, and maybe rightfully so, he couldn't...he couldn't…

Mara's eyes softened, as if she could read the thoughts in his eyes. She stepped closer, her expression almost...tender. More so than it had been in a while, at least. "Look, it makes sense. I'm the only one here _not_ with their Jedi master. It's best if you guys stick together. And, I can handle myself, Skywalker."

Luke opened his mouth, and closed it, remembering who was around him. Specifically to her, he sent the thought, _Talia could, too. I can't...I don't want to lose you, too._

Mara smiled, softly, sadly, and leaned up, kissing his cheek. _You won't. Not today, at least. That's a promise._

Luke winced, but he knew by now that she'd won, and he'd _never_ had a chance of persuading her otherwise in the first place. Sometimes she reminded him all too much of his mother. _Don't make promises._ He reminded her darkly.

 _Excuse me for interrupting here, but are we going in or not?_ His father interrupted, and he shot his father an irritated look.

"Fine. Let's go. We'll call you if we need anything down there." He added to Mara, who nodded, stepping away from him, her hand going to her lightsaber. Giving her one last look, Luke turned and followed Ben, Ella, and his father deep into the earth. _What's your issue with Mara in the first place?!_ He shot at his father privately, making sure none of the other Force Sensitives could hear.

His father didn't respond for a moment, and Luke could tell he was choosing his words with care. _Let's just say we didn't get along in our previous life. Mara can tell you more when she's ready._ Before Luke could protest, his father added firmly, _It's not my story to tell._

 _What the hell?_ Luke wondered, frowning. The others had pulled out their flashlights, and he scrambled to do so as well. _I've got a bad feeling about this..._

* * *

Anakin never liked caves. Especially not after his first mission as a padawan to get his first Kyber crystal. Too many things could go wrong. A cave in, with thousands of pounds of rock and dirt smushing and suffocating you. Unforeseen drops of who knows _what_ that you didn't know existed until it was too late landing on you. Moist, stale air that made it hard to breathe. It certainly wasn't at the _top_ of the list of things he detested, but it was on it nonetheless.

This cave, however, was a strange mix of natural rock formations and rooms and corridors carved hundreds, maybe thousands, of years ago by hand. Sometimes the passage would be so narrow, they had to squeeze through sideways single-file. Good thing they kept in shape. But, being the tallest, Anakin almost got stuck once, and Luke had to give him a solid Force push from behind to get through it. It was not one of his proudest moments, he had to admit. Then the passage would suddenly widen into a huge room with carvings and paintings etched into the walls. Each time, Obi-Wan would make them stop to take pictures.

"It would be helpful if Mindy was still here." Anakin commented, almost sadly, on the third time this happened. "She would have loved this stuff."

"True. That she would've. And, she would have been able to translate it, _and_ give the history behind some of it. Threepio can translate, but he won't give us the history. Don't smack me for saying this...But, I do miss the old girl." Obi-Wan agreed, his own voice a touch melancholic. Anakin simply nodded and patted Obi-Wan on the shoulder.

"Mindy?" Luke echoed, frowning slightly.

Anakin winced at the memories, and at the reminder that Luke didn't remember much of his life in this world in addition to his previous one. Maybe it was a good thing he didn't remember this one, though. "She was a good friend of ours from college. Your mother's _best_ friend, actually. She was a history major. She was our Order's first librarian, and the only one who wasn't Force Sensitive. She...died at the hand of one of Palpatine's goons. Protecting you, Leia, and Ella when you were very little. Your mother has pictures of us all together up in the house...and we have one of her up in the library at the Academy." He didn't look at his son, but he noticed Ella's expression had hardened. Evidently, _she_ remembered it.

"I see." Luke's voice was distant, and Anakin could sense his son trying to remember, but nothing came. For now, it was perhaps for the best.

After all, they had enough to be worried about at this moment.

They moved deeper into the labyrinth, coming across more rooms, until finally, after yet another painfully narrow passageway (at least painfully for Anakin: Force, it was sometimes a curse being tall), the corridor widened out again, this time with some rather dank wooden boards serving as a makeshift walkway under their feet. What was more, the walls were covered with what must have been _millions_ upon _millions_ of lightsaber crystals. "Well," Obi-Wan commented dryly, "I think we found the other source of the Inquisitor's crystals."

"I don't think there's even _this_ many in Nepal!" Ella breathed in wonder, "And look, Dad! Someone's been mining them!"

Sure enough, discarded to the side of the wooden walkway, were chiselling tools. Anakin scowled at them-Lightsaber crystals weren't meant to be _mined._ They were meant to be _chosen_ by their Jedi, and _only_ by their Jedi. At least, that's how the Jedi viewed them. The Sith, however… "Anakin," Obi-Wan said gravely a few feet ahead of him, "There's more tools over here. Do you think...?"

"I don't need to be Threepio to tell you the odds aren't looking good that it isn't." He growled, and turned to Luke. "Did you ever hear _anything_ about Palpatine mining or...gathering Kyber crystals? Or, hear _any_ talk about a powerful weapon in development?"

Luke frowned, clearly puzzled. "No. I didn't even know this place existed." His expression darkened, and Anakin caught yet another glimpse of that girl. Fireheart. Talia. The girl his son had dated...the girl Luke didn't want to talk to him about. "If I'd become his apprentice, I probably would have been told." He said, sourly, and Anakin knew it wasn't because he wanted the position. Not anymore. Luke had his other reasons….reasons he would later need to work through with him. A lesson that would no doubt probably cause Luke to get angry with him all over again. _Joy,_ he thought sarcastically.

"Why?"

Anakin and Obi-Wan shared a worried look. "Because," Anakin said, deadly serious, "Kyber crystals don't _just_ power lightsabers. With enough of them, you can power lethal weapons of mass destruction."

"Like the Death Star." Obi-Wan said grimly.

There was a flicker of recognition in Luke's expression, and as Anakin readied himself to go to his son's aid, the look disappeared. "Well. That's comforting." Luke said, sarcasm dripping in his voice.

"Indeed." Obi-Wan was almost scowling, as he looked at the tools scattered about. "We'd better hurry."

They continued down the walkway. Anakin couldn't help but notice that this cave not only had smaller crystals for powering lightsabers, but also much larger ones too, some as big as his fist.

 _How big were the crystals for this...Death Star?_ His son asked through their Force bond, his voice cautious, and Anakin knew he was trying to ask without triggering any memories.

As Vader, he'd of course, seen some of the crystals that had powered the battle station's supreme weapon. _They ranged in size. Some were incredibly large, needing special cargo ships to carry them. Others were as small as the ones in our lightsabers. Together, they could fuse themselves to form a weapon powerful enough to destroy entire worlds._ He paused. _Including Alderaan. Your sister's home world._ He could not hold back the incredible sadness and guilt out of his thoughts, and he tried to withhold the memory of holding her back while the world she called home exploded into literal dust before her very eyes. From the flinch Luke made, he knew he wasn't successful.

 _You didn't order it._ Luke's half hearted attempt to console him.

Anakin gave him an ironic smile. _But, it doesn't matter, Son. I did nothing to stop it. And, I should have._ Luke didn't argue with him. There was nothing anyone could say to justify those actions. But now, Anakin needed to help make sure nothing like that _ever_ happened again. Even on a smaller scale (because he was _sure_ someone would have noticed if Palpatine was building a battle station the size of the moon over Earth...Especially with him being Director of NASA and having access to so much classified intel).

The path they were on suddenly split into two paths, both still with wooden walkways down each one. They stopped abruptly, glancing at one another. "I think we'd better split up." Obi-Wan said, obvious distaste in his voice.

Luke winced. "We don't know how far back either of these go. If one of us gets in trouble, it'll make it hard to get help."

Luke had a point. However, they needed to cover as much ground as possible. Besides, being underground was giving him the creeps. "We'll be fine." Anakin assured his son. "Obi-Wan and I have been in far worse situations before."

"Yes, well, let's try not to make it a worse situation then, shall we?" Ella said, and Anakin couldn't help but be amused noticing how much like her father she sounded.

They split up-Obi-Wan and Ella went right, while Luke and Anakin went left. Anakin quickly regretted that decision though, because yet again the passageway narrowed until he was barely scraping through-and this time, the walls were lined with crystals that literally tore tiny little holes into his shirt. "Great. Just _great_ ," Anakin grumbled, "Your mom is going to make me go shopping now." He heaved a sigh.

Luke, who with his somewhat smaller frame that Anakin had never envied until now, had squeezed out already, and turned to face him, raising an eyebrow. "And that's bad?"

Anakin grunted as he finally got free, scowling. "Yes. Shopping is the _worst._ " He paused. "Unless it's for machine parts or new tools." He amended, a longing look on his face. "Then it's perfectly fine…But, just don't tell your mother I said that, or she'll force me to go with her more than she already _does._ "

Luke's lips twitched into a small, amused smile. "I'm sure you'll live." He said. "Uh, do you need to go ahead so I can Force push you out if you get stuck again?"

"Ha, ha. Very funny." Anakin rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help but smile. Force, it was good to hear Luke joke with him again. Luke's smile turned into a smirk, and he turned back around to lead the way.

It turned out that he didn't have to worry anymore. A few more paces, and they turned a corner, stopping short. Before them, the tunnel widened out into a massive cavern, _full_ of crystals of all different shapes and sizes. Mining equipment was strewn out everywhere, and the wooden walkway hugged the sides of the cavern. Wooden platforms were also drilled into the walls at different intervals, stretching up to the ceiling...or where a ceiling might have been. The top of the cavern was totally open, letting in sunlight and fresh air. Whether it had caved in years ago, or had been recently blown open, Anakin couldn't tell, but he assumed this was how they'd fit all of the gear into the Kyber crystal caverns below. There were no other entrances or exits-just the pathway they'd come through, and the open sky above.

For a moment, they stood there, taking it all in. Finally, Luke cleared his throat. "Well," He said, stepping off the wooden platform and onto the cave floor, being careful of the crystals. "I guess we take a look around before we go back to Obi-Wan and…" he broke off, his whole body suddenly tensing.

"What?" Anakin asked urgently, worried that he was about to have another vision...but when he checked on their Force bond, he didn't sense anything like that. "What's wrong?" His hand went to his lightsaber, instinctively.

"Mara." Luke hissed out, and a split second later he called his lightsaber from his belt to his hand, igniting it and whirling…Just as a tall slender figure leapt from the top of the cavern above, twin red blades ignited, and smashed them into Luke's lightsaber.

 _Ventress._

Anakin's lightsaber whipped out, igniting, and he stretched out with one hand and used the Force to push her back and away from his son. Ventress did not falter-she landed gracefully on the other side of the room, lightsabers poised in front of her, a sly smile gracing her lips. "Well, well, _wellll_..." She said, her voice still that same raspy sound Anakin remembered from before. She was older...and human. With short spiky hair instead of bald. But despite that, she still was pale and looked like herself. "Look who decided to drop in _uninvited._ "

 _We've got company,_ Anakin sent to Obi-Wan urgently, as he instinctively placed himself between Luke and the other woman, his own lightsaber held defensively in front of him and his son. He could feel Luke's annoyance at being protected, but he didn't voice his opinion. Now was not the time.

 _I know-we've got Inquisitors over here._ Obi-Wan's voice was strained and tight. _Who…?_

 _Ventress._ Anakin grimly told him, fighting the wave of fury at the sight of the woman. He heard Obi-Wan's blistering curse at this news through their Force bond. Asajj had caused him _so_ much trouble in their previous galaxy- _too_ much trouble. In fact, she was the reason he had the scar on his face, and she was also the reason for many of the Separatist's accomplishments. But now...Now, she was the reason for him almost losing his wife. Padme _still_ had the scars on her shoulder and chest as a reminder of what she'd done that horrible night...and his son had the mental and emotional scars from the result of her kidnapping. Years spent believing that he'd killed his mother, that his own father hated him...She'd broken Luke's connection to his family and willingly gave him up to that monster she called Master…

Anakin didn't need his bond with his son to know that Luke was furiously thinking the same thing. " _Fuck you, Bitch._ " Luke snapped, and before Anakin could stop him, Luke had charged past him, heading straight for Ventress, who smiled in triumph.

"Luke, no!" Anakin called, but it was too late. He had no choice but to follow, to force Ventress to pay attention to two of them instead of just one. _We need to do this together!_ He shot at his son through their bond, _Ventress is a formidable Dark User opponent, not one to be taken lightly! Obi-Wan and I have taken her on together before in our old galaxy!_ He wondered, idly, as Ventress brought up each of her blades and met theirs with ease, if this was how Obi-Wan had felt every time _he'd_ charged head-first into battle as his padawan...Without controlling his temper or his emotions. As their lightsabers began clashing, and they began to move through the room, ducking and spinning and lunging at one another, Anakin made a mental note to apologize (again) to his best friend.

 _Anakin, be careful of the crystals!_ Obi-Wan's voice floated into his head again, and he couldn't help but notice the strain in his voice. Ella wasn't as trained as Luke was, and Obi-Wan _was_ older than him. Anakin was certain Obi-Wan could handle it, but there _were_ limits to even a Jedi's capabilities. _They could easily become unstable and blow up in our faces!_

 _I know!_ He shot back as he dodged a lunge from Ventress. As he did, he blew another Force push her way, knocking her back. Again, she easily recovered, laughing maniacally as she did so. "Is this _all_ the Jedi can _do?"_ She sneered, giving Luke a pitying look. "Such a shame. You had such promise, too."

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Luke was shaking, and through the Force, Anakin could feel his anger overflowing, about to go supernova any second.

Alarmed, Anakin attempted to send soothing thoughts to his son. _Focus, Luke. She's trying to get a rise out of you._ Not that he blamed Luke. He himself wanted to strangle the life out of the woman after everything she'd done to him and his family. But, he wouldn't. Couldn't. He would never, _ever_ cross that line again. Even if she deserved it.

His words might have worked. In fact, Luke started to try to reign in his anger...but Ventress knew his son well, obviously. She knew _exactly_ what buttons to push. "Perhaps if you hadn't let _her_ win, you would have taken your place at our Master's side, and Fireheart would still be…"

She never finished. Suddenly, she cut off, an all too familiar expression of startled bewilderment, and then panic on her face, as she reached up to frantically claw at her throat.

Oh Shit.

Maybe it was a bad idea to bring Luke out here. He wasn't ready. "Let her go, Luke." Anakin's voice was firm and commanding.

"She almost made me kill Mom." Luke's voice was dark, full of hatred. "She deserves it."

Anakin firmly grasped his son's shoulder, but Luke wouldn't turn from Ventress. "I know that." He agreed, pleading with his son. If he couldn't get Luke to listen...he wouldn't _ever_ give up. But, it would make Luke's journey back to the Light so much harder. "But, this isn't justice. This won't change anything." He paused. "This isn't _you,_ not anymore. You promised to be better when you asked me to train you. This isn't the Jedi way, Son"

For a moment, Luke seemed to have no intention of letting go. Then, finally, Luke dropped his hand, and Ventress collapsed to the floor, gagging and gasping for air. Anakin let out a relieved breath, and squeezed his son's shoulder. "Thank you." and he meant it. Luke didn't move, only continued to glare at the woman as Anakin let go of his son and approached her, his lightsaber still ignited and humming. He raised it to her throat, threateningly. "You will tell us where to find Palpatine." He growled.

Ventress was hunched over, still gasping for air, her shoulders beginning to shudder. Anakin frowned. Was she...crying? Surely not. But then, what he took for wheezing quickly became obvious for what it was- hysterical laughter. "Ah, Skywalker." He knew she wasn't referring to him. "You still have it in you, Boy. You'll _never_ be a Jedi like your father." Anakin could feel Luke's indecision, his insecurity as again, her words hit home.

Anakin shoved the lightsaber closer to her face. "Answer me NOW! I may not kill you, but I have other ways of getting you to talk." His voice was harsh, even to his own ears.

Finally, Ventress looked up at him, a smirk of triumph on her face. He frowned, the Force whispering a warning. "My Master tells me _you're_ not so saintly either, oh Grandmaster." She hissed. "Tell me. What did _you_ do?" Anakin's eyes narrowed. Maybe strangling her wasn't such a bad idea after all. When he didn't answer, she scoffed. "Well. It's been fun. But, no sense hanging around this _dead_ party. Ta-ta!" Suddenly, her lightsabers were ignited again, and he was pushed back with a Force push...admittedly smaller than his was of course, but enough to make him stumble back a step. It was all she needed. She was back on her feet, lightsabers ignited...but she leapt up, using the Force to propel her upwards until she'd landed on a wooden balcony above them. She deactivated her weapons, shielding them at either side of her hip. "I wish I could stay, but I have other Jedi to destroy today." In one fluid movement, she pulled something out of her pocket, holding it up for them to see. "I'll see you two in Hell." She dropped the object...and as it fell, Anakin recognized it for what it was.

A grenade.

 _Oh shit!_

Quickly, he reached for it, calling on the Force to stop it before it hit the crystals...but Luke already had it in his own Force grip, suspending the weapon just mere inches above the nearest crystal. Ventress was already jumping up the platforms back towards the top of the cavern. "Go get her!" Luke snapped, and Anakin nodded, about to move...but the grenade suddenly exploded.

The explosion itself wasn't as big as it could have been, and Anakin managed to throw up a Force Shield in the instant it ignited, protecting him and his son from the shrapnel and the blast itself...Luke doing a good job helping to contain the blast. In fact, had they _not_ been in a cavern of Kyber crystals, it wouldn't have done anything except cause some dirt to fall off the ceiling.

But, they _were_ in a cavern of Kyber crystals.

And, Anakin feared that all hell was about to break loose.

Shit, he sometimes _hated_ being right.

When the grenade exploded, tendrils of fire escaped Luke's Force grasp...and fell onto the nearest crystals below. Luke and Anakin looked at one another, alarmed. "Shit!" Anakin muttered as the crystals began glowing red, one after the other...and as they did, the smaller ones began to explode, spreading the instability to other crystals in a chain reaction, like a set of dominoes.

 _Obi-Wan,_ Anakin sent to his friend, _You'd better get the hell out of here fast._

 _Why do I have the suspicion that you explicitly ignored my warning and this whole place is about to blow?_ Obi-Wan replied dryly.

 _We can talk about it later. Get Ella and GO!_ Ventress had already escaped. Melted bits of crystal were flying, spewing out across the cavern and igniting more crystals. The remaining part of the grenade explosion had dissipated, and Luke had now sheathed his own lightsaber. "We gotta go," Anakin said, turning back to the entrance…

That was when the exploding crystals caught the wooden walkways on fire, and the world erupted in flames before them.

Anakin froze, staring at the flames that quickly consumed the wooden walkway, cutting off their escape route out of the entrance to the cave. Images, horrible, painful images of his past replayed in his mind. There was a _reason_ he avoided _anything_ to do with fire. Anytime Padme wanted a fire going in the fireplace, she'd have to make it herself. When he and Obi-Wan had taken their kids camping when they were little, Anakin made Obi-Wan start the fire. Neither one of them argued. They _more_ than understood why. But now…He remembered how he'd struggled to crawl across the sulfuric river bank towards his old master, how the heat of the lava below set the edge of his clothes on fire...how the fire had quickly spread, engulfing him in flames, as he screamed and writhed on the ground to escape the burning pain. He remembered how difficult it was to breathe, how difficult it was to see, to think of anything else but the incredible pain, and his own hatred for…

Someone was yelling. Luke. He couldn't understand the words he was saying, only that it sounded urgent. Finally, he felt hands on his shoulders. _SNAP OUT OF IT!_ Luke practically screamed through the Force...Anakin blinked, coughing, as smoke began to cloud the cavern. Luke was shaking his shoulders. _We're not getting out that way!_

"Y-yeah," Anakin said, panic in his voice. Force, he needed control...but it had been so long since he'd been surrounded by so much flame, and it was getting worse… "But…"

Luke huffed, closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the urgency was gone, replaced by a calm Anakin hadn't seen on his face since he'd turned himself in on Endor. "You and I are going to make it." He said, his voice confident. "We need to go _up._ " He pointed at the wooden platforms embedded in the walls. "And, we need to go _now_ before those are gone, too. Do you understand?" Slowly, Anakin nodded, his own sense of determination and reason coming back to him. "I'll go after you."

"NO!" He shouted, startling Luke. He fought to get calm. "No. You're my son. I'll...I'll burn again for you if I have to." A peculiar look crossed Luke's expression, but it was quickly stamped out, replaced by that calm again. "I'll be right behind you."

Luke didn't argue. They didn't have time to. Instead, he turned, ran as far as the fire would let him, and used the Force to jump onto the wooden platform above, which shuddered under his weight. Anakin suppressed a groan. That hadn't happened when Ventress was escaping. They didn't have much time.

Luke seemed to know this, too. He didn't wait long, and again used the Force to jump to the next one, coming closer to freedom. Heat licking his face, back….everywhere, really, Anakin followed after his son. The first platform groaned, shuddering even more under _his_ weight, the wood beginning to crack. Anakin cursed, using what he could to propel himself forward and upward to the next one, as soon as Luke had cleared it to move on to the next. He was bigger than Luke was. Heavier. This wasn't good... _Don't look down,_ he told himself over and over again, coughing from the smoke as the room below him was now fully engulfed in flame. _Don't look down._

They continued this way, jumping from one platform to the next. Each time, the wood beneath Anakin seemed to get more and more unsteady. "Hurry!" Luke called, as he jumped onto the last wooden platform before freedom...and to Anakin's horror, it gave out, the wood tumbling out from underneath Luke, falling towards the flames below.

"LUKE!" Anakin cried, reaching for his son, images of losing Luke the way he'd almost lost his own life on Mustafar playing in his head...but Luke had moved fast. He managed to jump at the last second, grabbing onto one of the overhanging vines, dangling momentarily over the flaming cavern, before grunting and pulling himself up and over the edge and onto firm ground. Anakin let loose a breath in relief...which was quickly once more overshadowed by crippling fear for his _own_ life. There wasn't a platform. It was a very long jump between him and the ground. Perhaps he could do it...he was the Chosen One, after all. But, the wood groaned and cracked beneath him, and he knew any second the platform he was on was going to break, and he'd tumble and…

"Dad!" Luke's voice reached him, and he looked up again to see him on his belly, reaching out with his hands. "Jump!" Anakin hesitated, and the platform shuddered dangerously. If he leapt, it could bring it down that much faster, and he wouldn't get the momentum… "DAD!" Luke shouted again, and Anakin looked up into his son's bright blue eyes and his earnest expression. "Trust me. I've got you."

That was it. In that moment, Anakin totally believed him. He didn't think about the flames below. He didn't think about the wooden platform now starting to break under his weight. He simply gathered the Force around him, and jumped, hands outstretched…

Luke caught him, their hands firmly wrapping around each other's wrists. Luke grinned, even while he was under the strain of holding his father's weight. He opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly he slid forward, and both Skywalkers began to panic as Anakin's weight began to drag Luke back over the edge…

"Oh no you don't," A welcomingly familiar voice said, and suddenly Obi-Wan was there, hands on Luke as he pulled Luke, and therefore Anakin, back, pulling them both back over the edge and onto solid ground, with the help of the Force.

For a moment, both Luke and Anakin lay there, panting, gulping in deep breaths, coughing when smoke got into their nostrils. "See?" Luke gasped, turning his head to look at his dad. "Nothing to it."

Anakin could think of a lot of things to say. He could thank Luke for snapping him out of it and therefore saving his life. He could chew Luke out for putting himself in danger. He could curse Ventress and her stupid habit of escaping when she sensed she was outnumbered. He could thank the Force he was still alive. But instead, he began to laugh. Uncontrollably. Loudly. Freely. Until his sides were splitting, and Ella had joined Obi-Wan in staring down at him like he'd lost his mind. Who knows. Maybe he had. He was alive...he wasn't burned. And, so was Luke.

Still, he didn't relish the idea of telling _Padme_ about this little escapade.

"Um." Ella finally said, "Shouldn't we get away from here? You know. Before the whole place explodes?"

"That would be advisable, yes." Obi-Wan replied, a small smile on his face. "Can you two stand?"

"Yes." Luke was already getting up, giving his father a concerned look. "Dad….?" Anakin nodded, about to reply...when suddenly the sound of gunfire erupted in the distance. Very familiar gunfire. All four of them turned in the direction of the Millennium Falcon, where the sound was joined by the presence of multiple dark presences in the Force. "Leia," Luke breathed in horror.

It was enough to get Anakin back on his feet, and running towards the ship, his companions following close on his heels. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and glanced at Anakin as they ran headlong through the jungle.

"I've got a bad feeling about this!" Obi-Wan huffed.

* * *

 **Well I couldn't let Luke's first time in the field as a Jedi go smoothly. He was bound to have a hiccup. Also, because as you all know, battle chapters are like...major stressful for me to write, I highly doubt we're going to finish this story before the Last Jedi comes out. I just hope the Last Jedi doesn't like...throw all these plans into limbo. I think I was careful about it so that wouldn't happen, but you never know.**

 **I did want to address some of the reviews I got last time...I have mixed reviews about Hayden, which is fine and justified. Some people feel like if Anakin hadn't fallen, it would have been natural for them to have a few more kids. Some people feel that twins would have been enough for them. I personally don't mind either way. In the novelization of Ep 2, both Padme and Anakin think a lot about their ideas of family, and what it should look like. They're both pretty big goobers, frankly. So I wouldn't be surprised if they'd tried for one more. I don't think they'd have like 7 babies either, because that's a lot even if you do like kids (certainly not something I could handle lol)...but at the end of the day, it's open for interpretation. I should probably write about Hayden more since I did choose to include him, but there's a lot of characters in this story, so it gets really hard sometimes trying to give everyone the time they do or don't deserve. Ultimately, this focuses on Anakin and Padme, and Luke and Leia. In no particular order lol. I'm trying to balance things out for people in both camps, but there's only so much I can do. I'd really rather focus on the story itself at this point, as I'm trying to now bring things together. Hope that's cool. (Awkwardly slides away like the awko taco she is)**

 **Anyhow, the two songs for this chapter are:**

 **Fire Mountain by Two Steps from Hell**

 **Through Fire and Flames by DragonForce**

 **Next time, we find out the battle from Leia, Han, and Mara's end, and the conclusion of it...which also means I'm going to have problems writing it again lol. Sorry in advance. But go check out my other stories if you're bored!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	80. Welcome to the Jungle

" _Carry on my wayward son_

 _For there'll be peace when you are done_

 _Lay your weary head to rest_

 _Don't you cry no more…."_

"Would you turn that _OFF?!_ " Leia demanded hotly, practically shouting, her hands on her hips, glaring up at the man she loved. "You're going to alert the whole jungle that we're here with that racket!" She wasn't sure if that was _exactly_ true, but wouldn't be shocked if it _was._ Though Han's drilling and Chewie's hammering on the hull, and the old rock music literally _blasting_ from the Falcon was loud, the sounds of the jungle were, arguably, _just_ as loud, she had to admit. But perhaps because they were _supposed_ to be guarding the Falcon from any unwanted visitors (AKA, Inquisitors), the sound of them working on the ship - not to mention their _attempts_ at being a Classic Rock radio station for the _entire_ Amazon - seemed _so_ much louder than anything Leia had ever heard before.

" _Once I rose above the noise and confusion_

 _Just to get a glimpse beyond the illusion_

 _I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high_

 _Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man_

 _Though my mind could think I still was a mad man_

 _I hear the voices when I'm dreamin', I can hear them say…_

 _Carry on my wayward son_

 _For there'll be peace when you are done_

 _Lay your weary head to rest_

 _Don't you cry no more…"_

Leia sighed and rolled her eyes. Of _course_ , Han and Chewie were ignoring her. Or, the loud music made them deaf and they _couldn't_ hear her. She was putting her money on the former to be honest. _Not that that would get us anywhere_ , she stewed to herself silently.

If they _were_ attacked, and the ship got damaged, or worse, destroyed...it would be one hell of a trek out from the middle of the Amazon Rainforest back to civilization. If no one but Palpatine had discovered the Jedi temple way out here in the last who knows how many years, Leia doubted that they'd be able to find their way out. _GPS_ be damned.

" _Masquerading as a man with a reason_

 _My charade is the event of the season_

 _And if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know_

 _On a stormy sea of moving emotion_

 _Tossed about I'm like a ship on the ocean_

 _I set a course for winds of fortune, but I hear the voices say…_

 _Carry on my wayward son_

 _For there'll be peace when you are done_

 _Lay your weary head to rest_

 _Don't you cry no more…"_

Sighing again, she tried sticking her fingers in her ears to block out the music. To no avail. Still. Even though she _knew_ this, it didn't mean that she _didn't_ want to be there with her brother and father, her uncle, and her best friend. To see an ancient Jedi Temple...well, _another_ one at least...it would have been breathtaking. Yet her father didn't trust Han and Chewie, despite Leia and Luke's vouching for the smugglers...actually, it was probably _because_ Luke and Leia vouched for them that her dad continued to regard Han with the utmost scrutiny. _Especially_ Leia's vouching. Hence, here she was, reluctantly stuck on guard duty with her two rather raucous _DJs,_ while her brother got to do all the super cool stuff. Such was the price of becoming a Jedi Knight, she supposed with a huff.

" _Carry on, you will always remember_

 _Carry on, nothing equals the splendor_

 _Now your life's no longer empty_

 _Surely heaven waits for you…_

 _Carry on my wayward son_

 _For there'll be peace when you are done_

 _Lay your weary head to rest_

 _Don't you cry no more…"_

Han suddenly stopped drilling, which seemed to take the noise down only a decibel, and a moment later he poked his head over the edge of the ship to stare down at her, one eyebrow quirked. "Well, excuse _me,_ Princess," he said, and Leia pursed her lips as the nickname hit home. How many times had he called her that in their past universe? "I'm making sure that our getaway ship stays in one piece! She may have been big enough to carry the lot of us," which was the _only_ reason her dad had consented to take the Falcon, she thought dryly, " _But_ she's also too big for this death trap." He motioned around at the trees surrounding their landing spot. "I'm not going to consult the committee every time I need to do something to _my_ ship!"

 _That_ , she hadn't heard in _this_ world. Shocked at the blatant similarities between her Han and this Han, Leia sputtered without thinking, "I am NOT a committee!"

Han gave her his signature sarcastic grin. "Ya could've fooled me, Princess."

"And for the last time, I am _not_ a princess!" _In this world, you stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking Nerfherder!,_ she added mentally. But, that last comment, coupled with her now throbbing eardrums, had her heading towards the ladder, determined to set things straight with the smartass smuggler. "Look, you," she snapped as she climbed. When she reached the top, Chewie was hunched over his work, pretending not to listen, and Han was standing, arms crossed, waiting, the challenge in his eyes that both infuriated her...and made her insides melt. " _I_ am the Jedi Knight in charge of protecting _your_ precious ship!" She stormed right up to him and jabbed the tip of her index finger into his chest. "If you _don't_ want to attract all of the Inquisitors in the entire jungle, I'd suggest you at least turn _off_ your blasted music!"

"It's not _my_ music...it's Luke's," Han began, and Chewie said something in his strange garbled English that only Han could understand. "Okay, so, maybe I think the kid has good taste." Han amended with a shrug, "But this is still _my_ ship, and I'll do what I damn well want with it, _when_ I want with it!" Leia gave him a scorching look, staring him right in those chocolate-colored eyes of his until the stubborn expression began to waver into one of uncertainty. After a moment, Han sighed. "Fine. Chewie, go turn it down."

Chewie made a noise that sounded like laughter as he lumbered to his feet and climbed off the hull of the Falcon, leaving Han and Leia alone together, still staring one another down. It was then that Leia realized how close they were. Their chests were practically stuck together, and all Han had to do was lean down and he'd be kissing her...She immediately blushed, and began to step away. "Thank you," she began in a voice that trembled. She cursed herself, and forced herself to say in a more confident voice, "It's a start…"

"Now wait a minute, Your Worship," Han's hand had reached out, and before she could pull away, he'd gripped her hand. The touch of his bare skin on her own sent fire up her arm, and it was all she could do not to shudder. When she looked back up into his eyes, he was looking at her as if he were trying to remember something, something he'd once known long ago. "Leia," his voice was soft...and yet _suspicious._ "Do you get the feeling that…" he paused. "No. I _know_ you do."

"Let go." She said, her face beginning to flush hotly. She _knew_ that look. Han was getting serious. When Han got serious, especially when it came to what was between them...for once, he was much better with his words than she was. That was a rarity in and of itself. This time, however, Leia knew she wouldn't deny it. Not now, not after everything she remembered, of the life they'd shared, how it had ended, how she'd lost him...and now, here he was, his hand holding hers, the chance at a new beginning stretching between them. If they did this now, in the middle of the jungle, with who knew how many enemies out there...she couldn't concentrate. And, she _needed_ to concentrate. As her father, uncle, and Aunt Soka had taught them, Dark Side users, especially those trained by Palpatine, could _never_ be underestimated.

Han didn't let go. No surprise there. "We know each other. Don't we?"

Leia was at a loss. Did Han remember her? The way he was searching her face, she wasn't sure if he did or didn't. But now definitely wasn't the time for _that_ discussion. "Now isn't the time, Han…" she began, trying to pull away again, but Han held fast.

"There's never a perfect time around _your_ family," Han reminded her wryly. "You're all constantly dodging evil magic wizards…"

"Sith, Han. Not wizards. They're Sith," Leia said dryly, "Or Inquisitors…"

"Whatever." Han shrugged it off like it was no big deal. "Point is, you and I...there's _something_ between us. Something that goes beyond you being my best friend's twin sister. Beyond you and me _just_ being friends." He paused, tilting his head a little. "It's why you kissed me, isn't it?"

Leia's mouth went dry. The entire world seemed to fade away. She stared at him, the man that, in _her_ mind, was still her husband...even if they'd been on rather complicated terms when he'd been killed. Words sprang to her lips, longing to be said...but like always, they weren't spoken. _How_ many times had she longed to speak her heart...and she'd always kept silent? Too often. Still, she knew that the moment she started, the dam would break, and there would be _no_ stopping her from pouring her heart out to him. "It's complicated." She said instead, her voice rough. "You wouldn't believe me even if I-"

"Don't give me that bullshit, Your Highness," Han scowled, his hand tightening on hers. "Ever since I met Luke and Mara, my life has been filled with a lot of things I normally wouldn't believe in. But even _I_ can't deny the proof staring me right in the face." He leaned forward, his eyes darkening, and Leia could hardly breathe. He was right there. _All_ she had to do was lean in...and unconsciously, she realized that she was. "Tell me," Han breathed, and his gaze strayed to her lips, she was sure of it, " _why_ you're looking at me this way, and _why_ I don't want you to stop."

Leia parted her lips. Just an inch more and… "I…" she began.

Just as the music changed. And, got unbelievably _louder..._ Not to mention more _obnoxious._

" _Welcome to the jungle, we got fun and games_

 _We got everything you want honey, we know the names_

 _We are the people that can find whatever you may need_

 _If you got the money, honey we got your disease…_

 _In the jungle, welcome to the jungle_

 _Watch it bring you to your sha na na na na knees knees_

 _I wanna watch you bleed…"_

The sudden sound of lots of lightsabers activating was hard to hear over the thunderous music now thumping from the Falcon's speakers, but it was enough to snap her back to reality, her awareness instantly stretching into the Force, feeling the presence of 5...no, 10, no….Oh, who _cared?!_ The clearing the Falcon barely fit in was suddenly surrounded by Inquisitors. _Oh Shit!_

"Get to the guns!" Leia ordered, and Han, having heard the sound as well, finally let go of her hand, nodding brusquely as he passed her and rushed to the ladder, pulling his own pistol out. Leia used the Force to call her own lightsaber from her belt to her hand, and it ignited in a flash of brilliant blue, and she leapt through the air, using the Force to help her land smoothly in front of the ladder, intent on giving Han cover while he moved.

 _Stupid,_ she thought angrily, as the Dark Users stepped out of the cover of the trees in droves, grinning at her like she was easy prey. _How_ could she be so damn stupid? Her feelings for Han were a distraction, one she used to believe she couldn't always afford. Perhaps that had been why she'd let him go before...but surrounded by brain-washed Inquisitors, it was hard to feel that way. Just that she _should_ have insisted on postponing that conversation…

She reached out with the Force to find her father, trying to send him the message of impending danger. All she got in response was a general sense of her father's _own_ dire predicament, and she knew she'd somehow need to stall them. "You don't have to do this." Leia called out to them, as they began to advance casually, apparently confident in their victory over them. Behind her, she sensed Han moving into the ship, and she didn't have to be in there to know that he was rallying Chewie to help him come up with probably some insane scheme to get them all killed...er, _rescued._ "Palpatine has lied to you, just as he lied to my brother. Your families _are_ looking for you."

She didn't admit that the last part was a general guess. So far, with the Inquisitors they'd caught, they'd found out that most of them who still had family left believed them to be long dead. Once they were calm enough to listen to reason (which up until now, had only been like, _four_ of them), the Jedi Masters worked to reunite them with those families. She, therefore assumed, it was the same of all Inquisitors, but she carefully guarded those thoughts, willing them to sense the truth in her words. They were only, after all, no older than she and Luke were at most. They could still be reasoned with. She had to believe that.

" _Welcome to the jungle we take it day by day_

 _If you want it you're gonna bleed but it's the price you pay_

 _And you're a very sexy girl very hard to please_

 _You can taste the bright lights but you won't get there for free_

 _In the jungle welcome to the jungle_

 _Feel my, my, my, my serpentine_

 _I, I wanna hear you scream…"_

But, her words (Or was it the blasted music?) only seemed to make them scoff, their expressions twisting into feral expressions of almost animalistic delight that looked quite ominous in the red light of their sabers. She swallowed, thickly, raising her lightsaber up defensively. "I don't want to hurt you." She said, her voice sounding more calm than she was. "You're innocent victims in this. Please don't make me."

"Save it." One of them said with a sneer. "The Grand Inquisitor warned us about your lies. Prepare to die, Jedi Scum!" And, they charged. Leia called upon the Force, well aware of their pitiful odds, ready to defend…

" _Welcome to the jungle it gets worse here everyday_

 _You learn to live like an animal in the jungle where we play_

 _If you got a hunger for what you see you'll take it eventually_

 _You can have everything you want but you better not take it from me…_

 _In the jungle, welcome to the jungle_

 _Watch it bring you to your sha na na na na knees knees_

 _I'm gonna watch you plead…"_

Three things happened all at once. First, the top side and bottom side guns on the Falcon sprung to life, the top side shooting a volley of bullets between her and the oncoming Inquisitors, while the bottom side did the same for the ones charging in from behind her, forcing the Inquisitors to stop and take defensive positions. Second, grenades suddenly flew through the air to her right, landing in the midst of the Inquisitors. One was immediately pushed out of range, but the other two exploded with a double _Boom!_ on impact, and Leia felt the deaths and serious injuries of some of the Inquisitors through the Force, making her wince in sorrow. Third, flipping up and through the air gracefully like she was in a circus act rather than a fight to the death, Mara landed in a ready crouch next to Leia, her purple blade igniting with a snap hiss. "Nice music. You Skywalkers," Mara commented dryly, turning to face the Inquisitors from behind them, "always needing to get your hides saved at the last moment."

" _And when you're high you never ever want to come down_

 _So down, so down, so down, yeah_

 _You know where you are?_

 _You're in the jungle baby, you gonna dieee_

 _In the jungle welcome to the jungle_

 _Watch it bring you to your sha na na na na knees knees_

 _In the jungle welcome to the jungle_

 _Feel my, my, my my serpentine_

 _Jungle welcome to the jungle_

 _Watch it bring you to your sha na na na na knees knees_

 _Down in the jungle welcome to the jungle_

 _Watch it bring you to you_

 _It's gonna bring you down, ha!"_

Leia raised an eyebrow at that comment, but she was too relieved to have another Jedi or...whatever Mara _was_ in this world on their side to protest.

"Welcome to the party," Leia said as the guns died from the Falcon, probably needing to be reloaded.

"Don't you mean ' _Jungle?',_ " Mara's rather dryly amused comment reached Leia's ears, as the music continued it's assault on their sense of hearing, as there was a clicking sound from the speakers...and then the _same_ song began thundering out across the clearing _again_ , eliciting a chuckle from an obviously amused Mara and a wince from a rather perturbed Leia.

" _Welcome to the jungle we got fun and games_

 _We got everything you want honey, we know the names_

 _We are the people that can find whatever you may need_

 _If you got the money honey we got your disease_

 _In the jungle, welcome to the jungle_

 _Watch it bring you to your sha na na na na knees knees_

 _I wanna watch you bleed…"_

The remaining Inquisitors didn't waste any time charging forward again, leaving their dead and wounded where they lay on the mossy clearing floor, focused entirely on killing _them_. "Oh, ha ha ha... _Very_ funny. Do try _not_ to kill them all. They're victims in this."

She could practically _hear_ Mara roll her eyes. "What do you want me to do, chop off limbs instead?" The Inquisitors reached them, and both Leia and Mara stretched forth their hands, creating a massive Force-push that knocked most of them back out of range.

"Yes," Leia said through clenched teeth, as she engaged two that hadn't been knocked back, "That would be preferable."

"I'm probably going to disappoint you then. Sorry," Mara replied calmly, as she too engaged an Inquisitor. The guns had started up from the Falcon again, once more preoccupying most of the group of Inquisitors. Leia felt more deaths in the Force, as two Inquisitors behind her missed blocking the bullets and were shot. But, even though she didn't _want_ to kill them, she herself ended up stabbing her lightsaber through one of her opponents, and cutting off the hands of another one, who screamed and fell back, staring in horror at the stumps where his hands had once been.

" _Where_ are the others?" Leia panted, as more Inquisitors moved forward, having blocked enough bullets to get through. She moved forward to meet them head on.

"Coming! Impatient much?," Mara huffed. The bottom gun that had been covering Mara had stopped, and Mara was now trying to defend herself against four Inquisitors at once.

But not for long.

"MARA, MOVE!" Han yelled, and Mara didn't ask questions. She leapt back, and Leia too moved with her, putting space between them and the advancing Inquisitors. It was a good thing they moved too, because a split second later there was a loud POP and then a _huge_ explosion echoed across the jungle and rocked the ground where Mara had been standing, sending dirt and debris everywhere in a large orange fireball, almost knocking Leia and Mara to the ground. The four Inquisitors were dead, their life snuffed out and returning to the Force.

She glanced back at Han, wide-eyed, to find him with none other than a rocket launcher on his broad shoulder, loading another canister into the chamber. "Do I even _want_ to know where you guys got that thing?" Leia demanded, rolling her eyes and turning back to the oncoming hordes of Inquisitors who were now eyeing Han and his weapon, clearly trying to figure out _how_ to get past the two Jedi to get to him and take him out. Even a lightsaber couldn't block something _that_ explosive, and a Force shield wouldn't do much if they were directly hit.

" _In the jungle, welcome to the jungle_

 _Watch it bring you to your sha na na na na knees knees_

 _I'm gonna watch you plead_

 _And when you're high you never ever want to come down  
So down, so down, so down, yeah…"_

"It's better not to ask questions. Trust me," Mara replied cheerfully with a feral grin, as Han shot another round at the Inquisitors, making them back up to avoid getting hit, as another gigantic fireball lit the clearing, sending shockwaves out from the impact. "But hey, we're down to only eight Inquisitors now! Uh...Seven, if you don't count the guy with his hands chopped off. And, you whined at _me_ about chopping limbs off," She said it so casually, like they were discussing the weather. Leia was reminded of just how long Mara had been fighting these guys with Luke, and again she wondered when her dad would…

As if on queue, four more Jedi burst into the clearing, lightsabers of green and blue blazing, as they moved to engage the Inquisitors from the side….and just as the sickening song loop started up yet again, dammit…

" _Welcome to the jungle we got fun and games_

 _We got everything you want honey, we know the names_

 _We are the people that can find whatever you may need_

 _If you got the money honey we got your disease_

 _In the jungle, welcome to the jungle_

 _Watch it bring you to your sha na na na na knees knees_

 _I wanna watch you bleed…"_

"Now!" Mara cried, advancing to box them in. Leia followed suit. Han, seeing that their odds had evened out, and recognizing that firing a rocket launcher into a tight group of friends _and_ enemies wouldn't win him any brownie points with Anakin or Ben, tossed the rocket launcher back up the ramp, pulling out his own pistol once again, though he did not advance. Han had been around Luke and Mara long enough to know that bullets from a simple pistol would do no good against a trained Force Sensitive.

The moment Mara had jumped back into the fray, Leia couldn't help but notice that both Mara and Luke automatically moved close together, back to back, fighting almost as one fluid entity. Had Leia not engaged with another Inquisitor, she might have stopped to watch. Even now, in this world, they moved completely as a team, one seamless unit, making up for one another's weaknesses, keeping an eye on each other's backs. She and Han had worked well together, true, but when it was _two_ Force Sensitives who knew each other better than anyone else.. _.that_ was a whole different level of communication and teamwork.

And, it was fascinating to watch and admire. Well, if you had the time, that was.

Right now, was not the time, she had to admit.

Now, that they were evenly matched (and with _both_ Jedi Grandmasters on their side), the Inquisitors began to retreat. Her dad pressed the advantage, calling over his shoulder, "SOLO! GET THE SHIP RUNNING!" Leia didn't need to turn around to know Han was already up the ramp and headed to the cockpit, and she too pressed her advantage until they heard the engines of the Falcon power up behind them. The moment they did, her father stretched out his hand and a massive Force push erupted before him, much larger than her own and Mara's combined, knocking the remaining Inquisitors back. "GO!" He shouted to them all, and Leia didn't hesitate to turn and run towards the Falcon's ramp, followed closely by Ella, Uncle Ben, and Luke and Mara.

It _should_ have been done with. They should have made it safely onto the ship with no further casualties on either side. Han and Chewie should have blasted off towards home and safety. Of course, nothing is _ever_ easy or uncomplicated with Skywalkers. So, as Leia reached the top of the ramp, she heard gunshots ring out in the clearing. _Strange,_ she thought, turning around, _Jedi didn't usually use guns. They didn't need them._

But, these were not Jedi, or even Sith. Inquisitors were something else, and as she turned, she watched, to her horror, as one of the bullets hit Mara in the shoulder, sending her tumbling to the floor of the ramp with a scream of pain and a splatter of blood.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Luke froze, his skin paling, his eyes going wide with more terror than she'd _ever_ seen on his face, before he whirled back to his wife...er...girlfriend. "MARA!" He was shouting, but the gunshots were still going off. Again, he ignited his lightsaber, and for one horrifying moment, Leia was certain Luke was going to go after those Inquisitors and slaughter them.

But though he moved to do so, her dad, still fending off bullets himself while backing towards the Falcon, shouted "NO, LUKE!," as if reading his son's intentions. He probably had. Leia was afraid Luke would ignore him, and she began to head back down the ramp to stop him, to help Mara who was on the floor groaning in pain as she cradled her bloody shoulder, but she felt someone grab her from behind, keeping her from jumping back into danger.

"No! Let your father handle this," Her Uncle Ben's voice was in her ear. She hardly heard him, so terrified was she that Luke would lose control and enact revenge on those who had hurt Mara, or just as bad, that Mara would die. But, Luke stopped, snarling in frustration and fury, and instead began using his lightsaber to block any bullets that were coming his or Mara's way. Moments later, her dad was there, allowing Luke to cover for him while he disengaged his lightsaber, hooked it back to his belt, and picked Mara up, heading up the ramp.

"Let's go!" Her dad called after Luke, and for a moment Luke didn't respond, didn't move from his spot where he was blocking bullet after bullet with incredible Force-induced speed. "Luke, I said let's go!" There was now a firm command in her dad's voice, the command of not only a father, but a Jedi Grandmaster. Hesitantly, and to Leia's great relief, Luke finally moved up the ramp, dodging bullets, breathing hard as he reached Leia, his eyes immediately going to Mara who was now spitting quite colorful curse words, as she tried to get Anakin to put her down. In Leia's mind, if Mara was doing that, the wound couldn't have been critical...but she wasn't a healer, and from Luke's expression, she didn't think Luke gave a damn about that. She didn't blame him. If that were Han...she'd be upset, too.

Making sure Luke was fully on board and not about to go jumping back into the fray, Leia slammed the switch to raise the ramp and called back to Han and Chewie, "Punch it!" And moments later, they were up in the air, flying over the unending green Amazon treetops, and speeding back towards home. Unfortunately, the same damn song was _still_ thumping loudly from the onboard speakers, causing the floor to literally vibrate inside the ship.

" _Welcome to the jungle we got fun and games_

 _We got everything you want honey, we know the names_

 _We are the people that can find whatever you may need_

 _If you got the money honey we got your disease…"_

Beyond frustrated...and fearing they'd all go deaf by the time they got back home...not to mention afraid they'd all go insane from listening to this blasted song all the way back to Houston, Leia marched over to the control panel off the main cabin area where the music controls were housed, lit her saber, and immediately shoved it into the control box, sending sparks flying...but silencing the music. She couldn't help sighing in blessed relief. Her father was just sitting Mara down on a bench, and he stood up and called out at the same time as her Uncle Ben, "Thank you!"

Han, who'd just walked out of the cockpit, wasn't so thrilled, a look of horror crossing his face as he bemoaned, "My ship!"

Mara just shook her head, "You people have no appreciation for good music. You know that?"

Luke, still obviously upset that Mara was injured, nonetheless shook his head and replied, "This is why I love you, Mara. No appreciation at all," as he knelt next to her and gingerly began wiping blood from her shoulder with a medical kit. Leia didn't miss the look of surprise of Mara's face, of the grunt of dismay from her father at the "L" word.

Han simply arched his eyebrows, crossed his arms, and glared at Leia, "You can say that again, Kid. Why'd you do that, Your Highness?"

Leia calmly turned around and glared right back at Han, "Because, you scruffy looking Nerfherder, I've got ears."

Ben and Anakin exchanged an amused glance and had to cover their mouths to keep from bursting out laughing at the wounded expression on Han's face. "Who's scruffy looking? And, what the _hell_ is a Nerfherder anyway? Is that more of your family's weird hokey religion?"

Chewie appeared at Han's back and barked out something in his own garbled dialect, "Yeah, Chewie. I think you're right. Let's go fly the ship and leave them to it...even if they _don't_ appreciate good music...Which was _Luke's_ , by the way…"

* * *

 **I swear the late update had nothing to do with this being an action chapter, and everything to do with me being in Texas for a month, and then California, and then getting sick and having no voice whatsoever and being grumpy about that (thanks dad *glares at my dad who got me sick*). This was actually a lot of fun for me to write, and my beta to beta (her texts while she beta'd were pretty funny lol).**

 **So obviously, you guys know the songs for this chapter...**

 **Carry On My Wayward Son by Kansas**

 **Welcome to the Jungle by Guns N Roses (btw. I had this planned before Jumangi).**

 **I also just realized this is my first update after Ep 8...I LOVED THE MOVIE! 3 And I maaaaay be leaning heavily on a Reylo ship...just cuz...I obviously have a soft spot for characters like Kylo Ren...I won't say more since it's still in theaters, though I'm pretty sure if all of you are avid readers of fanfic, you've seen like 5 million spoilers in story descriptions alone so.**

 **Anyhow, review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


	81. Luke's Darkest Secret

Force, he was _really_ glad Master Che had been there, waiting for them, when they arrived back in Houston on the Falcon. His dad had comm'd her to let her know Mara had been shot on their mission.

He'd hurried Mara along to the Healer's Ward in the Academy as soon as they'd disembarked from the ship. Thankfully, she was able to walk on her own; though, if he was honest, he'd have swept her into his arms and carried her there himself if she wasn't.

He'd done the best job of patching her up that he could with the well stocked medical kit Han had onboard, but it hadn't contained any bacta patches...and her wound really needed to be sealed first.

"Are you _sure_ you're okay?" Luke asked for like the millionth time, as he walked Mara back to her room in the Jedi Academy. He kept looking at her bandaged arm, the wound now cleaned and stitched with bacta patches on it to help it heal faster. Master Che had also managed to remove the bullet that was lodged in her shoulder, and she had assured them that Mara had suffered no permanent damage to her shoulder. To say he'd been relieved to hear this was an understatement. Now, as they walked along, Luke stared at it as if that would somehow make the patches work faster.

Mara sighed and stopped, reaching up with her uninjured arm to touch his cheek gently in a calming gesture. "I'm _fine,_ Luke. I'm not going to die. You heard Master Che. It didn't even hit an artery, and she gave me this bottle of pain meds to take to help me sleep tonight." She held up the orangish-brown bottle and shook it so he could hear the pills rattling inside. He sighed.

Yeah. He knew that, but _still._..

"But, you could have gotten…" he began, and she put her finger to his lips this time, silencing him. He still must have been clearly anguished, because she sighed again and suddenly hugged him, holding him close with her uninjured arm. He immediately wrapped her in his arms, careful of her injury, and crushed her close to him, her head cuddled under his chin, and closing his eyes. Flashes of what happened in Namibia to Fireheart kept replaying in his mind. Flashes of his mother being shot. If _that_ happened to Mara….Force, he couldn't take it. He couldn't take another loss.

Mara knew what he was thinking. "I'm okay. I promise. I will do _everything_ in my power to make sure I stay alive. Not just because I like living, mind you, but because I don't want to put _you_ through that pain again, just as I'm sure you wouldn't want _me_ to go through it if _you_ died."

His throat tightened and his breath hitched in his chest, and he squeezed her tighter, before he finally, reluctantly released her. "I'm sorry." He said, his voice ragged as they began going back to her room again. "I shouldn't have kept...kept what was going on with my memories from you. I didn't...actually _mean_ to keep it a secret. I just didn't think to tell you since it's all so crazy to me still."

Mara slipped her hand into his. "I know. I should have realized...I just got upset and over reacted." She was silent for a moment, and Luke had a feeling she was struggling to come up with her next words.

He had a feeling he knew what it was. "We... _knew_ each other. In that other galaxy, I mean. Didn't we?" He already knew the answer. The Force whispered the truth of it...She was something special to him. She always had been.

Mara cast her eyes to the floor and didn't answer immediately, as if worried about his reaction. "We did." she finally said softly. They'd reached her door, and she stopped, leaning back against it, looking up into Luke's eyes, searching. For what, he wasn't sure.

Luke nodded slowly. "We were...more than just _friends_ , weren't we?" He couldn't remember it (and frankly, now was a bad time for those awful headaches, so he was okay with that), but the Force practically screamed the truth to him.

Again, hesitation met his question, and she answered him with one of her own, "Do you want to know the truth?" She continued to stare into his eyes, still searching. Did he? He'd already found out about so much from that lifetime. So many terrible things. And yet….if Mara was there, it couldn't have been _all_ bad, could it? He nodded, and Mara took a deep breath, a blush rising to her cheeks, before she whispered softly, "You and I...We were married."

He blinked at her, stunned. _Married?!_ But, even as he tried to picture himself married to Mara...He found it actually quite easy for him to picture it. It certainly explained the looks she sometimes gave him, even before they started dating, and how she seemed to know him on a level that was _way_ deeper than anyone else he'd ever met. "Somehow...I know." He said in awe. "I mean...I don't remember, but...I just know."

Mara sighed in relief and sagged back against the door. "So you're not...mad?"

He shook his head, puzzled. "Why the hell would I be mad?"

"Well," she said sheepishly, blushing, "I didn't say anything."

"I wouldn't have believed you." He pointed out with a shrug.

"Maybe so. Still…" She shrugged her good shoulder. "I've known about my former life my whole life here on Earth. When my parents died...I went to find you. Somehow, I just _knew_ you had to be here, too. I found Han first, and I figured you wouldn't be far behind him, and sure enough…"

He remembered running into her in Namibia, having caught her bounty before she did, and how she'd frozen, looking at him like she'd found the other half of her missing soul. Now, he realized, she had-and he'd been too torn with grief for Fireheart that he'd missed it.

He reached up and cupped her cheek gently, and she leaned into his touch, closing her eyes, savoring it. "In a way, I'm kind of glad I don't remember it." he cocked his head. "Yet, I'm sure. Because I got to fall in love with you all over again."

Mara opened her stunning emerald green eyes, tears forming in them. "That's the second time in the last twenty four hours that you said you loved me."

"Well," Luke shrugged and smiled, his own cerulean eyes twinkling, "It's true. I love the way you laugh. I love the way your eyes light up when you see me. I love that we share the same music tastes, and that you put up with my obsession with all things space. I love the way you can make us guys cower in terror when we've messed up your living room. I love the witty smartass remarks you make. I love the way you make little grunting noises when we're sparring..."

"I do not!"

Luke laughed. "You do too, and I love that you don't even notice!" He grew serious then. "But, it's more than that. Much more. I love your patience. Your compassion. Your determination to see things through, even if I'm doing something stupid. I love that you have never, not once, given up on me, even when…" he paused, his throat tightening. "Even when you had every right to do so." He could have continued more, but suddenly Mara had flung her good arm around him, fisted her hand in his blonde locks, and pulled him down to her and kissed him, sealing their lips together.

His response was immediate. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him, and he pushed her gently against her door, deepening the kiss, swiping his tongue along her lip, begging for entrance, which she willingly granted. Bliss. This was utter and complete _bliss._ He could stay like this forever, he realized-he didn't want to do _anything_ else except be with her, and touch her and hold her and…

They broke for air, but he immediately went back for more, kissing her mouth, then her cheek, then her jaw, and when she arched her neck, he began kissing down her neck, pausing to tenderly nip then suckle her earlobe. He felt her fumbling for the door knob behind her, and he instantly knew what she wanted-and he found he wanted it too, more than anything, he _wanted_ her. Here, now…

LUKE SKYWALKER! DON'T. YOU. KRIFFING. _DARE!_

His father's voice boomed in his mind, obviously furious, making him practically spring away from Mara with a jerk, looking around for his father's tall figure to come striding forcefully toward them, as if he'd walked in on them...and then remembered...he had absolutely _no_ shielding. Dammit! Meaning that his father probably heard _every_ word he'd just said to Mara...and he'd also been there for the kissing...and he'd just heard every single one of Luke's _very_ inappropriate desires…

Luke went red as a lobster, and Mara couldn't help but smirk. "Your dad?" She asked, arching a delicate eyebrow, and he nodded. She pursed her lips, then grinned, "Tell him I said mind his own damn business."

YOU CAN TELL HER _NOT_ TO SEDUCE MY SON, THAT'S WHAT!

His father fumed loudly in his mind, and Luke could feel his dad's fury... _and_ the embarrassment from his father's end...and despite himself he couldn't help but smirk, too.

"He says not to seduce me." He told Mara dryly, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

Mara's smirk turned into a feral grin. "Oh, Luke," She said dramatically, "Take me now!"

DON'T YOU DA-….THIS IS _NOT_ A JOKING MATTER! DON'T YOU _DARE_ TOUCH HER AGAIN! I WILL _NOT_ WITNESS ANY MORE OF THIS NONSENSE! GET YOUR BUTT IN THIS OFFICE RIGHT NOW, YOUNG MAN, OR SO HELP ME, I WILL GROUND YOU…

Force, his father sounded like he was about to have a heart attack or a stroke. One or the other.

"Okay, okay," he sighed, rolling his eyes, giving Mara an exasperated look and mouthed, "Later," which of course set his father off again, yelling about how he would _not_ be doing such things with Mara _ever._ He ignored him.

As he turned away, Mara called out, "Luke?" He stopped, looking back at her, a questioning look on his face. Her red hair was disheveled now, and she was still flushed. "Just so we're clear-I love you, too. More than life itself." She said it seriously, but her green eyes were soft, and she smiled so prettily that Luke's heart almost stopped. How he deserved this woman in this galaxy or the last, he didn't even know. They stared at one another for a moment, before she smiled and opened the door and disappeared into her room, shutting the door, leaving Luke alone in the hallway, debating on ignoring his father and going after her anyway.

DON'T. YOU. DARE. OFFICE. NOW.

He groaned and rolled his eyes heavenward, before shaking his head, deciding his father yelling at him the entire time was enough of a mood killer, and headed up to his father's office.

* * *

"Honestly, I'm going to throw up." Anakin moaned, his head on his desk.

Padme snickered, her eyes twinkling at her husband's obvious distress, rubbing soothing circles across his back. "Just remember, Ani, he's _not_ that much younger than we were when we got together and got married."

Force, he sometimes _hated_ it when his wife was right.

And, that fact just made him groan louder. _Don't remind me, Angel,_ he thought sourly. But, he finally lifted his head and looked up at his wife's smiling face, since Luke started professing his undying love for the girl. They'd been in his office discussing what happened in the Amazon, discussing what to do to get Luke to open up about issues he clearly still had (not to mention indulging in a little, uh, romantic _nuzzling_ of their own) when suddenly Luke went from making sure Mara was okay in the hospital wing, to pouring his heart out to the girl in a way Anakin had literally _never_ heard the boy do. He would have been impressed by the step forward his son was taking if it wasn't _Mara_ he was romancing. Worse, when he explained _why_ he'd broken off mid-sentence to Padme, she just laughed and thought it was cute. _Cute!_ As if. "You're not helping, Angel. And...and...it's.. _.Mara!_ "

Padme rolled her eyes, shaking her head in amusement at her husband, as if she didn't know what she was going to do with him. "For Force's sake, Ani, Luke is singleminded about the woman he wants...Just like you always were about me. Remember, Honey? He's _just_ like his father. Besides, Mara is a really nice girl. I'm one hundred percent sure that _you're_ just upset that our children are growing up, Sweetie. If Luke and Leia loved literally _anyone_ , you _still_ wouldn't approve. Now, am I wrong?" She spun her husband's chair around and bent over, placing her hands on the armrests and gave him a pointed look.

Anakin made a protesting noise. "Angel, _no,_ I would totally be okay if Luke...I don't know...loved Ella…"

"Because she's Obi-Wan and Satine's daughter?" Padme grinned knowingly.

"No!" From the look Padme gave him, he knew she wasn't buying it. "Okay, maybe." He sighed and ran a hand through his blonde curls.

"Ok. Then name _one_ guy you'd be okay with Leia dating." Padme demanded, a smirk firmly on her face.

Anakin immediately scowled, his cheeks turning red, and made a face. "Okay. Leia is different. No one is _ever_ allowed to date my daughter. Not ever." He pointed his index finger at his wife to emphasize his declaration.

Padme burst out laughing and leaned down further to kiss him on the lips, even though for once, he wasn't exactly in the mood to be kissing, which admittedly was highly unusual for him. After all, he rarely _wasn't_ in an _amorous_ mood for his wife. Still, in _his_ mind, kissing his wife right now just reminded him of what Luke _almost_ did with Mara. He shuddered, and Padme pulled away.

"Ani...What would you have done if _my_ dad had said the same thing to you about _me?_ Hmm?," she asked him, her look still amused, and he actually growled in frustration, but shook his head and refused to admit she had him there. His wife ignored his silence and continued,  
"Honey, like it or not, our babies are in the same situation that _we_ were in when you first arrived here on Earth."

" _We_ were in our early twenties." Anakin grumbled irritably, looking away from his wife's twinkling brown eyes.

"Yes, but the first time around, I married you when you were _nineteen,_ remember? And, frankly, had we run into each other again sooner, I probably would have considered marrying you had you been Luke and Leia's age." She paused, making a face. "No younger than that, though. And besides, they're only three months away from being eighteen."

"But our galaxy was _different_. Our circumstances were different! They...they need to get out there and experience life first, not get tied down at such a young age…" he began to protest, but Padme was shaking her head, still clearly amused at her husband's protests.

"Ani, if this was Hayden we were talking about, I would totally agree with you. However, Leia remembers most of her previous life, and Luke is on his way to remembering more of it. They've experienced an entire lifetime already, and they're still married in their own minds...just like _we_ were. Truthfully, it's not shocking that the Force is reuniting them _both_ with the same spouses they had in our old galaxy. It did the same thing with us." She sighed, shrugging, seeing that she wasn't going to convince him. "Besides, Sweetie, the more you protest, the more you push them into doing whatever they want to do. They're teenagers-it's what they _do._ At least give them the proper tools and knowledge to be responsible about it, if that's what they…"

"LA LA LA LA LA!" Anakin yelped, wide-eyed and horrified at the thought of his children doing _that_ , just as the doors to his office opened, and Luke walked in, giving him a dirty look.

"If you haven't noticed," Luke said sarcastically, "I'm not anywhere _near_ Mara. You can stop now."

Anakin narrowed his eyes and glared at Luke. "You're grounded. Forever."

Luke calmly raised an eyebrow, looking to Padme, who again, rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Your father just wants to protect you and your siblings. It's hard for him to come to terms with the fact that you're not five anymore." Anakin shot her a glare that said they'd discuss this more _later,_ and Padme, undeterred, gave him a look right back that said, _Go ahead, you're not changing my mind. Now get over it and talk to Luke about more important issues._ Anakin grumbled Huttese curses under his breath, slumping back in his chair, but he didn't protest as Padme leaned down and kissed his forehead gently, whispered she loved him in his ear, and then began to head out of the office. Before she did though, she stopped next to Luke and hugged him. Unsurprisingly, Luke hugged her back, reminding Anakin bitterly that, yet again, it wasn't _Padme_ his son had an issue with. As she pulled away, Padme reached up and ruffled his hair and added, "But, seriously, Son. If you're going to take _that_ step with Mara, you'd better use protection, because if you get her pregnant…"

Now, Luke was flushing, turning and looking at his father in horror. "You told _Mom?!"_

Anakin groaned again, rubbing his hand down his face, as Padme shrugged and said, "Of course he did. I'm his wife, after all, and he tells me everything. Besides that, I'm your mother. I'm just saying, Luke...If you're going to be sexually active _,_ just be responsible, whatever you decide." She reached up and patted Luke on the cheek before turning and heading for the door.

When she left, Luke gave Anakin the most mortified look he'd given him since he'd watched he and Padme kissing so ardently in the kitchen. "Why? Why do you have to be so...so…."

"Embarrassing?" Anakin finished wryly, making a face. "I think I have a right to when you _almost_ gave me a front row seat to...to whatever you were about to do with her. _And,_ I already told you...when your mother and I do _that,_ I _shield._ " Anakin scowled again and gave his eldest son a pointed look.

"Well, if you taught me _how_ to shield…"

"Oh, trust me, it's _quickly_ climbing to the top of my 'To Do' list of things to teach you," Anakin said dryly with a shake of his head, as he stood from his desk, indicating the pod cushion seats with a wave of his hand. "But, right now, we have other things to discuss. Sit."

Thankfully, though Luke still looked annoyed and embarrassed, he sat down, giving Anakin a suspicious look as he leaned against his desk, crossing his arms. "Do you want to explain what happened out there?" he finally said after a long silence between them.

For a moment, Luke sat there, frozen, and Anakin could hear him through the Force considering what he wanted to tell him. "We were attacked by Ventress and Inquisitors. Leia, Mara, Han and Chewie did a damn good job keeping them from damaging…"

"Yeah, and you and I _both_ know that's _not_ what I'm talking about." Anakin interrupted briskly. Perhaps he _should_ have waited until he'd calmed down from the Luke and Mara... _inciden_ t he'd overheard, but it was clearly something that still significantly upset his son, and he was pretty sure that Luke _wouldn't_ be able to fully transition to becoming a Jedi without facing the issue and getting past it.

He was also certain it had _everything_ to do with Fireheart.

"Nothing happened. Everything is fine." Luke said, his voice hard and on edge, his eyes staring resolutely at the floor.

"You're lying. Not just to me, but to yourself." No. he _wasn't_ backing down. Not this time. It wasn't just Luke's Jedi status-it was his son's own well being Anakin and Padme were concerned about. "So, I ask you again...What happened?" Anakin leaned back against his desk and crossed his arms over his chest, simply waiting for Luke to speak.

But Luke wasn't going to just up and give his secrets that he'd been keeping for so many years. "Why don't _you_ tell me what happened?" he countered, " _You_ froze on me there. If I hadn't been there, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't made it out alive of that inferno." He paused, and when he spoke next some of the edge had left his voice. "I saw...images. Frightening ones. Through our connection."

Anakin closed his eyes, tilted his head down, and sighed. He knew what Luke had seen. He'd seen the fire in the temple, and freaked out, remembering the horror that was Mustafar. Just as he always did. "You're right. I _did_ lose it. And, you did snap me out of it, and I thank you for that." He admitted, opening his eyes and lifting his head to find that he'd surprised Luke. Luke had obviously expected him to refuse to divulge anything, just as he was doing to Anakin.

But, Anakin had faced his demons from his previous life, so he continued on. "I never told you or your sister the details of _how_ I came to be in that damn suit. When I tell you this, I don't want you to think _any_ less of your Uncle Ben, because he did what he thought was right at the time, and he and I have long since resolved things between us. But, back in our old galaxy, I'd just destroyed the Jedi Order. I'd killed _everyone_...including all the children in the nursery. After that, Palpatine had sent me to the planet Mustafar. I told your mother to wait for me at home at our apartment. But, your mother came to Mustafar anyway to try to bring me back to the Light, and your uncle stowed away on her ship without her knowledge. I didn't know it, but when I saw him emerge from her ship, I assumed your mother had turned against me and…" he paused, the words difficult to speak, as they always were. "I-I lashed out at your mother in anger using the Force...Your _very_ pregnant mother. It was Obi-Wan who ordered me to let her go. I did, and she collapsed unconscious to the ground. After that, Obi-Wan and I...Well, we argued, and when it was obvious neither one of us were willing to listen to the other, we fought, saber to saber. The problem was, we fought on this planet Mustafar, which was an active volcanic planet pretty much completely covered in rivers of lava, and the facility we fought in had a melt down and...when it came to the end of the battle, when Obi-Wan had the advantage over me, I was too blinded by anger and the Dark Side, and I still tried to attack him. I made to jump over him, and he cut off my legs, and my one remaining arm, and then he left me there, lying helpless on the river bank beside the flow of lava, and he walked away, as my clothes caught fire, engulfing me in flames, and I almost burned to death."

Luke had gone pale, eyes wide with shock, mouth agape, staring at him in horror. Clearly, he hadn't expected any of _that._ "So, yes," Anakin finished dryly, "I may have faced my inner demons, but there are some things-like fire-that are _very_ strong triggers for me to this day. So, I thank you for keeping me grounded in reality, because you're right, I may have died."

For a long moment, Luke said absolutely nothing, and his emotions were such a mix of horror, terror, and sadness for his father, and trying to picture what it must have been like, that Anakin couldn't really identify exactly what Luke was thinking. "You never told us those details." He finally clarified softly.

Anakin shook his head. "I just told you that I'd been badly injured, enough that I needed the suit. I didn't want you and Leia to think badly of your uncle when you were little, and I didn't want to terrify you and give you nightmares." he shrugged. "I figure you're old enough to understand now."

"I...had no idea." Luke said, his voice tight.

"And, I hope you _never_ have to. You've gone through enough as it is." Anakin said, bringing the topic back to Luke. "When your mother died after giving birth, I thought...I thought the baby was dead, too. I had no idea at the time that it was twins. Palpatine told me she had died because _I'd_ attacked her. And, it fueled my rage even more, and I did truly unspeakable things. Horrible things...across the galaxy. I loved...I _love_ and _adore_ your mom more than life itself, Luke. I'd already lost everything and everyone else I cared about, and I was _terrified_ of losing her, you see. And, that _fear_ of losing her is what allowed Palpatine to so easily manipulate me. He told me he knew how to save her, and that all I had to do was submit to him and be his apprentice and he would give me that knowledge. I was such a fool."

"But, I'm not _ever_ going to join him!" Luke said hotly and with determination, a scowl on his handsome face.

Anakin nodded. "I believe you, Luke. _But,_ that doesn't mean you can _ignore_ what happened in your past, Son, because it will continue to fester inside you until you _break_ , and if that happens, you may do something so wretched and evil that you _can't_ forgive yourself for it. Even when I got to this world, and found your mother, even though I had sworn to stay in the Light, I had to _learn_ to be willing to let her go, if it was her time to go." He paused. "Let me ask you something, Son. What would you have done had Mara died from her wound?"

Luke was silent, knowing that anything less than an honest answer was not acceptable. It was a long time before Luke finally quietly admitted, "I would have hunted down the ones responsible."

Anakin nodded knowingly. "Why?"

"Because I love her, and I don't want to lose her." Luke answered automatically, but it was only a half truth, and had Anakin not seen those visions of Luke and Fireheart, he might have missed it. So, he pressed on with his questions, probing for the truth.

"Why else? That's only part of it, Luke. I know there's more to it than just that." Again, Luke went silent, refusing to meet his eyes. "I understand that feeling, Luke. Truly, I felt the same exact way about your mother. I can't make the decision for you to move on from whatever happened, but I _can_ help you work past this. The first step is to _talk_ about it. If you keep this bottled up, it's just going to keep festering and building until you can't control it and you end up exploding over it. It's not healthy for you, Luke, and it will make aligning yourself in the Light that much harder if you don't let it _all_ go."

Again, Luke was stubbornly silent, but Anakin waited patiently. It was...difficult, facing your demons. More than difficult. It could be terrifying. He knew that better than _anyone_ else. Finally, Luke said in a tight voice, "I... _can't_ talk about it." When Anakin opened his mouth to protest, Luke quickly added, "But, I can _show_ you."

Anakin blinked, surprised. Honestly, for him, he would have _preferred_ to talk it out over Luke showing his worst memories. But...he and Luke weren't the same, and he was _sure_ the situation was probably different. So, if it made things easier, and Luke was willing to open up that way to him, then he'd accept that. So, he nodded, and Luke closed his eyes, opening up his mind to him and suddenly...he was in Luke's mind, experiencing the memory, just as he would have from Fireheart.

 _It was strange, being in Luke's mind instead of Fireheart's. The last he was shown from Fireheart's memories, she and Luke were just about to compete to become Palpatine's apprentice. Now, Luke was huffing hard, his body coated in sweat, and he stood, beaming at Fireheart with an almost goofy grin. "Well, look at that," He huffed, "You beat me."_

 _Fireheart's expression was stony, and she looked at Luke with confusion in her eyes. "Only by a hair," She said softly, and as other Inquisitors came to congratulate her, she quickly leaned towards Luke and whispered, "Why did you let me win?"_

 _Luke crossed his arms, still grinning. "I don't know what you're talking about." But, Anakin knew Luke was lying. He had a_ strong _feeling Luke had let her win, perhaps because he didn't want the competition to tear their relationship apart. Suddenly, behind them, a screen flickered on, and Palpatine appeared on screen, smiling that stupid fake benevolent smile he'd perfected. Anakin mentally snarled when he recognized the steely fury in those golden eyes. Luke stiffened as their eyes seemed to meet, and Anakin was pretty sure Luke knew that Palpatine was fully aware of what he'd done...and he was not happy about it either. Anakin was positive that Palpatine had expected Luke, the son of Anakin Skywalker, to win and become his apprentice. It would have been the_ ultimate _playing card against the Jedi. (and the ultimate revenge against Anakin as well)...but instead a complete nobody had won. Because Luke had allowed her to. Yes, Palpatine was furious._

 _The scene changed, and Luke was alone in his quarters, reading a book on battle strategy. Suddenly, his pocket vibrated, and he pulled out a simple flip phone. He frowned at the caller ID:_ Unknown _, it said. He picked up. "Yes?" He asked tersely._

" _Starkiller, it's me." Fireheart's voice was strained and tense and quiet, and Luke immediately pushed the book off his lap, leaning forward intently, as though that would make him listen harder to what she was saying._

" _What is it?" He demanded, his voice harsh and serious, "What's wrong?"_

" _Nothing. I...Look I...I have something I need to tell you." Fireheart was practically whispering into the phone._

 _Luke relaxed marginally. "You weren't supposed to call me unless it was an emergency. I appreciate that you find me attractive enough to call while you're taking lessons from your Master, but…" Apparently, Anakin surmised, some time had passed since the day of the competition._

" _This isn't the time to joke!" she snapped, but she quickly lowered her voice again. "What I need to tell you...I can't do it over the phone. I need to see you."_

 _Luke hesitated, and Anakin could feel his worry for her safety overcoming the need to obey his orders to stay with the other Inquisitors. "Like...right now?"_

" _Obviously, the soonest you can get here. I'm not exactly close by." Fireheart might have sounded annoyed, but she seemed more distracted than anything else. "Come meet me in Namibia. I'm going to text you the coordinates." There was a noise on her end, and before Luke could confirm that he would do as she asked, she hastily added, "Hurry!" and the line went dead. Luke pulled the phone away from his ear, staring at it in bewilderment, and not ten seconds later the text message appeared on his phone with the coordinates Anakin easily recognized as being the destroyed base they'd found in Namibia._

 _The scene changed once more. It was dark, and Luke was wearing the uniform of an Inquisitor, though unlike before, he wasn't openly walking through the base. Instead, he had managed to slip inside undetected, and was ducking around corners to avoid being seen. It was strange to see the building as it once had been-pristine, with a military air to it, as if everything had order and nothing was out of place. Except Luke. There were no burned walls, shattered glass, or even a pile of burned bodies. And, just like before, when he and Leia had found that base, he had a sinking, bad feeling about where this was going._

 _Luke slipped down an empty hallway, moving as quickly as he could without making too much noise with his footsteps towards the room at the end of it. He grabbed the handle, and pushed it open. Anakin wished he'd be wrong about the bad feelings he got. Usually, those bad premonitions were dead on and meant an ass kicking was coming...in one form or another_

 _Beyond that door was a sight_ no one _should ever have to witness._

 _It was the room Anakin had found that had been completely torn to shreds. A conference room, but now the table and the chairs were in place, looking and smelling brand new. The windows were still intact. At the end of the table, sat Palpatine, with a fake expression of pity on his face. Beside him were two adult operatives dressed in all red, and one of them still had a gun in his hand, pointing it towards the floor…_

 _Where Fireheart lay, gasping, as blood cascaded out of a wound in her chest._

 _Oh Luke, Anakin thought to his son in anguish, reaching for him through the Force to try to comfort him, but Luke ignored him, and the memory continued. "Talia!" When Luke spoke her name, it was a broken sound, filled with confusion, betrayal, and desperation, as he fell down before her, pulling her into his lap gently, his hands going to the wound to get it to stop bleeding. But of course, there was nothing he could do. Anyone could see that the wound was mortal and Talia was dying, and there would be no stopping that. "No, no, please, don't….you're going to be….Oh Force...Talia no! Stay with me!"_

 _Anakin felt his throat close up at the pain his son had gone through in that moment._

 _Talia stared into Luke's eyes, as if he were her lifeline, the only person keeping her tethered to the world of the living. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, words unable to form, but finally, as she choked out, "I….love you, Luke." blood spilled from the corners of her mouth._

" _So stay with me!" Luke all but shouted desperately, pressing his hands against the blood, trying to stop the constant, steady flow._

 _Talia's lips twitched into a sad smile, and again, she tried to talk. "Listen….your….I need to tell..." But it was too late. With a wracking cough, Talia shuddered once more, and was still, her eyes still staring into Luke's own, the life leaving them. The world seemed to stand still for Luke. He was aware of Palpatine talking, but the words were muffled, so even Anakin didn't know what the old man was saying to his devastated son. Then, abruptly…_

 _Luke lost control. Totally lost it._

 _The windows shattered into millions of flying shards, and the red guards near Palpatine attempted to move to protect their master, but they were suddenly clutching their throats, unable to breathe. Empty chairs went flying, smashing into the walls, busting the chairs and knocking huge holes in the walls, the TV monitor exploded...just anything and everything in reach was destroyed. As the red guards died, Luke stood, his hands, covered in Talia's blood, were now clenched at his sides. He still stared at Talia lying lifeless at his feet for a moment, before slowly, he looked up at Palpatine._

 _Palpatine smiled a yellow, oh so familiar vicious smile. "Good, good," he was saying, his words clear now. "Use your anger, Luke. Let it make you stronger in the Dark Side."_

" _You did this." Luke's voice was low, hard, and cold as Hothan ice. Which was quite the dichotomy seeing as he was now a raging volcano of white hot fury about to explode. "You did this." He accused Palpatine._

 _Palpatine's smile didn't falter - nor did he deny Luke's statement. After all, Anakin knew, Luke was playing right into his evil hands. "She was a traitor, Luke. She tried to kill me."_

 _Luke didn't even flinch. "Liar." The word was snarled and full of so much hate...Anakin was instantly reminded of himself. After he'd woken up from what was called surgery (but had actually been the most brutal butchery), after he'd been placed in that wretched suit, after he'd found out Padme had still died - despite Palpatine's assurances of the opposite - and Palpatine told him it was all_ his _fault...he'd lashed out, too. He'd attempted to kill his master. It was only Palpatine's manipulations that got him to stop. It seemed Palpatine was now on the path to repeat history with his son._

 _Palpatine's smile faltered. "It's the truth, boy. She was a true Sith. Now, take her place at my side...where you were born to be."_

 _Anakin immediately bristled at that -no son of_ his _was born to be a Sith!-but Luke didn't even flinch. He ignited his lightsaber, breathing hard, and before Palpatine could even say a word he threw the lightsaber at him with all of his might. The red blade soared through the air towards Palpatine, guided by the Force, and the old man didn't move at all as it sliced through him...but did no damage to anything but the chair he was sitting in. Luke called the saber back to him, and again the saber arched through Palpatine's image-because that's all Palpatine was. An image._

 _The smile had disappeared from Palpatine's face, and he was glaring menacingly, evil practically dripping off of him and into the Force. Anakin could feel it, even in his son's memory, it was so potent. "So, that's how it is, boy." His voice was guttural as he spat the words, his tone resembling that of the voice Anakin had known from his master when he himself was Vader all those years. "What are you going to do? Run back home to your daddy? To a family that doesn't want you?!" Luke flinched but said nothing, and Anakin again wanted nothing more than to hunt down the man and kill him for what he'd done to his son. "I saved you. I gave you a home to live in. Brothers and sisters to be your comrades. I gave you a life worth living! And_ this _is the thanks you give me?!"_

 _Luke's grip tightened on his lightsaber, and Anakin could feel that Luke wanted nothing more than to kill the man before him. "You killed her."_

" _She's a traitor!"_

" _I don't give a damn!" Luke snarked, stalking forward, his anger rising with every step. "I swear, I_ will _hunt you down. I don't care what slimy hole you're hiding in on this planet, I_ will _find you, and by the Force, I will destroy you. And, I will kill_ anyone _who gets in my way!"_

 _For a moment, they simply stared at one another, holding each other's gaze unflinchingly. Suddenly, an alarm began to blare, though Luke seemed to have expected it. A slow smile, devoid of any humor or happiness, slithered onto Palpatine's lips, giving him a rather grotesque look. "I accept your challenge, boy." he cocked his head, as if Luke were an interesting piece of art rather than an enraged enemy who had just sworn to kill him. "I look forward to our next meeting, young Skywalker." And, the image of Palpatine flickered out._

 _The scene changed. Luke was cutting down Inquisitor after Inquisitor, the Dark Side of the Force fully at his command, allowing him to kill with little to no resistance. Luke didn't seem to care. He seemed lost, not quite there, as if he were killing just to do something to keep his mind off of what had happened to Talia. Anakin understood this all too well. He himself had gone on a killing spree after learning of Padme's and the child's (supposed) death-that ultimately lasted two decades, but it had been especially bad immediately after Padme's death. So much so, Palpatine had to remind him that he couldn't rule a galaxy full of dead men. But while he understood this, to understand that_ his son _had gone through it too….and at such a young age, to know that it still haunted him…_

 _Anakin wanted to weep._

 _Luke burst into the last room. There was one Inquisitor standing there, shaking, barely able to hold her lightsaber. Behind her was a small group of children, no more than five. Anakin didn't know what it was that stopped him, but Luke came to an abrupt halt, the lightsaber still humming in his hand. He and the other Inquisitor stared at one another. "Please," she whispered, and the kids peeked out at Luke from behind her. Again, Anakin was reminded of the younglings in the Jedi temple, and he prayed that Luke hadn't followed him on this, too. Those deaths of the Temple younglings haunted him the most-he didn't want Luke to go through that, too._

 _But, though Luke didn't disengage his lightsaber, he stepped aside. "Get. Out." His voice was almost unrecognizable. The Inquisitor didn't need to be told twice. Quickly, she herded the terrified children out of the room, and soon the sound of their footsteps disappeared down the hallway. Anakin almost slumped over in relief. His son had done what he hadn't...Luke had spared the younglings. This gave Anakin great hope for his son._

 _The scene changed one last time. The base was in flames, utterly destroyed. Anakin had seen the pile of bodies. He knew that Luke had dragged them into one massive pile before setting the place on fire. But, Luke didn't care. He had other things on his mind...specifically, the funeral pyre he had just built, had just laid Talia's stiff, cold body onto. It looked like he'd tried to clean her up, tried to make her look like she hadn't just been shot in the chest...but Luke wasn't a doctor or a mortician, and it wasn't that great of a job. Still, Anakin couldn't even imagine….if he'd had to prepare Padme for burial...he hadn't even had to go to her funeral. He only seen it on holovid broadcasts. It would have literally_ killed _him to do what Luke had obviously done, but somehow, Luke was still standing. His fortitude was amazing...either that or he was in shock._

 _He didn't move to light the pyre. He just stared, as if staring at her would somehow bring her back. But finally, Luke moved forward, a lighter in his hand. "I'm so sorry, Talia." When Luke spoke, he sounded so broken, so defeated, so heartbroken, and Anakin's heart broke, too. "I should have….I shouldn't have let you win. This is all my fault. But, I swear, I will avenge you." He still didn't move, for a very long time, and Anakin realized there were tears falling freely down Luke's face. Finally, he raised a shaking hand, and lit the pyre, giving Talia the traditional funeral of a Jedi, whether Luke knew that or not._

Luke suddenly closed off his mind, or as much of it as he currently could, and out of respect, Anakin immediately withdrew. Luke was not looking at him, but at his clenched his hands, his expression set firmly as neutral as possible. It didn't fool Anakin, not in the least. "I knew...some of that," he admitted slowly, "But not...oh Luke…"

"I don't want your pity." It wasn't said in anger, more quiet defeat.

"I know." Anakin shook his head. "There aren't...there just aren't words to make that grief go away. Only time can ease the pain."

Luke was silent for a long time. Then, "Did it...did losing Mom...did it ever…?"

"Never." Anakin admitted. "A lot of what you did... _I_ did the same thing. Except I didn't spare children." He paused. "I didn't have _anything_ to live for. So, I killed indiscriminately, whenever it suited my needs or whenever Palpatine ordered me to. I accepted that the rest of my life would be like that. It wasn't until I found out that _you_ had survived that things changed. I was still a monster...but I suddenly had someone I cared about again. Eventually, loving you is what saved me from the Dark Side. _You_ were my hero, Luke, and I will always be grateful for that."

Luke nodded, still staring down at his hands. "Things...things _are_ better. Now that...I know the truth. And, I'm home with you guys." He admitted, "But if I'm honest, I still blame her death on myself. If I hadn't decided to let her win…"

"Why did you let her win?" Anakin asked curiously.

Luke shrugged. "I wanted her to be happy. And she...well, she _really_ seemed to want to become Palpatine's apprentice."

Even when Luke was supposed to be a Sith, he could never truly be one. At heart, his son was a _good_ person. Anakin had to thank his lucky stars for that. "He would have killed her anyway. Or worse, he would have made _you_ do it. You do realize this, don't you?" he said bitterly, thinking, yet again, how Palpatine used Padme's death to keep control over him.

Luke slowly nodded. "Yeah. I figured that asshole would do something like that. But, it doesn't…"

"Make the feeling go away." Anakin nodded. "I know. I _still_ have nightmares about Mustafar, the Jedi Temple. About all of it."

Luke slowly looked up at him, as if re-considering his father. "Me, too."

"You don't deserve this. I wanted...I wanted you to have the _best_ childhood this time around." Anakin said. "I wish...I wish I could make it all go away. You know, you used to come to me whenever you were upset, and it was so easy to make you happy again. But this time...I can't make you happy. I can do my best to help you, of course,...but only _you_ can decide to be happy, my son. But Luke...you _need_ to let go of your anger." Luke opened his mouth to protest, but Anakin was already ahead of him, and held up a hand to signal him to be quiet. "I _know_ it's easy to say that, another matter to actually _do_ it. But, even when we do find Palpatine and kill him, if you do it _in anger_...Palpatine wins. The Sith wins. Killing someone in anger...taking revenge...it's _not_ the Jedi way. It's the way of the Sith. And, no one knows this better than _I_ do. Yes, he's pure evil, and he _needs_ to die...but I also killed a Sith before I joined the Dark Side. His name was Count Dooku. He was a former Jedi who turned to the Dark Side. He wasn't a good man either, and he'd caused _so_ much pain and misery in the Clone Wars...He and I and Obi-Wan fought, and he'd cut off my own hand...but later, I killed him in anger, slicing his head off at _Palpatine's_ urging, I might add. And, that action set me further away from the Light than I already was." he shook his head. "You're already _so_ much like me in so many ways. _Don't_ make my mistakes, Luke. Please. I don't want to lose you again."

Luke still looked at him, absorbing his words. "I still want to kill him. I hate him."

"I know."

"I can't just...suddenly decide to change that."

"It's not easy, no. But, you can. I did, when I betrayed my master for you. To protect you. To save you." Anakin replied. "Look at it this way...It's _not_ about not wanting him to die, because he _does_ need to die. He's the single most dangerous person on this planet, not just to _us_ , but to the whole world. Rather, it's about _your motivations_ for it. Killing for revenge is using the Dark Side. Killing to protect and defend those that are innocent, that is using the Light Side. Understand?"

Luke hesitated but then nodded slowly. "I guess...it makes sense."

Anakin nodded. "It won't happen overnight. But, you're already progressing well in so many ways. Be patient with yourself, Luke. Give it...give _yourself_...time. I believe in you."

He felt Luke's presence calm. There was still anger and hurt and guilt, but...he was calm again. "Thanks, Dad. I'm...glad I told you. Well, _showed_ you," he paused. "Even if you _are_ super weird about Mara. Why is that, by the way?"

Anakin immediately made a face. "Let's just say, we were rivals before, and leave it at that," he said with a scowl, remembering what he'd literally almost just witnessed in his mind before this conversation.

"Ok. Now. Let's talk about s _hielding_. Hmm..."

Luke smirked at his father's obvious continuing discomfort from earlier, "Yeah, Dad. Let's do. After all, _I_ don't wanna know about you and Mom going at it, and I sure as hell _don'_ t want _you_ to find out when Ma-..."

Anakin's face flamed hot again and he growled, 'NOT. ANOTHER. WORD. YOU ARE _NOT_ GOING THERE WITH _HER!_ YOU HEAR ME?"

Luke smirked, " _Riiiiight,_ Dad...Sure. Whatever. So, about that shielding..."

Laughter rang out across the office, as Anakin sputtered and huffed and finally _howled_ in utter frustration. At that moment, across the Force, rang out the voice of a _very_ amused Jedi Grandmaster, _"Give it up, Anakin! The apple didn't fall far from the tree here. You were just as bad about Padme at his age, may I remind you...You'll never win this one, y'know."_

Anakin just huffed, crossing his arms over his chest, and scowled, muttering what sounded suspiciously like, "Oh, be quiet, Chicken Man," under his breath.

There was another pause before a quietly amused voice said, " _Cluck, Cluck."_

And, Luke laughed all the harder, covering his mouth to try to stop it. He remembered hearing all about his Uncle Ben's Halloween costume. Not amused, Anakin growled, "It's on now, Obi-Wan."

Now laughing outright with Luke, Ben's reply was mocking, "Well, you'll have to _mooooove_ fast to do it, Anakin!"

"Shut up, Ben," was the only irritated reply.

Much to Anakin's annoyance, laughter continued at a near deafening rate for quite some time.

* * *

 **That chapter went from one extreme emotion to the next. But I'm glad that the truth of what happened at Namibia is finally fully out, and Luke's full motivations are revealed. Oh, and Mara and Luke are obviously suuuuper into each other. I wrote that scene in public...and I couldn't stop giggling. I looked like a crazy person. But that's okay. XD**

 **The song for this chapter is Rue's Farwell, from the Hunger Games. Always a powerful piece of music.**

 **Also. I got a cat. Her name is Queen Amidala. Or Ami for short. She's adorable, and is appropriately named, for she now rules over my apartment. All hail the queen.**

 **Review!**

 **Love,**

 **Sarah**


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